Lavender Screen: The Hunger

LavenderScreen:TheHunger
Discussionpoints
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Ishorroraninherentlyqueergenre?
ThisispartofourDavidBowieseason,howdoesitshowcaseBowie’sambiguoussexuality?
Thisisafilmdirectedandwrittenbystraightmen,howdoyouthinkthestorywouldhave
beendifferentfromanLGBTQfilmmaker?
Howdifficultdoyouthinkthisfilmwastomakeandmarketin1983?
MelbourneQueerFilmFestivaldirectorLisaDanielratesTheHungerinhertop5queerfilmsofall
time.
Danielwasinherfirstyearofuniversitywhenshesawherfirsteverqueermovie,TonyScott’s
lesbianvampirehorrorrompthatseesSusanSarandonandCatherineDeneuvegetjiggyamongst
billowingwhitecurtains.ItalsostarsacertainDavidBowie,hardlyshyofthequeereye.
“IsawitatthecurrentlybeingpulleddownGreaterUnionCinemas,whentheseatswerestillintact,
thepopcornwasfreshandIendedup[going]twicebecauseIfounditsoenticing,likenothingI’d
everseenbefore,beinganaïvegirlfromthesuburbs.Havingeventuallycompletedamasters’thesis
onwomeninhorror,ithadthedualappealofseeingthegalskissonscreenandthevampire
element,”Danielsays.“IalsolovedtheBauhaussoundtrack.”
SHRIEKWomenofHorror:TheHungerbyEvanJPetersonforScarecrowVideo
http://blog.scarecrow.com/shriek-women-of-horror-the-hunger/c.2015
Thefilmcentersaroundavampirecouple,MiriamandJohnBlaylock,playedbyCatherineDeneuve
andDavidBowie.Twoofthemostbeautifulandcoollyotherworldlypeopleincinemaplayrich,
arrogant,bonvivantvampires.IhaveafashiongasmeverytimeIseewhatDeneuvewearsasshe
floatsaroundoncamera.Withoutspoilingtoomuch,SusanSarandonplayshumanscientistSarah
Roberts,whobecomesinvolvedwithMiriamandmay—ormaynot—bethenextvampireMiriam
sires.It’sthefirstfilmtomyknowledgethattakesseriouslythequestion,“Wouldyouwanttolive
foreverifyouhadtoalsobeanaddictfortherestofeternity?”
So,justforstarters,wehaveabisexuallovetrianglebetweenCarolfromRepulsion,JanetWeiss
fromTheRockyHorrorPictureShow,andTheManWhoFelltoEarth.Fromafeministperspective,
wehavetwosmartandcunningwomen,oneadoctorandoneathousands-years-oldvampire
aristocrat,neitherofwhomseemtorelyontheirmalepartnersforanythingbutpleasureand
occasionalemotionalsupport.Miriamisclearlythedominantpartnerinherrelationships,bethey
withmenorwomen.
Muchofthelureofthisfilmcomesfromtheultra-smoothdirectingofTonyScott,andit’shisfirst
featurefilm.It’saquietandvisualmovie,whichhasledmanycriticsandhorrorfanstopanit,butI
thinkthat’safailuretoenjoyabroaderrangeoftaste.It’snotaJohnCarpenterflick,thoughit’sas
slowlyprogressingandcreepyasTheThing.It’sanartsy,sinisterGothichorrorthatmanagestobe
very‘80syetalsotimeless(otherthanthefactthatsomeonesmokesacigaretteinjustaboutevery
scene).
Lestweforget,it’soneofthebest-actedvampirefilmsoutthere,featuringhighlytalented
performerswhosecharactersspendmoretimestrugglingwithlifeanddeaththanrippingopen
throats.Butthere’sgreatthroat-rippingactiontoo,someofitintercutwithPeterMurphygothingit
upwhileperforming“BelaLugosi’sDead”andlookingdirectlyatusincloseup.Thisopening
sequencehasbeenrippedoffrecreatedinthemusicvideofor“WrittenInBlood”bySheWants
RevengeandmostrecentlyonthenewseasonofAmericanHorrorStory,withLadyGagainthe
Deneuveroleasagloriousglampirewhoseoutfitsmakemeswoonandwhoseactingrangesbroadly
fromstaringtofucking(can’twin‘emall).Bothmaleandfemalecharacters’bodiesarefocusedonin
eroticways,doingsomeequalizingofthenudity/gaze.It’sdebatablewhethertherathertoo-softsex
scenebetweenDeneuveandSarandonisempoweringordisempowering.Thewomens’bodiesare
ondisplayinwaysthatmens’aren’t.Thenagain,thelesbianscenehasbeenimmenselypopular
amonglesbians(notall,mindyou).It’safilmwrittenanddirectedbymen,starring(assumedly)
heterosexualactorsdoingthesame-sexscene.Asaresult,thereiswaytoomuchgauzeblowingin
thewind,operasoundtrack,andlightpetting.ThisiswhattheteambehindTheHungerthought
lesbiansexwouldlooklike.
