BFI - 10 wonderful women of sci-fi
6th November 2014
ARTICLE
Female characters restricted to damsels in distress or 'babes'
Article focuses on specific women, isn't generalisable to my focus films.
Sight and Sound August 2014 - The kill list
Focuses on male action heroes, contrasting my research title.
"go on a crash diet [to] "lean out" before the big scene, allowing the actor/actress to hit three-four percent body fat and therefore appear as no man/woman naturally appears."
23 superhero movies slated for release in the next four years from marvel, warner bros, 20th century fox and sony/columbia, only one has a women as its central focus (wonder woman)
Tuesday, 15 September 2015
Wednesday, 9 September 2015
Sunday, 16 August 2015
Gravity (2013)
Dr. Ryan Stone is the lead protagonist and one out of seven named characters, one of two female characters, and the only character to survive. She is a medical doctor with very limited (six months) astronaut training, and very clearly out of her element, struggling to survive in a very hostile situation. Gravity portrays a woman that has so excelled in her field of expertise, Biomedical engineer, that she has bypassed years of training and is sent up as a lead on her own project - her very first mission to space. She's quiet and reserved, analysing the situation, attempting to solve the problem (Houston receiving no data). in the first scene, when debris attacks the explorer and she is sent hurtling away Stone is anxious, panicking and alone, drifting through space. Kowalski finds her and brings her back to the ship, setting out the initial plan, stays calm throughout the situation, but this by no means sets Stone as the stereotypical inadequate, crying woman, as he was known to be the experienced, better equipped leader on his last hurrah. Whats more impressive, someone who happens to be better equipped for a situation, or someone who's clearly unequipped and yet ultimately succeeds out of sheer will, determination and intelligence?
Despite not knowing what to do in her situation, Stone still keeps her wits about her. She hallucinates Kowalski, simply because her was her mentor figure, not because he was a man, and shows that she did have the knowledge to save herself, but because she's been so battered by the experience she doesn't trust herself to figure it out. Despite looking to the more experienced man to help her, she's discovers she's actually capable of rescuing herself.
This is not a heroine who magically transforms from scared girl to fearless warrior in one smooth transition. Dr. Stone has weaknesses, moments of self-doubt and frustration, outbursts of rage and defeat. But this is what makes her human, and her success all the more triumphant.
Dr. Ryan Stone is the lead protagonist and one out of seven named characters, one of two female characters, and the only character to survive. She is a medical doctor with very limited (six months) astronaut training, and very clearly out of her element, struggling to survive in a very hostile situation. Gravity portrays a woman that has so excelled in her field of expertise, Biomedical engineer, that she has bypassed years of training and is sent up as a lead on her own project - her very first mission to space. She's quiet and reserved, analysing the situation, attempting to solve the problem (Houston receiving no data). in the first scene, when debris attacks the explorer and she is sent hurtling away Stone is anxious, panicking and alone, drifting through space. Kowalski finds her and brings her back to the ship, setting out the initial plan, stays calm throughout the situation, but this by no means sets Stone as the stereotypical inadequate, crying woman, as he was known to be the experienced, better equipped leader on his last hurrah. Whats more impressive, someone who happens to be better equipped for a situation, or someone who's clearly unequipped and yet ultimately succeeds out of sheer will, determination and intelligence?
Despite not knowing what to do in her situation, Stone still keeps her wits about her. She hallucinates Kowalski, simply because her was her mentor figure, not because he was a man, and shows that she did have the knowledge to save herself, but because she's been so battered by the experience she doesn't trust herself to figure it out. Despite looking to the more experienced man to help her, she's discovers she's actually capable of rescuing herself.
This is not a heroine who magically transforms from scared girl to fearless warrior in one smooth transition. Dr. Stone has weaknesses, moments of self-doubt and frustration, outbursts of rage and defeat. But this is what makes her human, and her success all the more triumphant.
http://www.annekesmelik.nl/TheCinemaBook.pdf
"The narrative structure of traditional cinema establishes the male character as active and powerful: he is the agent around whom the dramatic action unfolds and the look gets organised. the female character is passive and powerless; she is the object of desire for the male characters."
