BlueBeard

The Bluebeard story has been adapted multiple times but remains to have connections to horror and has been argued to have inspired the serial killer genre of film today. Following the pattern of women being targeted, collected, and killed repeats itself in many common thematic elements of cinema. George Melies version of "BlueBeard" has the ability to engage the spectator and truly engross them within the film's world. Contrary to its peers, the Bluebeard story lacks the fantastical element of many fairy tales and focuses on the gruesome and unexplainable greed of a man who kills his wives for their fortune and the woman (Melies' version) is a helpless damsel in distress who seemingly is unable to call upon her family for help (brothers come on their own). Why is it that such gruesome and horror befalls the helpless dependent women? Why have they been placed in situations that they clearly are not able to overcome on their own? The Grimm's version has a slightly positive feminist approach as the woman almost causes her own troubles; which is far more acceptable to any human being in reaping what they sow or getting into trouble and accepting the consequences. The Grimm's heroine is independent and her curiosity gets her into trouble, meaning if she can get into trouble she should be able to get herself out of it.

Looking at these versions shows a progression of culture and values. Though not where we are in our stories today, the Grimm's later version shows a distinct maturation of how women are presented in stories, and that we too have the ability to problem-solve and fend for ourselves. Somewhat.