Women and Films

Inspired by Alyx's post about films that perhaps touch on feminist subjects or show women in all their multi-dimensional splendour - this has made me think about a post I was planning on doing about how women are portrayed in films, particularly films of the action/adventure/thriller type that are mostly occupied by men.

Some of my favourite action/adventure/Sci-Fi films, such as Indiana Jones, StarWars, The Matrix and Lord of the Rings to name a few, put women in fairly stereotypical roles, although the few female characters they do have are interesting: Princess Leia, Senator Amidala, Trinity, Arwen and Eowyn - which are much stronger characters, than for example, in Indiana Jones (where all the the female characters serve as either sexual love interests or are rather wimpy).

Although the characters are interesting and not (extremely) one dimensional - they still serve as the love interest to a male character in the movie. Trinity, for example, although strong and quite kick-ass, still wears the regulation tight PVC outfit and is Neo's love interest. And both Senator Amidala and Princess Leia in StarWars are love interests at some time or another. Arwen is the love interest of Aragorn, despite being a somewhat strong woman.

It's my feeling that within most hollywood movies, women serve as the element of feeling/compassion - a way of showing us the more emotional side of a male character's personality. As well as being stereotypical, and not showing how strong and tough women can also be, it shows the bias of society in thinking that women are emotional and therefore not rational (as men supposedly are).

In many action movies, women serve as nothing but the sex object, as decoration showing the status of particular men. Some of the language used to describe women in movies is particularly derogatory and objectifying. It is shown in many movies that pornography, prostitution and strip clubs are 'manly' things to take part in - seeing women as sex objects to be consumed. Rape is depicted in such a way as to seem sexually titillating and not the horrifying abuse of human rights that it is.

One film I take issue with is Sin City. So many reviewers and men in particular have said it is an 'arty' kind of film, a breakthrough (!) - and although it looks good, it makes me feel uncomfortable because of the depiction of women. The band of prostitutes are oversexualised (thus re-inforcing women as the sex class) and also, despite supposedly being 'strong' women, need the 'help' of men on several occasions.

The one career woman (lawyer/parole officer?) is shown in a scene as naked and, despite being a lesbian, her body is on display to the male viewers, inviting comment (as the male in the scene with her naturally does - saying something along the lines of 'if you weren't a lesbian I would definitely sleep with you').

The women in the film give the impression of empowerment but they can only take action against others with the help of a man (Clive Owen), who has had a previous relationship with one of the prostitutes. This suggests that because he has possessed her body in the past, that it is okay for him to help them (as a rule, the prostitutes don't accept help from men, particularly cops).

I've had a peek before at Frank Miller's graphic novels in a bookshop, and I have to say that the content is extremely misogynistic and objectifying for women. It seems that a lot of people think that looking at female bodies in this way is appreciation of women (which is the arguement that many pornographers also use) - but it is not, because it encourages the view that women are the sex class, defined by their bodies.

Okay, it's just one film, but I hate to think if one film is this misogynistic, and is considered the 'film of the year' (when it was released) - then what will be the 'film of the decade'?

Another particular film - Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - the adaptation of the acclaimed game - is also contradictory in that although Lara is, ideally, a strong, inspiring woman, the film played upon her being a woman=sex by showing gratuitious near nudity (which wasn't needed).

Jolie commented in an interview that the editors of the film also enhanced her bust area to draw in the 'teenage boys': perhaps this was to detract from the fact that the film is kind of crap anyway and that Lara's character doesn't live up to the tough, tombraiding kick-ass legend.

There is also a bone to pick with the game itself (although the game being a landmark breakthrough as she is the only female action star among a male dominated genre) because of the inflation and deflation of her bust, and the distortion and manipulation of her figure (which unfortunately, gets mentioned in every article about the game itself as evidenced by my partner's playstation/gaming magazines).

Articles apertaining to male characters rarely get this scrutiny over the way they look rather than focus on the game (which is supposed to be the point!).

However, taking my cue from Alyx, some of my favourite films (some of them also feature in her list) that touch on feminist subjects and/or show well rounded female characters are:

1. Kill Bill vol.1&2
2. Thelma and Louise
3. Lady Vengeance
4. The Color Purple
5. Frida
6. Chocolat
7. Amelie
8. Children of a Lesser God (because Marlee Matlin is fabulous!)
9. Princess Mononoke
10. Howl's Moving Castle
11. Nausicaa: Valley of the Wind
12. Rabbit Proof Fence
13. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
14. Girl, Interrupted
15. Ever After: A Cinderella Story
16. V for Vendetta
17. Bend It Like Beckham
18. The Hours
19. Now and Then
20. Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants
21. Gone with the Wind (both the book and the film - Scarlett is one strong woman)
22. Spirited Away
23. The Miracle Worker (about Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan)
24. The Craft
25. Laputa: Castle in the Sky
26. 10 Things I Hate About You (Julia Stiles is great as the Shrew)
27. Alien (1st film most of all)

Alyx has put down much more films than I have and has asked if anyone can think of any more?