"Within the narrative of the film the male character directs his gaze upon the female characters. the spectator is made to identify with the male gaze because the camera films from the optical POV of the male character. this creates three levels of the 'cinematic gaze' (camera, character and spectator) that objectifies the female character" (Mulvey)
"Within the narrative of the film the male character directs his gaze upon the female characters. the spectator is made to identify with the male gaze because the camera films from the optical POV of the male character. this creates three levels of the 'cinematic gaze' (camera, character and spectator) that objectifies the female character" (Mulvey)
Thursday, 30 July 2015
Action Babe- Marc O'day
the action sequences of Charlie's Angels were tempered by the reputation of the film as an audience-pleasing spectacle of fashionable female flesh.
Annie's physical skills were limited to bus driving, while her clothing revealed more flesh as the film wore on.
Gravity's Ryan Stone also ends up removing her space suit to reveal plain boy shorts and a tank top, a scene meant to evoke thoughts of rebirth, rather than promiscuity or sex.
beautiful, sexy and tough heroines who command their narratives, invariably driving vehicles, shooting guns, wielding weapons or fighting in hand-to-hand combat better than their (frequently male) adversaries.
Action Babe Movies - Emphasis is on beautiful feminine bodies combined with active masculine strength
Action Babe designed to appeal to both men and women (have me/be me)
the physical beauty and alluring sexuality of the female stars and the character they play embody traditional, patriarchally defined qualities of femininity. however, in their function as central protagonists in the action narrative, these heroines are undoubtedly coded as masculine, active, and physically strong and can clearly be seen to constitute the position traditionally occupied by the male.
Charlie's Angels, despite being the main protagonists, still are second to a man AKA Charlie himself, following his orders.
the Angels are calefornian sunshine babes for whom the pop glam aesthetic of dressing up to complete each adventure is a fabulously taken for granted norm and the notion of performing femininities to charm and seduce their (mainly male) opponents is an unqualified given
Annie's physical skills were limited to bus driving, while her clothing revealed more flesh as the film wore on.
Gravity's Ryan Stone also ends up removing her space suit to reveal plain boy shorts and a tank top, a scene meant to evoke thoughts of rebirth, rather than promiscuity or sex.
beautiful, sexy and tough heroines who command their narratives, invariably driving vehicles, shooting guns, wielding weapons or fighting in hand-to-hand combat better than their (frequently male) adversaries.
Action Babe Movies - Emphasis is on beautiful feminine bodies combined with active masculine strength
Action Babe designed to appeal to both men and women (have me/be me)
the physical beauty and alluring sexuality of the female stars and the character they play embody traditional, patriarchally defined qualities of femininity. however, in their function as central protagonists in the action narrative, these heroines are undoubtedly coded as masculine, active, and physically strong and can clearly be seen to constitute the position traditionally occupied by the male.
Charlie's Angels, despite being the main protagonists, still are second to a man AKA Charlie himself, following his orders.
the Angels are calefornian sunshine babes for whom the pop glam aesthetic of dressing up to complete each adventure is a fabulously taken for granted norm and the notion of performing femininities to charm and seduce their (mainly male) opponents is an unqualified given
Wednesday, 29 July 2015
Clover's Final Girl linked to Action Films
The final girl is boyish. she is not fully feminine, her smartness, gravity, competence in mechanical and practical matters, and sexual reluctance set her apart from other females and ally her with the males.
the tomboy heroines of action films share with Clover's Final Girl a peculiar gender status, and an ambivalent relationship to sexuality. there is a sense of a transitional state - as if the 'masculine' clothing forms a disguise behind which the 'real' figure of the woman is glimpsed. the tomboy's masculine clothing emphasises her girlish sexual attractiveness.
the tomboy heroines of action films share with Clover's Final Girl a peculiar gender status, and an ambivalent relationship to sexuality. there is a sense of a transitional state - as if the 'masculine' clothing forms a disguise behind which the 'real' figure of the woman is glimpsed. the tomboy's masculine clothing emphasises her girlish sexual attractiveness.