Iconsideritsignificantlylessexploitativethanmostlesbianvampiresonscreen,particularlypopular
inEuropeanexploitationhorrorcinemaduringthe‘60sand‘70s.Itsimultaneouslynodstoand
trumpstheblood-and-titslesbianvampirerompsofHammerStudios,etc.Thenudityandsex
betweenwomenstrikemenotasaformofpornbutasastylishanddignifiedexplorationofqueer
relationshipsduringaratherconservativeeraofAmericanfilm.
Funfact:TonyScottdirectedTopGunrightafterward,whichcontainstheever-popularhomoerotic
volleyballmontage.ThisledtoScott’sfirsttwofilmsbeinglistedingayandlesbianpublicationsas
amongthehottestqueerscenesoncamera.
Butwheredidthetropeofthebisexualoroutrightlesbianvampirecomefrom?Certainlywesee
crypto-queerorovertlyqueermalevampiresthroughoutcinema,fromDraculatotheincrediblygay
InterviewWithTheVampire,inwhichalong-termcoupleofmalevampiresliterallyadoptakid
together(andoccasionallylickeachother’snecks).Butwhenitcomestogayfemalevampires,look
nofurtherthanCarmilla,avampirenovellathatpredatesDraculaby26yearsandcontainsseveral
majorsimilarities.InJosephSheridanLeFanu’sCarmilla,maincharacterLaura’sfathertakesina
woundedgirltolivewiththem.Laurarecognizesthisvisitor,Carmilla,fromastrangedreamshehad
asachild.CarmillakissesLaurainwaysthatmakeherwonderifCarmillaisactuallyayoungman
disguisedasawoman.It’snotsubtleorcryptic—Carmillaisclearlygay.Ultimately,Carmillais
revealedtobeavampire—onethatpreysexclusivelyonotherwomen.LikeDracula,Carmillaisvery
likelyinformedbythetruecaseofCountessElizabeth(Erzsebet)Bathory,theinfamous“Blood
Countess”whotorturedandmurderedhundredsofyoungwomenandgirlstobatheintheirblood.
Onfilm,Bathoryisconsistentlyportrayedaslesbianorbisexual,includingintheverywellmadefilm
TheCountess,directedbyandstarringJulieDelpy(arareexampleofhorrorfilmdirectedbya
woman—wedesperatelyneedmoreofthese).Otherexcellentfemale-ledvampirefilmsincludeXan
Cassavetes’KissoftheDamned(alsofemale-directed)andNeilJordan’sByzantium.
Whateveryoursexualinterests,Ithinkyou’relikelytofindsomethinghotinTheHunger,alongwith
ultra-chicvisuals,excellentperformances,andagoodoldfashionedbucketofblood.
