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Cry of the Banshee

Name: Cry of the Banshee
Director: Gordon Hessler
Released: 1970
Duration: 91 min

Representation Score

0.5/10

Minimal

1970

Director

Gordon Hessler

Runtime

91 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Cry of the Banshee is a traditional period horror film that adheres to the social and gender hierarchies of its 1970s production era. It relies heavily on gothic clichés rather than subverting them. The film presents a homogeneous cast and a narrative focused on Anglo-centric aristocratic settings. While supernatural elements provide some ability to act to a female character through occultism, the broader social roles remain strictly traditional. Ultimately, the film explores supernatural themes within the established social order without challenging it.

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Category Breakdown

Does Cry of the Banshee have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film follows traditional structures that assume everyone is straight and cisgender. There are no representations of non-traditional gender identities or same-sex relationships.

How does Cry of the Banshee portray gender?

Limited

Female characters frequently play the role of a damsel in distress. A woman uses occult powers to enact a curse, but male authority figures drive the main conflicts.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Cry of the Banshee?

Minimal

The cast is primarily homogeneous, reflecting the production standards of the time. The story focuses on Anglo-centric settings without diverse ethnic representation.

How does Cry of the Banshee represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story is set in the context of seventeenth-century feudalism and Western hierarchies. It upholds historical religious orthodoxies without challenging them.

Does Cry of the Banshee include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no significant depictions of physical disabilities, neurodivergence, or chronic illnesses. Characters are portrayed as typical horror archetypes.

Present on Screen

The use of occult powers by a female character provides some supernatural ability to act within the horror framework.

Limited or Absent

The film relies on the 'damsel in distress' cliché, limiting female characters to being targets of supernatural forces.
The cast lacks ethnic diversity, maintaining a strictly localized and homogeneous Anglo-centric perspective.
The narrative reinforces traditional religious and class hierarchies instead of offering social critique.
There is a complete absence of representation for neurodivergence or physical disabilities.

Official Synopsis

In seventeenth century England Lord Whitman wages unending war on what he sees as the ever-present scourge of witchcraft, and many local villagers have suffered at his hands. But one victim uses her occult powers to curse his family, enlisting unknowing help from one of the household.

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