Context is important for both films, to influence how the feminist film theory is represented.

How social context influences the ‘final girl’ characters

Social context differs greatly for both films, and the 40 year age gap between them can suggest why the characters are different. Social reforms, changes or general state of the society differs greatly between the two films, because they have been produced during different time periods, where the society has changed rapidly overt the 40 years.

The impact of other films as inspiration for female character portrayal

Both films are similar in that they cite other films for reference, both in the visual style of the film but also the plot and basic concept. This also can be influenced by the years of which the films were produced and released, because of the film availability. For example, Alien was released at a time where horror was in its ‘golden age’, specifically with the slasher genre. Many of these films began to introduce a change in female characters, stereotypes and tropes which influenced Alien. Whereas Happy Death Day was released much later, at a time where the female character has developed, and arguably evolved. Many female characters after Alien: Sarah Connor (Terminator), Nancy Connor (Nightmare on Elmstreet) and Sidney Prescott (Scream) influence the character of Tree in HDD due to the typical ‘final girl’ traits with subvert the final girl trope by introducing new elements to the character

The changes from 1979-2017 and how the time difference is significant in how females are represented

Second wave feminism was a major driving force for why the final girl character was created, and how females in film (particularly horror) needed to be changed. During the late 1960’s, early 1970’s; female characters in horror were typically seen as victims who were used only to grow the antagonists kill count and appease the male audience. Whereas as feminism grew and became more mainstream, the characters of females began to evolve in horror.

For example the character of Mari Collingwood in the original ‘The Last House on the Left’ (1972, by Wes Craven) can be considered a victim rather than a survivor or final girl. Whereas with the 2009 reincarnation of the film, directed by Dennis Iliadis, the character has changed drastically. Film theorist Alexandra Heller-Nicholas argues that the remake of the film follows a more generic horror structure as it ‘manifests in the “final girl” elements of Mari’s character that are absent in the original’. The character in the original dies, whereas with the remake: Mari was a fast swimmer so could escape after being shot in the shoulder in the lake. This shows how the character of women in horror has changed over time, with the growth of feminism leading to the need for female characters to be strong and determined rather than meek victims to inspire other women rather than being objectified by the typically male audience during the 1960’s