Speed notes -Yvonne Tasker
Female action heroes defined by a quality of 'musculinity', an enactment of a muscular masculinity involving a display of power and strength
Dyer notes that while Annie 'does get the thrills of extreme physical danger and the exultation of mastery of a machine', the film nonetheless 'conforms to the pattern of contemporary action films by constituting her as the helper.'
she is one of a range of supporting players, typically played by white women, 'but never quite as equals, never with quite the same access to the speed of worldly sensation
sole female protagonists remain quite rare, central male/female partnerships are increasingly common in action films.
it is almost inevitable that the male/female buddy pair will end up in an embrace, there is a romantic/flirtatious aspect to the partnership that evolves (defined as professional male and amateur female)
Speed- spends little time on emotion - focusing instead on the action, the film is too frenetic to engage explicitly in much of a romantic pairing.
Annie is driving the bus, and some of the action in speed, and when jack has a tantrum she holds his hand and calms him down.
Annie's outfit functions as a sort of 'femme-tomboy' guise, with the combination of butch femme elements found in high street fashion (chunky boots and lacy socks, vests combined with floral prints). Annie is already dressed for action. her collegiate sweatshirt suggests a cheerleader type: the sort of perfect teeth and sweet style role. she displays qualities of capability, first in demanding to know what is going on, later in her calmness in contrast to the panic-stricken passengers. however, Annie is scatty: she is late for the bus, running to catch up whilst smoking and balancing a coffee. Ultimately, Annie shifts from the driving seat heroine to damsel in distress awaiting rescue, thus allowing her to move directly into the 'romantic interest' role.
Dyer notes that while Annie 'does get the thrills of extreme physical danger and the exultation of mastery of a machine', the film nonetheless 'conforms to the pattern of contemporary action films by constituting her as the helper.'
she is one of a range of supporting players, typically played by white women, 'but never quite as equals, never with quite the same access to the speed of worldly sensation
sole female protagonists remain quite rare, central male/female partnerships are increasingly common in action films.
it is almost inevitable that the male/female buddy pair will end up in an embrace, there is a romantic/flirtatious aspect to the partnership that evolves (defined as professional male and amateur female)
Speed- spends little time on emotion - focusing instead on the action, the film is too frenetic to engage explicitly in much of a romantic pairing.
Annie is driving the bus, and some of the action in speed, and when jack has a tantrum she holds his hand and calms him down.
Annie's outfit functions as a sort of 'femme-tomboy' guise, with the combination of butch femme elements found in high street fashion (chunky boots and lacy socks, vests combined with floral prints). Annie is already dressed for action. her collegiate sweatshirt suggests a cheerleader type: the sort of perfect teeth and sweet style role. she displays qualities of capability, first in demanding to know what is going on, later in her calmness in contrast to the panic-stricken passengers. however, Annie is scatty: she is late for the bus, running to catch up whilst smoking and balancing a coffee. Ultimately, Annie shifts from the driving seat heroine to damsel in distress awaiting rescue, thus allowing her to move directly into the 'romantic interest' role.
Working Girls - Yvonne Tasker
Speed - the figure of Annie - as victim/bargaining chip/feisty heroine (dubbed Wildcat) and tomboyish cheerleader - is symptomatic, an indicative composite of agency and passivity
the majority of big budget action films continue to focus primarily on male protagonists and to position women in supportive, often romantic roles.
the increased inclusion of women in action roles has both contributed to and been part of the ways in which the genre has evolved in recent years
action and crime movies have made use of stereotypes and images including the 'butch' type, the tomboy and the 'feisty heroine', alongside the congenitally glamorous and/or sexual action women
the tomboy typically sheds her masculine clothing towards the end of the film, reestablishing her role as a female
this sense of cross dressing within and across genders reinforces the ambiguous gender identity of the female action hero, or rather points to the instability of a gendered system. the ubiquitous check shirts, vests and jeans of the action movie are class based signifiers of masculinity, used to signal the populist transformation of characters
female action hero, distanced from traditional femininity, offers a fantasy image of (proletarian) physical strength showcased within narratives that repeatedly seek to explain her ( or rather, explain her away). female action heroes are constructed in narrative terms as macho/masculine, mothers or Others: sometimes all three at different points within the narrative.