TheProprietaryCinematicGazeinTonyScott’sTheHungerbyDeborahMichel
http://www.acidemic.com/id97.htmlc.2007
TheincandescentimageoffemmefataleMiriam(CatherineDeneuve)hauntstheopeningscenesof
TonyScott’sTheHunger(1983)withclassicHollywoodglamour;thecameracutsrapidlybetween
herface,body,andtheotherelementsinthescene.AlwayscomingbacktoMiriam’sface
throughoutthissequence,itisclearthatthedrivingforceinthissceneishericybeautyand
dominatrix-attirecladform;inthesefirstmomentsthemisè-en-sceneof“noirish”lighting,cigarette
smoke,and40sretrocostumes,allpointtoastandardinterpretationaccordingtoLauraMulvey’s
feministfilmcriticism:
Inaworldorderedbysexualimbalance,pleasureinlookinghasbeensplitbetween
active/maleandpassive/female.Thedeterminingmalegazeprojectsitsphantasy(sic)onto
thefemaleform,whichisstyledaccordingly.Intheirtraditionalexhibitionistrolewomenare
simultaneouslylookedatanddisplayed,withtheirappearancecodedforstrongvisualand
eroticimpactsothattheycanbesaidtoconnoteto-be-looked-at-ness.-Mulvey,310
Miriamisalmostmannequin-likeinhercool,emotionlessexpressionandseverehairstyle;from
behindherchrome-framed,reflectivecat’s-eyedarkglasses,sheremindsoneoftheicyblonde
beautiesthathaveadornedHitchcock’sfilms,haughtyandimpassive.Mulvey’stheoriesasapplied
tothisscenewouldthusperceiveanobviousexampleofthewomanasimage,oftheglamorous
womanwhoseappearancerepresentsdifferencetothemalespectator,andwhothereforesignifies
athreattohismasculinity:
Thefemalefigure...connotes...athreatofcastrationandhenceunpleasure.Ultimately,
themeaningofwomanissexualdifference...thewomanasicon,displayedforthegaze
andenjoymentofmen,theactivecontrollersofthelook,alwaysthreatenstoevokethe
anxietyitoriginallysignified.-Mulvey,312
Miriam’spresenceonscreenexemplifiestheclassicnoirfemmefatalethroughherappearanceand
demeanour,andalsobecausesheseemstodominatehermalecompanion;sheisasexually
powerfulwoman,thethreateningpresencewhosearchetypeFreudoncecoinedas“shewhomust
beobeyed”.Sheseemstofitthepatternofawomanwhosescreenpresencedenotesthequalityof
shewhois“to-be-looked-at”,andthecameraseemstorepresenttheever-present(heterosexual)
malegaze;howeverhercompanionJohn(DavidBowie)isalsohighlyglamorizedandbeautiful,
androgynousandattiredinfashionablyintimidatingsplendour,positingquestionsofgenderposition
androle.Itisnotonlygenderpersethatisaskewinthenarrative,buttherelativepowerthat
accompaniesmalemasculinitythatisspecificallychallenged;likethehighlysexualized,gun-wielding
femmefatale,Miriamfranklydefiestheauthorityofeverymansheencounters.Miriam’sauthority
istotalthroughoutthenarrative,inherpoweroverthosearoundherandoverlifeanddeath;asthe
dominantvampire,itisshewhocreatedJohnashervampirecompanion,asshewillsooncreateher
nextloverSarah(SusanSarandon).Asthepresumptivematernalpowerinherclosestintimate
relationships,sheisutterlyemasculating,producingunpleasureforthemalespectator:
Themaleunconscioushastwoavenuesofescapefromthiscastrationanxiety...
investigatingthewoman,demystifyinghermystery...(and)thedevaluation,punishmentor
savingoftheguiltyobject...orelsecompletedisavowalofcastrationbythesubstitutionof
afetishobjectorturningtherepresentedfigureitselfintoafetishsothatitbecomes
reassuringratherthandangerous(henceover-valuation,thecultofthefemalestar).-
Mulvey,312
Miriam’simageissexuallyobjectifiedandfetishizedinsadisticallyenticingnewwavecostumeand
high-fashionmakeup,modelledintoanimagethatisobject,notsubject;hersexualthreattothe
masculineiscontrolledthroughtheuseofrapideditingandselectivecameraworkthatsectionher
intosmallercomponentparts,accordingtothemanneroffashionphotography,musicvideos,or
heterosexualmen’spornography.
