Meat Flicks (2022)

Following Barbara Creed’s theory that “as a form of modern defilement rite, the horror film attempts to separate out the symbolic order from all that threatens its stability”, “Meat Flicks” is a work exploring the modern “slasher” genre and the portrayals of victimised women within. Minor female characters, with almost no development of their persona (other than some form of transgressive revelation, such as sexual promiscuity or unavailability), are introduced and subsequently killed by a male monster with a phallic-like penetrative weapon. Their beautiful faces, often mouth agape with bloodied lips, are shown close-up during death or post-mortem. I posit they are symbolic conventions, sacrificial victims of a white patriarchal discourse on the nature of women as innately, deceptively treacherous, valued only by their flesh. When these films are commonly marketed to young people, I ask, “are we ok with this? What do these films teach an audience to believe about victimhood, blame and control?”