Maternal recurs as motivation, with female action heroes seeking to protect their children
or
she may be represented as identifying with a father figure, searching for that authority and/or reconciliation with said authority. her heroism is explained and legitimated in relation to a lost or loved father figure. the stereotype of the tomboy is that she must grow up and accept her limitations and responsibilities as a woman.
thirdly, she is portrayed in an exaggerated fantasy figure, the perfect mixture of physical and sexual prowess, able to be independent and need a man to save her within the same narrative I.E Speed.
the majority of big budget action films continue to focus primarily on male protagonists and to position women in supportive, often romantic roles.
the increased inclusion of women in action roles has both contributed to and been part of the ways in which the genre has evolved in recent years
action and crime movies have made use of stereotypes and images including the 'butch' type, the tomboy and the 'feisty heroine', alongside the congenitally glamorous and/or sexual action women
the tomboy typically sheds her masculine clothing towards the end of the film, reestablishing her role as a female
this sense of cross dressing within and across genders reinforces the ambiguous gender identity of the female action hero, or rather points to the instability of a gendered system. the ubiquitous check shirts, vests and jeans of the action movie are class based signifiers of masculinity, used to signal the populist transformation of characters
female action hero, distanced from traditional femininity, offers a fantasy image of (proletarian) physical strength showcased within narratives that repeatedly seek to explain her ( or rather, explain her away). female action heroes are constructed in narrative terms as macho/masculine, mothers or Others: sometimes all three at different points within the narrative.
Maternal recurs as motivation, with female action heroes seeking to protect their children
or
she may be represented as identifying with a father figure, searching for that authority and/or reconciliation with said authority. her heroism is explained and legitimated in relation to a lost or loved father figure. the stereotype of the tomboy is that she must grow up and accept her limitations and responsibilities as a woman.
thirdly, she is portrayed in an exaggerated fantasy figure, the perfect mixture of physical and sexual prowess, able to be independent and need a man to save her within the same narrative I.E Speed.
Thursday, 9 July 2015
SSRP
Proposal
A first draft of my possible research question is: Female gender representation
in contemporary cinema. This may be refined and developed after receiving any
feedback and constructive criticisms. My possible focus films for this title
will include ‘The Hunger Games’ (2012) ‘Gravity’ (2013) ‘Labor Day’ (2013) and
‘Charlie’s Angels’ (2000). These films all hold a lot of valuable discussion
points for my research area. Here is a brief look at these significant points: Gravity
portrays a more modern female, with archetypal qualities of a Final Girl,
including an androgynous name and ssappearance, Dr. Ryan Stone, as well as
being the last character to stay alive by the end of the film, surviving
against the odds, as well as being smart and not overly sexualized. This is
opposed to Labor day, however, which represents Adele as a more traditional
female, as she is portrayed to be submissive, hesitant, weak, and domesticated.
Charlie’s Angels, on the other hand, depicts three physically and mentally
strong and intelligent women, but also focuses more on the glamorous and sexual
aspect of the three leading ladies, which is yet another aspect to film and
cinema’s portrayal of females that I can explore in my project. This links to
The Hunger Games, as Katniss is portrayed both as physically fit and physically
attractive, with strong will and the ability to charm those around her. All
these films show a wide range of many different female portrayals shown within
contemporary cinema, which can then be compared and assessed against one
another, which shows a wide range of modern day representations that can be
discussed.
There is a lot of secondary research and data that I can gather,
extrapolate and use within my project, both on the internet and in books found
in the library, which will be useful to me. For example, I can use Carol Clover’s
Final girl theory, look at the Feminist Film Theory, and also use research work
by Linda Ruth Williams; including extracts from her ‘Calling the shots: women and contemporary
film, 2000-2015.’ There are also other areas of research that I can use
consisting of: Women’s Cinema by Alison Butler, Contemporary Hollywood Cinema
by Steve Neale and Murray Smith, and Action and Adventure Cinema by Yvonne
Tasker. A particularly useful book is Working Girls, Gender and Sexuality in
Popular Cinema by Yvonne Tasker, as it has a whole section on action women,
which is beneficial.