Thisnotwithstanding,onecouldnoteasilydeclarewhichofthetwobestconveys“to-be-looked-atness”bytheostensiblymalegaze;theybothoffersexualfantasy.Miriam’sbeautyiscoldand
deliberate,andshehasacommandingandaloofpresence,whileJohnseemsmoredirectlysensual
andinviting.MiriamandJohnposeadifficultquestionforMulvey’stheoryofthe(heterosexual)
malegazeandwhattheimageofthiswoman(asopposedtothisman)represents:
Accordingtotheprinciplesoftherulingideologyandthepsychicalstructuresthatbackitup,
themalefigurecannotbeartheburdenofsexualobjectification.Manisreluctanttogazeat
hisexhibitionistlike.Hencethesplitbetweenspectacleandnarrativesupportstheman'srole
astheactiveoneofforwardingthestory,makingthingshappen.Themancontrolsthefilm
phantasyandalsoemergesastherepresentativeofpowerinafurthersense:asthebearer
ofthelookofthespectator.-Mulvey,311
YetinTheHunger,JohnfollowsMiriam’sleadinthenightclubasthebandBauhausperformsthe
throbbingrefrainofBelaLugosi’sDead;hewearsanexpressionthatistauntingandteasing,making
sexualsuggestionswithaglance.Hencetheybothpresentathreattomale-masculinedominance,
aresymbolicofcastration,andconfoundthenotionofastrictlyheterosexualmalegaze.
Theyareapparentlyacoupleofswingersoutcruisingforapairofwillingplaymates,andassuch
theirmannertowardstheirintendedquarryismuchlikethatofasexuallypredatorymale;theyare
bothsexualized“objects”whothemselvesviewothersassexualobjects,astoys.Thepairare
seekingprospectivemale-femalecouplestobringhomeforsexplay;theyreflectaspectator
positionofperverselypolymorphoussexuality.Here,thespectator’sgazemightwellbethatofa
heterosexualmale,butitmightalsobeagayorbisexualmale–orfemale–gazewhichappreciates
theimagesofbothMiriamandJohn.Thisslippageofgenderintheassumedspectatorialgazeand
onthescreenrepresentsonlythefirstinaseriesofbordertransgressionstocome;masculineand
feminine,sexandviolence,animalandhuman,loveanddeath,allshiftuneasilylikequicksandinthis
narrative.
Astheircreator,Miriamispositionedasmothertoherownlovers,therebycontradictingcultural
lawsofheteronormativegender,sex,species,andfamilialties;sheisliterallytheall-consumingand
smotheringmother,aMedeanandMedusannightmarethatslakesherthirstonthebloodofher
ownprogeny.Hermostaggressivepersonaemergesduringsex,assherevealshervampirenature
andfeastsonthebloodofherlover-cum-prey,thesexualizedübermonster:
Definitionsofthemonstrousasconstructedinthemodernhorrortextaregroundedin
ancientreligiousandhistoricalnotionsofabjection–particularlyinrelationtothefollowing
religious‘abominations’”sexualimmoralityandperversion;corporealalteration,decayand
death;humansacrifice;murder;thecorpse;bodilywastes;thefemininebody;andincest.–
Creed,9
Showninthemidstofavampiricassault,bloodsmearedonherfaceanddrippingfromhergaping
mouth,Miriamistheultimateabjectembodimentofthevaginadentata;shestrikesduringsex,
rendingthefleshanddestroyingthelifeofherwould-bebedmate,asavageandmonstrousbetrayal.
Yettowardsherchosenpartnersheshowstenderness,althoughherseemingcompassionhasits
limits;JohneventuallylearnsthatafterafewhundredyearswithMiriamheisagingrapidly,and
losinghisformerbeauty.Realizingthathewilldiesoon,heisfurtherhorrifiedtolearnthatsheknew
allalongthatsuchwouldbethecase;heratticisfullofthecoffinedremainsofherformerlovers,all
stillconsciousthoughdecayedbeyondrecognition.
AfterJohnhasgonethewayofallfleshintohisatticcoffin,theretoendureaninterminablelimbo
ofundeadimmobility,MiriamsetshergazeuponSarahasareplacementcompanion;shelures
Sarahtoherlairandseducesher,tocovertlyinfectSarahwithhervampiricblood.Inthelesbianlove
scenethatfollows,theconceptofthemalegazeandthefemalesexualobjectisblurred;though
bothwomen’sunclothedbodiesareondisplayforthecameraandthereforequalifyasobjectified
images,thismayappealtootherthanamalegaze.Theirphysicalbeautyandsexualityare
deliberatelydisplayed,inaconflationofthemonstrousvampiricandthesensuallyfeminine:
Here,herfunctionasimageislaidbare–ifshecannotdie,ifsheiseternal,itisbecauseshe
isnothingbutanimage...andthatimageistheeternalfeminineitselfinitsFatalWoman
manifestation,whoseattributesneverchange,norinthecinema,doesherappearance.She
islove,crueltyanddeath,thepromiseofexquisitedestruction...theimmortalGorgon...
theVampireasVamp.–Jenks,32
Themisè-en-sceneforthelesbianlovesceneisawashwithgauzyveilsandflowingdraperies,shotin
ahazy,soft-focusstyle;theirlovemakingtakesplacewithouttheneedforanymalepresence.
