Saving white women: vulnerability and the immobilized body in Don't Breathe (2016)

The horror thriller Don't Breathe (2016) follows three robbers as they invade the home of a blind Navy SEAL veteran who violently battles against them. Among the robbers is Rocky, a white woman desperately seeking financial security. Don't Breathe depicts Rocky's body in various state...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCommunication and critical/cultural studies Vol. 19; no. 3; pp. 254 - 270
Main Authors Christensen, Kyle, Levina, Marina
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Abingdon Routledge 03.07.2022
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
Cultural studies
Culture
horror
Horror films
mobility
Vulnerability
white femininity
White people
whiteness
Women
United States > US
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Summary:The horror thriller Don't Breathe (2016) follows three robbers as they invade the home of a blind Navy SEAL veteran who violently battles against them. Among the robbers is Rocky, a white woman desperately seeking financial security. Don't Breathe depicts Rocky's body in various states of physical immobility, signifying her vulnerability. By only recognizing the vulnerabilities of poor white women's bodies, the film leaves unrecognized the vulnerabilities of others, especially poor bodies of color and disabled bodies. Furthermore, through Rocky, the film suggests that white women can benefit from the violent aid of white patriarchy precisely because their vulnerability/immobility receives recognition.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:1479-1420
1479-4233
DOI:10.1080/14791420.2022.2086279