My area of research will be within the Genre section, as I am
considering to research into the representation of femininity in contemporary
cinema. I may then decide to refine this to femininity within contemporary
action films, and therefore remove ‘Labor day’ from my set of focus films, and
replace it with another action film. I could then use films such as Speed
(1994) or Fantastic Four (2005) or something else entirely. I have chosen to
research into the representation of women in contemporary film for various
reasons. For example, I enjoy watching modern and contemporary films, take a
feminist view of society, and take sociology as a subject, so I can draw upon
these attributes to help with my presentation, and complete primary research. Furthermore,
action films are also one of my top favorite film genres as well, which will help
with my project, as this means I will be more interested in the focus films
chosen. Originally I was going to take a look at the representation of women within
independent films, however, I felt there was a limited amount of studies and
secondary research for me to be able to use in my project, and so I then therefore
refined my choice to looking at contemporary films, where there is an abundance
of useful studies that I can use which will benefit my presentation.
During this project I hope to gain a wider understanding of the
relationship between women and cinema, and the changes in film representations
of woman over the years to how they are portrayed in contemporary film, and to then
be able to express this information and research in a clear and concise
presentation that is both informative and entertaining.
Monday, 29 June 2015
Contemporary American Cinema - Linda Ruth Williams & Michael Hammond
Contemporary American Cinema - Linda Ruth Williams & Michael Hammond Pg. 410 onwards Chapter 21
"Contemporary action and adventure cinema celebrates the physicality and capacity for violence embodied in the (typically lithe) body of an action heroine, while reassuring audiences as to her sexual desirability/availability."
"At a rudimentary level the action heroine is interesting for feminism to the extent that she troubles mainstream cinema's routine configuration of women in terms of tropes such as hysteria, passivity, monstrous maternity or sexualised threat. Thus the fact that female protagonists in action might be accorded even limited amounts of narrative agency represents something of a departure from the norms of Hollywood representation."
"The late 1990s emergence of the action heroine as a figure associated primarily with glamour and sexuality seems to be both backward- and forward-looking, with the high-profile cinematic reworking of 'Charlie's Angels' (2000) an indicative example."
"In a series of high profile US releases, spectacular action sequences that stage celebratory performance of an already-achieved female athleticism and physical power serve as a driving aesthetic element."
Female action stars of the 1980s and early 1990s negotiated a perceptible tension between the kind of body considered suitable for glamorous display and that geared up for action. It is in this context that feminist critics have commented on the androgynous, even masculine appearance of certain iconic female figures in films such as 'Alien' 1979 and 'Blue Steel' 1990"
"'Charlie's Angels presents its sexy female protagonists as girlish women skilled in martial arts. It presents smart, fit (and typically affluent) young women who are either in search of adventure or who happen to live adventurous and glamorous lives. These women are typically free from responsibilities; depicted as forceful figures, their presentation as sexual spectacle is seemingly a choice, one that we are encouraged to read as empowering."
"Contemporary action and adventure cinema celebrates the physicality and capacity for violence embodied in the (typically lithe) body of an action heroine, while reassuring audiences as to her sexual desirability/availability."
"At a rudimentary level the action heroine is interesting for feminism to the extent that she troubles mainstream cinema's routine configuration of women in terms of tropes such as hysteria, passivity, monstrous maternity or sexualised threat. Thus the fact that female protagonists in action might be accorded even limited amounts of narrative agency represents something of a departure from the norms of Hollywood representation."
"The late 1990s emergence of the action heroine as a figure associated primarily with glamour and sexuality seems to be both backward- and forward-looking, with the high-profile cinematic reworking of 'Charlie's Angels' (2000) an indicative example."
"In a series of high profile US releases, spectacular action sequences that stage celebratory performance of an already-achieved female athleticism and physical power serve as a driving aesthetic element."