ThoughMiriamisdecidedlytheseducerandsexualaggressor,thereisnothingparticularly
“masculine”inherbehaviourorthatofSarah;theirembracesandkissesarepassionately,
breathtakinglywoman-oriented.
Feministfilmtheoryofthe1970sandearly1980sdoesnotrecognizetheconceptofafemalegaze,
letaloneofalesbianorbisexualgaze;thislovescenepassesunderthetheoreticalradarbyvirtueof
Miriam’snon-humanstatusasavampire.Asthisisnot“really”lesbianbecauseitisn’ttwohuman
women,criticsdon’thavetotakeitseriously;atthesametime,framingthisintenselyintimate
woman-to-womanlovesceneasavampiricassaultservestodemonizelesbianismandbisexuality:
The1970svampirefilmsconflatedthefemalevampirewithvoracioussexualdesireand
placedthetwo‘attheheartofthevampirenarrative’...theremightbeaconnection
betweenthisandtheriseofthewomen’sliberationmovement,whichalsoledtopublicfears
aboutamoreaggressiveexpressionoffemalesexuality...therepresentationof...woman
aslesbianvampire;womanasvictim;womanascreature;genderandmetamorphosis;
abjectionandthematernal.-Creed,59
TheHungeriscastigatedinthepressforitsglamorousconceitandsexualobjectificationofwomen;
horrorfilmenthusiastscriticizeitforbeinglittlemorethansoft-corepornwithexcessivelyartyset
designandcinematography.Mulveyandsecond-wavefeministsalikeshunthelesbianandbisexual
womenintheirownmidst;thisassuresthefailureoftheE.R.A.Mulveycan’tenvisionafemaleor
lesbiangazebecausethenotionofsexbetweenwomenisdevianttothefeminismofherday;for
womentovieweachotherassexualobjectsisdownrightabhorrenttoheterosexualfeminists.
BecausethisfilmtakesplaceafterthestunningdefeatoftheE.R.A.andonthecuspofboththeAIDs
pandemicandtheReaganadministration,thereisnosex-positive,queer-acceptingcriticismto
receiveit:
InthevastmajorityofReagan-erahorrorfilms,monstrosityandqueernessarelinkedin
retrogressiveways.Themodernhorrorfilms’focusonvisceralgoreandbodilyfluidsneatly
dovetailsintoAIDShysteriaaswell,evenwhenthemonsterqueerisalesbianratherthana
gayman.Themostfamouslesbianvampirefilmofthisperiod,TheHunger(1983),isagood
caseinpoint.SusanSarandonandCatherineDeneuveplayattractiveandsympathetic
lesbianvampirelovers,yetthemajorseductionscene,settoDelibes’sLakme,isanexcellent
exampleofhowthecultureindustrysubtlyconstructshomosexualityasmonstrous...what
hadbegunasabeautifulsceneofmakingloveendsasyetanothermonstroushorror:the
‘fouldiseaseofthevampire’hasbeenpassedononceagain.–Benshoff,244
Fewifanyseriouscommentsaremadeinrecognitionofthedisservicethisnarrativedoestothe
queercommunity;becauseorganizedwomen’sliberationrejects“thelavendermenace”,thereisno
needforacademicdiscourseastothehostiletonethefilmtakestowardsqueerculture.Peoplewith
AIDsaremetaphoricallyrepresentedinthisfilmwithvividimagery;theextremelyrapidagingand
horrifyingdeathofJohn,thethemesofbloodexchangeandscientificexperiments,andofdeviant
sexallpointtoasubtleAIDsreference,“TheHungercharacterizesvampiresasspecifically
homosexualorbisexual.Thisfilmhasperhapsdonemuchtocementintoplacethecurrentsocial
constructionofhomosexualsasunnatural,predatory,plague-carryingkillers,evenastheyalsomight
provideapleasurablepower-wishfulfillmentfantasyforsomequeerviewers”(Benshoff,140).When
Sarahisstrickenwiththeunnaturaldiseaseofvampirismandlaysfeverishandwasting,Miriamsits
atherbedsidewithimplacablepoise;sheremainsfreshandbeautiful,acarrieroftheplaguewho
doesnotsickenordieofthedisease,andcanbeperceivedasapariah,anAIDs-infected“Typhoid
Mary”.
