Kiss of The Vampire

• Female character on the left


  • Being carried and supported by a male character
  • Seems unconscious or potentially dead
  • Neck and skin exposed, adding to sense of vulnerability
  • Dress is tight and looks like silk, creating a sexualized representation
• Other female character

  • Dress is form-fitting, particularly around bust
  • Looks like silk, creating a sexualized representation
  • Wearing high heels
• The representations of women being sexualized and objectified are quite common for the 1960s
• Representation of women being weak and vulnerable was quite conventional for the time period leading up to the 1960s
• In the 1960s, there was a second wave of feminism where women were starting to become more powerful and demand more equal rights
• The film poster still represents women in a traditional, sexualized way despite the changing social context
• This may be due to the film being made by a mainstream horror company with a mostly male audience
• Male character holding the female

  • Has vampire fangs, suggesting he may be a villain
  • Wearing dark clothes and a cape, adding to symbolic codes of danger
• The male character's arm is back, suggesting he may be trying to protect himself
• Male character on the bottom right

  • In a submissive, unconscious pose, suggesting he may be a victim
• The representation of men being victimized reflects the changing social norms about gender
• Female character in the center

  • Looks aggressive, with fist raised and vampire fangs
  • Suggests she may be a villain or aggressive killer
• Having a female villain would have been quite unconventional at the time, reflecting the changing gender roles
• There is an equal number of male and female characters on the poster, suggesting some equality in gender representation
• The credit block at the bottom has more male names than female names, suggesting a heavy representation of men in the film industry