Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas? Are the slasher film rules true?
Leprechaun 
(1993): the touching tale of a leprechaun who goes on a killing spree because someone stole his gold. The first of a series of films, but does it follow the slasher film rules?
(1993): the touching tale of a leprechaun who goes on a killing spree because someone stole his gold. The first of a series of films, but does it follow the slasher film rules?
"That thing is a leprechaun and we've gotta find a way to stop it." ~ Tory Reading.
The following will include spoilers for
Leprechaun (1993)
No real warning for the O'Gradys, unless you call Leah hearing kids singing nursery rhymes is a warning. Same applies to Ozzie. Ozzie's babblings about the Leprechaun probably count, after all, he's telling the truth and is unbelievable due to not being all there.
The camera spends a lot of time male-gazing Tory's butt in tight shorts but there's no sex or nudity. There's really only two women in the film, the elderly Leah O'Grady and Tory Reading. And as the final girl we can't see Tory naked and that leaves Leah... who we don't see naked either. So no nudity. It's said (and it shows) that it was written as a children's horror but had gore added later to make it an adult horror. They just had nowhere to put the sex and nudity.
Rule #3 - Death Will Be A Punishment For...
The Leprechaun claims that the deaths are a punishment for stealing his gold. That certainly applies to directly to Dan O'Grady (and tangentially to Leah O'Grady). It then partially applies to Ozzie and Alex (and tangentially to the pawnbroker). The police office was killed for making fun of a leprechaun.
A: SEX - No sex.
A: THE FIRST PERSON ON SCREEN - The Leprechaun himself was first onscreen, then the second victim, then the first... (Fail).
A: COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES: The phone worked when Ozzie used it, but when Tory tried later the line was dead. Her mobile worked but then the battery died.
B: LIGHTING: The lights don't work.
C: VEHICULAR TRANSPORT - The distributor cap needs to be fixed before the car can start. Unfortunately there is a leprechaun in the engine. The other vehicle works fine.
D: YOUR LEGS - Certainly there is stumbling. There's even a trap used on someone's leg.
E: THE AUTHORITIES – They don't believe Ozzie because of his history of making things up. Later they believe Tory but send an officer who is already dead. The security guard at the nursing hom is asleep.
G: ESCAPE ROUTES - Tory is able to leave and come back.
Tory Reading.
A: LOCATION: - Not so much the location, but the gold.
Rule #9 - Evil Never Dies...
The first in the series.
Rule #1 - There Will Be A Warning...
No real warning for the O'Gradys, unless you call Leah hearing kids singing nursery rhymes is a warning. Same applies to Ozzie. Ozzie's babblings about the Leprechaun probably count, after all, he's telling the truth and is unbelievable due to not being all there.
Rule #2 - There Will Be T&A
 |
| Tight shorts. That's all you get.. |
Rule #3 - Death Will Be A Punishment For...
|
| Stealing a Leprechauns gold will make him kill at random. |
A: SEX - No sex.
B: NUDITY - No nduity.
C: DRINKING - Dan O'Grady was a drunk.
C: DRINKING - Dan O'Grady was a drunk.
D: DRUGS - No drugs.
E: HITCHHIKING - No hitchhiking.
F: CRIME - No crime, beside stealing a Leprechaun's gold, like Dan O'Grady did.
E: HITCHHIKING - No hitchhiking.
F: CRIME - No crime, beside stealing a Leprechaun's gold, like Dan O'Grady did.
G: BEING AN ANNOYING/BEING A COWARD/BEING A SLEEZY GUY - Dan O'Grady probably counts.
H: BYSTANDERS - The three victims who weren't Dan O'Grady count.
Rule #4 - Never Go...
|
| Alone is better for being chased. |
A: THE BASEMENT - The crate is kept in the basement.
E: THE FOREST - The police officer runs into the forest. It doesn't work out well for him.
F: ANYWHERE ALONE - Everyone killed is alone, a couple of the survivors are chased while alone.
G: ANYWHERE REMOTE - The old house.
H: ABANDONED BUILDINGS - The old house.
