Buffy vs. Dracula
Buffy vs. Dracula
Buffy the Vampire Slayer has challenged gender roles and stereotypes in its 7 seasons of being aired. In this particular episode: "Buffy vs. Dracula," one of the first scenes that is shown, depicts Buffy, the main character, playing football with her boyfriend, Riley. Riley says to Buffy, "You throw like a girl." to this comment, Buffy responds by throwing the football so hard, it knocks Riley onto the ground. This is a comment on gender stereotypes and how not all women are weak and frail. Later in the episode, you see Buffy fighting vampires in a graveyard, as she usually does. When Dracula appears, Buffy isn't the least bit winded from her tough battle, which proves that, to Buffy, the battle actually was not tough at all. As we see Buffy staking the vampires, it gives her dominance over the men she is killing. Through her penetration, she portrays herself as the "boss," which in other shows of the late 90's, early 2000's, was typically given to men. This is why, when Dracula shows up in this episode, there is such a switch in the dynamic of this show. Since Buffy is usually the presiding character, when Dracula shows up his commanding presence takes over the scenes.
In this episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the scenes about Dracula are very similar to the book Dracula. In one of the first scenes, you see two men pulling out a wooden crate from a truck. This is similar, because of the boxes that the three bides were preparing to be transported early in the book. When Dracula appears to Buffy, he shows up in this white mistreat was all mentioned in tho book, when the brides appeared and when many characters of the book saw this mist above their beds while they were sleeping. Buffy also repeatedly mentions the term "I am the good guy," which shows the battle of good vs evil that we have in the book. This also can reflect on Mina being the light in the novel, when Dracula says he is from the darkness to Buffy. Dracula then leaves the first scene with Buffy, after transforming into a bat. Though it is not explicitly stated in the novel, this could be similar to the book from all the times there had been a bat watching from the distance.
In the episode, The gang, as they refer to their friend group in the show, reputedly call Dracula "sexy" and "handsome," which show his affect on women and their attraction toward him in the show as well as the book. Buffy also calls his eyes "dark and penetrating" and then says to her boyfriend a little later, "there was no penetration" which shows Dracula's superiority and his penetrating ability over Buffy being a women. Later in the episode, when Dracula comes behind Buffy. this resembles the scene of Dracula and Johnathan very much. The similarities between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Dracula are very prominent though the episode, as well as the gender stereotypes being challenged.
In this episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the scenes about Dracula are very similar to the book Dracula. In one of the first scenes, you see two men pulling out a wooden crate from a truck. This is similar, because of the boxes that the three bides were preparing to be transported early in the book. When Dracula appears to Buffy, he shows up in this white mistreat was all mentioned in tho book, when the brides appeared and when many characters of the book saw this mist above their beds while they were sleeping. Buffy also repeatedly mentions the term "I am the good guy," which shows the battle of good vs evil that we have in the book. This also can reflect on Mina being the light in the novel, when Dracula says he is from the darkness to Buffy. Dracula then leaves the first scene with Buffy, after transforming into a bat. Though it is not explicitly stated in the novel, this could be similar to the book from all the times there had been a bat watching from the distance.
In the episode, The gang, as they refer to their friend group in the show, reputedly call Dracula "sexy" and "handsome," which show his affect on women and their attraction toward him in the show as well as the book. Buffy also calls his eyes "dark and penetrating" and then says to her boyfriend a little later, "there was no penetration" which shows Dracula's superiority and his penetrating ability over Buffy being a women. Later in the episode, when Dracula comes behind Buffy. this resembles the scene of Dracula and Johnathan very much. The similarities between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Dracula are very prominent though the episode, as well as the gender stereotypes being challenged. 
From your description it seems like women are portrayed more as equals to men in this adaptation. It is nice to see that they are moving away from the "stereotypical" women role and making Buffy to be a more in control and able to stand up for herself and doesn't need a mans help.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting how in this version they made Dracula once again appealing to the audience; this makes women have sympathy towards his character. It seems that Buffy is not the stereotypical chick. She stands out quite a lot. As you mentioned she is seen playing sports and even being competitive.
ReplyDeleteI do notice that all the adaptations start off with similarities to the novel we read. But I specifically seem to be interested in this adaptation because it seems to rebel against all of the stereotypical story guidelines that have been associated with other Dracula story guidelines
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