The Descent: Difference between revisions

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== Notes ==
== Notes ==
[[Image:Descent_Dimorphism.JPG‎|right|thumb|Behind-the-scenes image of the monster make-up]]
[[Image:Descent_Dimorphism.JPG‎|right|thumb|Behind-the-scenes image of the monster make-up]]
The monsters in ''The Descent'' exhibit sexual dimorphism: for some unexplained reason, the males all became bald, while the females kept long hair on their heads. The movie's makers, however, constantly refer to the monsters as "hairless", indicating that they view the male form as the norm for these monsters. The [[marked]] female form is probably for the audience's benefit, to make it clear during one particular confrontation that the character of Sarah is fighting a ''female'' monster.
The makers of ''The Descent'' constantly refer to the monsters as "hairless", citing this characteristic as an evolutionary trait in keeping with their blindess, as a result of living underground. This indicates that the filmmakers view the male form as the norm for these monsters, because although the majority of the monsters that appear onscreen are male and bald, the make-up designer gave the rarer female monsters long hair on their heads, resulting in a rather gratuitous instance of [[sexual dimorphism]] contrary to the story's world-building logic. The [[marked]] female form is probably for the audience's benefit, to make it clear during one particular confrontation that the character of Sarah is fighting a ''female'' monster.


== External Links ==
== External Links ==

Revision as of 16:03, 10 March 2007

Cast (l-r): Noone, Buring, Mulder, Mendoza, Macdonald, Reid

The Descent is a 2005 horror film directed by Neil Marshall. The 2006 North American release changed the ending.

Cast

  • Shauna Macdonald as Sarah
  • Natalie Mendoza as Juno
  • Alex Reid as Beth
  • Saskia Mulder as Rebecca
  • MyAnna Buring as Sam
  • Nora-Jane Noone as Holly


Summary




Notes

Behind-the-scenes image of the monster make-up

The makers of The Descent constantly refer to the monsters as "hairless", citing this characteristic as an evolutionary trait in keeping with their blindess, as a result of living underground. This indicates that the filmmakers view the male form as the norm for these monsters, because although the majority of the monsters that appear onscreen are male and bald, the make-up designer gave the rarer female monsters long hair on their heads, resulting in a rather gratuitous instance of sexual dimorphism contrary to the story's world-building logic. The marked female form is probably for the audience's benefit, to make it clear during one particular confrontation that the character of Sarah is fighting a female monster.

External Links