G: ANYWHERE REMOTE - The old house.
H: ABANDONED BUILDINGS - The old house.
Rule #5 - Order of Death...
|
| The killer: first on screen. |
B: THE BLACK MAN DIES FIRST - No minorities, besides a police officer at the station. (NA)
E: NERDY/FUNNY GUY - Let
s call the pawnbroker this. (Pass)
F: MACHO JERK - If only to give everyone a category, let's say the police officer (Pass)
G: STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER - Let
s call Leah O'Grady this. (Fail)
I: THE SENSITIVE GUY - Nathan.
J: ANIMALS & CHILDREN - Alex, survives.
K: THE FINAL GIRL - Tory. (Pass)
s call the pawnbroker this. (Pass)
F: MACHO JERK - If only to give everyone a category, let's say the police officer (Pass)
G: STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER - Let
s call Leah O'Grady this. (Fail)
I: THE SENSITIVE GUY - Nathan.
J: ANIMALS & CHILDREN - Alex, survives.
K: THE FINAL GIRL - Tory. (Pass)
Order of Death:
1. Leah O'Grady [G]
2. Pawnbroker [E]
3. Police Officer [F]
4. Dan O'Grady [C]
3. Police Officer [F]
4. Dan O'Grady [C]
Rule #6 - Especially When They Are Most Needed, The Following Things Cannot Be Relied On…
|
| The old falling down when chased. |
B: LIGHTING: The lights don't work.
C: VEHICULAR TRANSPORT - The distributor cap needs to be fixed before the car can start. Unfortunately there is a leprechaun in the engine. The other vehicle works fine.
D: YOUR LEGS - Certainly there is stumbling. There's even a trap used on someone's leg.
E: THE AUTHORITIES – They don't believe Ozzie because of his history of making things up. Later they believe Tory but send an officer who is already dead. The security guard at the nursing hom is asleep.
G: ESCAPE ROUTES - Tory is able to leave and come back.
Rule #7 - The Final Girl
Tory Reading.
Final Girl Tory's butt. Final Girl Tory.
Tory pulled things together and spent a lot of time being chased. And she was one of the survivors (5 survivors, 4 main survivors.) Alex did the showdown, he could count.
B: GIRL - Yes.
D: WELL DRAWN - Shallow but gets it together.
E: VIRGINAL & INNOCENT - Unknown.
F: WILL BE REBORN - She goes from shallow, dizzy and self-centered to cool and calm in a crisis.
Rule #8 - The Killer has a connection to...
B: THE FINAL GIRL: - No known connection.
D: OTHER VICTIMS: - Dan O'Grady stold his gold.
E: FEMININITY: - Not really
D: OTHER VICTIMS: - Dan O'Grady stold his gold.
E: FEMININITY: - Not really
F: SPECIFIC LOOK: - He looks like a leprechaun or a clurichaun but probably acts more like a clurichaun. But in reality who know what one of those are?
G: WEAPON: - Anything he can fine. He does importantly use his belt buckle at one point (having pointed the buckle out to the character earlier in the film.)
G: WEAPON: - Anything he can fine. He does importantly use his belt buckle at one point (having pointed the buckle out to the character earlier in the film.)
Rule #9 - Evil Never Dies...
B: THE BAD GUY LIVES ON - The film ends with the Leprechaun chanting about finding the magic to escape the well.
C: EVIL IS IMMORTAL - A leprechaun. Yeah, probably.
Rule #10 - The Sequel Will Be Bigger/More Formulaic
A: THEY WILL FOLLOW THE RULES MORE - NA.
B: THEY WILL BE MORE FORMULAIC - NA.
C: THERE WILL BE MORE T&A - None in this film.
D: MORE AND BIGGER DEATHS - Few deaths, a little gore.
Results
The following rules were followed: 4. 6, 9.
The following rules were partially followed: 1, 5, 7, 8.
The following rules were not followed: 2, 3.
The following don't apply to this film: 10.
The following rules were not followed: 2, 3.
The following don't apply to this film: 10.
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