Thesocialclimateduringtheearly1980swasnotreceptivetoaqueerorfeministposition,and
henceTheHungerregistersinthecollectiveconsciousnessasanindictmentofboth;inthisfilmboth
queernessandfemalesexualagencyareparadoxicallytoutedandcondemned.Johnsuffersand
“dies”horribly,vividlydepictedasarapidlyagingqueermanwhoishorrifiedashisyouthful
appearanceevaporates;hiswildnightlifeattheclubsandinthesteambathwithhisloversarea
thingofthepast.Hedoesn’tjustdie,helingersandhastoslowlyrealizethatthisdiseaseisthe“gift”
ofhistrustedlover,whodoesnotlikewisesufferanddie;JohngetstoseeMiriam’sever-youngand
beautifulfacelookingintohisownasheagesintocompletedecrepitude.Thismotifofthe
glamorousandhealthylovertendingasickandemaciatedlovedoneisrepeatedwhenSarahistaken
withthehorrificblooddisease;thuswhenMiriam’sdeadloversreturntowreakvengeanceupon
her,nobodyfeelsanypityasshefallstoherfinaldemise.
InthefinalsceneSarahisseenexercisingacommandinggazefromherhightowerbalcony,flanked
byattractiveyoungcompanions,alldressedinwhite;thoughshesurvivestoreignasqueenofthe
undead,hervictoryisahollowone.Sarahispunishedasapermanentexilefromtheworldofthe
living;shecannotevergohomeagain,isforeveranoutsider,andmustabidebythedominantsocial
paradigmsoftheliving,hidingfromasocietythatwoulddestroyherifsherevealedherself.Her
positionisnotunlikethatofmanylesbiansandradicalfeministsinthe1980s,shelives“offthegrid”
inaworldofherowncreation,becausethereisnoplaceforherintheculturefromwhichshecame;
shecanonlyexistasarenegade,ashadowyoutcastwhoresidesinatwilightworld.Somewomen
havearguedforafemalespectatorpositionthatidentifiespositivelywithMiriamorSarah,
promptingHarryBenshofftoquery,“Whatdoesitmeaniflesbiansidentifywiththebeautifulfemale
vampiresofTheHunger...Inwhatwaysdoesthishappenandwhatisthe‘pricepaid’incultureate-largeforyetanotherdepictionofmonstrouspredatoryhomosexuals”(Benshoff,13)?The
ambiguousdénouementleavesSarah’sfuturevague;theaudiencecanignoretheseeming
conclusionthatthequeerfeministvampireshavebeendulypunished.ThespectreofAIDsandthe
ghostsoffeminismandhomosexualityarefirmlylockedoutoftheculturaldialogue,andsociety
settlesinforadecadeormoreofbacklashagainstwomenandqueersalike;notuntilthe1990swill
positivenarrativesanddiscoursesaboutwomenandqueersbegintogainanyground.Untilthen,a
seriesofhorrorandsuspensefilmswilldepictanassortmentofmurderousandmonstrousfemale
andqueerothersinordertoreaffirmtheheteronormativemandateinsociety,leavingalegacyof
hatefulandmisleadingimagesintheirwake.
Bibliography
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Benshoff,HarryM.MonstersintheCloset:HomosexualityandtheHorrorFilm.NewYork:ManchesterUniversity
Press,1997.
Creed,Barbara.TheMonstrousFeminine:Film,Feminism,Psychoanalysis.NewYork:Routeledge,1993.
Jenks,Carol.“DaughtersofDarkness:ALesbianVampireArtFilm”,inNecronomicon:BookOne,London:
CreationBooks,1996.
Mulvey,Laura.“VisualPleasureandNarrativeCinema”,inMoviesandMethods,II,BillNichols,ed.Berkeleyand
LosAngeles:UniversityofCaliforniaPress,1985.OriginallyPublished-Screen16.3Autumn1975pp.6-18