Female action stars of the 1980s and early 1990s negotiated a perceptible tension between the kind of body considered suitable for glamorous display and that geared up for action. It is in this context that feminist critics have commented on the androgynous, even masculine appearance of certain iconic female figures in films such as 'Alien' 1979 and 'Blue Steel' 1990"
"'Charlie's Angels presents its sexy female protagonists as girlish women skilled in martial arts. It presents smart, fit (and typically affluent) young women who are either in search of adventure or who happen to live adventurous and glamorous lives. These women are typically free from responsibilities; depicted as forceful figures, their presentation as sexual spectacle is seemingly a choice, one that we are encouraged to read as empowering."
Sunday, 28 June 2015
Labor Day Extended Trailer #1 (2013)
Secondary Lead character, portrayed as: weak, vulnerable, falls in love with escaped convict who essentially kidnaps her...
Gravity
Female empowerment
http://www.btchflcks.com/2013/10/gravity-and-its-unique-female-hero.html#.VY_-juu4nBI
http://www.btchflcks.com/2013/10/gravity-and-its-unique-female-hero.html#.VY_-juu4nBI
Gravity - Official Main Trailer [2K HD]
Lead female character, Final girl conventions, Strong, Independent, not sexualised, intelligent, quiet, reserved, introverted, no love interest.
"The film itself becomes a “metaphor for depression, or for grief: untethered and abandoned in a void so large that it boggles the mind, or simply shuts it down.” Dr. Stone drifts and spins out of control, disconnected, echoing the overwhelming feelings of depression. The trauma of child loss in film and television often catalyzes a mother’s journey towards empowerment. In Gravity we witness Dr. Stone’s transformation from a woman consumed by grief and despair, drifting along on a sea of sadness and attempting suicide, into a survivor who yearns and fights to live. By the end of the film, she’s grounded, no longer disconnected."
The Hunger Games Official Trailer 2012 HD
We see gender role reversal in one of 2012’s big blockbuster hits, The Hunger Games. In this film we are seeing a new type of heroine who defies gender stereotypes in cinema. She is not a victim, she is not passive, she is not cold. She takes action, she is compassionate, and she’s strong. She has taken over her deceased father’s role of providing for her family, and also has become a mother figure to her younger sister, when her own mother couldn’t fulfill the role.
Representations
http://griid.org/2013/02/12/normalizing-male-dominance-gender-representation-in-2012-films/
"Of 67 films, (top films from 2012) 55 of the lead characters were male, and only 12 of the characters were female. That number of females includes the films in which we considered the gender roles to be equal. This is a huge misrepresentation of women in the world, and especially in the media, and only furthers gender stereotypes in the United States."
"Women are constantly being misrepresented in these films, shown for purposes of objectification, support of the male characters, and mostly as love interests that drive the male characters. In the few movies where we see strong lead female characters, we also see them having the support of at least one male who is involved in their situation in some way where the female ends up needing their help. We very rarely see any breaks in stereotypical gender roles. Even in action films where the lead is a female, there is always some sort of emotional baggage tied into the movie that makes her seem more “soft.”
"Of 67 films, (top films from 2012) 55 of the lead characters were male, and only 12 of the characters were female. That number of females includes the films in which we considered the gender roles to be equal. This is a huge misrepresentation of women in the world, and especially in the media, and only furthers gender stereotypes in the United States."
"Women are constantly being misrepresented in these films, shown for purposes of objectification, support of the male characters, and mostly as love interests that drive the male characters. In the few movies where we see strong lead female characters, we also see them having the support of at least one male who is involved in their situation in some way where the female ends up needing their help. We very rarely see any breaks in stereotypical gender roles. Even in action films where the lead is a female, there is always some sort of emotional baggage tied into the movie that makes her seem more “soft.”
Female Gender Representation
New Research Area:
Female Gender Representation in Contemporary Film.
Possible films:
The Hunger Games - Positive
Gravity - Positive
Labor day - Negative
Charlie's Angels - Negative
Female Gender Representation in Contemporary Film.
Possible films:
The Hunger Games - Positive
Gravity - Positive
Labor day - Negative
Charlie's Angels - Negative
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