Feminist cultural studies of popular cinema understand 'progressive texts' in social contexts such as the film Aliens as they ahve been analysed in terms of social anxieties about feminism, genre-mixing, popular reviwes and feminist approprations.
BOOK: Film Studies Critical Approaches
John Hill and Pamela Church Gibson
Monday, March 2, 2009
Paragraph about women in the media
Feminist generrally belive that the media is a contributory factor in perpetuating a narrow range of sterotypes images of women. How women are represented in the media may encourage particular expectiation of women which are extremely limiting, for instance, that woman are always based in the home, that they are inferior to men, that they like men who are violent which is shown in films.
BOOK: An Introduction to Film Studies
Jill Helmes
BOOK: An Introduction to Film Studies
Jill Helmes
X-men
"X-Men," supplies more satisfyingly fierce women.
Each side has its own selection of impressive mutant females, who are granted their own fancy attire. Most immediately noticeable is Mystique, the shape-shifting bad gal and most devious of all the film's villians; mutely played by supermodel Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, she slithers through the film completely naked but for some blue bodypaint and scales.
With red hair and yellow eyes, she is a force that will be contended with in future "X-Men" sequels; although she is buck naked and admittedly a throwback to male fantasies, she is also the villain who walks away with the movie.
But there's also Storm (Halle Berry), the platinum-haired, white-eyed sexpot who can conjure up lightning storms; she prances about in leather pants and sequined collars
And then there's Rogue (Anna Paquin), the prodigal and dangerous woman-child, equipped with skin so lethal that one touch could kill a man. Dressed in fashionably gothic gear -- opera-length gloves, long hooded capes and a white streak in the front of her long brown hair -- Rogue is the vampire that all men and mutants fear, with a power than can steal theirs away.
She is a lonely, misunderstood young woman, easily recognizable to anyone . Boys will want to date her, to protect her, yet will also be in awe of her power; girls will undoubtably identify with her (some will probably want her wardrobe). She is simultaneously the most approachable, yet most lethal of all the mutants, and a heroine more human than we're used to finding in a sci-fi film.
dangerous women, stylishly dressed and sexy without being slutty -- are icons that women can relate to and that men might actually fear. They may be shallow, but they aren't silly or manly or helpless.
http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/08/19/scifi_babes/index1.html
Each side has its own selection of impressive mutant females, who are granted their own fancy attire. Most immediately noticeable is Mystique, the shape-shifting bad gal and most devious of all the film's villians; mutely played by supermodel Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, she slithers through the film completely naked but for some blue bodypaint and scales.
With red hair and yellow eyes, she is a force that will be contended with in future "X-Men" sequels; although she is buck naked and admittedly a throwback to male fantasies, she is also the villain who walks away with the movie.
But there's also Storm (Halle Berry), the platinum-haired, white-eyed sexpot who can conjure up lightning storms; she prances about in leather pants and sequined collars
And then there's Rogue (Anna Paquin), the prodigal and dangerous woman-child, equipped with skin so lethal that one touch could kill a man. Dressed in fashionably gothic gear -- opera-length gloves, long hooded capes and a white streak in the front of her long brown hair -- Rogue is the vampire that all men and mutants fear, with a power than can steal theirs away.
She is a lonely, misunderstood young woman, easily recognizable to anyone . Boys will want to date her, to protect her, yet will also be in awe of her power; girls will undoubtably identify with her (some will probably want her wardrobe). She is simultaneously the most approachable, yet most lethal of all the mutants, and a heroine more human than we're used to finding in a sci-fi film.
dangerous women, stylishly dressed and sexy without being slutty -- are icons that women can relate to and that men might actually fear. They may be shallow, but they aren't silly or manly or helpless.
http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/08/19/scifi_babes/index1.html
woman over time...
A quick survey of science fiction films reveals a lack of meaty female roles.
In the early days of the genre, most sci-fi leading ladies were granted the role of Love Interest or Saucy Sidekick, but rarely given liberty to actually kick butt.
"Soylent Green" went so far as to refer to women as "furniture" (they came with the apartment), and the one enduring sci-fi heroine, Barbarella, still spent more time worrying about getting laid than catching villains.
The '80s changed all that, with the advent of hard-core heroines like Linda Hamilton in the "Terminator"movies or Sigourney Weaver's alien-thwarting Ripley in the "Alien" series
But a recent spate of sci-fi films has unearthed a more interesting species of heroine, who is both strong and sexy, and doesn't have to dress like a man in order to save the day .
"The Matrix," and "X-Men," we have a new type of sci-fi heroine: the Fashionable Fatale. She is smart and attractive, lethal yet approachable -- a character women might actually identify with, a character men
She's always fabulously dressed, and she's blasting the sci-fi world with an image that fuses sex appeal and power; she is redefining Superwoman.
Science fiction and fantasy action movies have always been the realm of boys, and no wonder: Movies were made for them. They flocked to films filled with muscle-bound male protagonists who could save the world with a flick of their wrist.
why would girls be interested in sci fi in the first place? the lack of believable female superheroes has reaffirmed the notion of men as saviors, women as victims, that we still haven't been able to shake from our heads.
In the early days of the genre, most sci-fi leading ladies were granted the role of Love Interest or Saucy Sidekick, but rarely given liberty to actually kick butt.
"Soylent Green" went so far as to refer to women as "furniture" (they came with the apartment), and the one enduring sci-fi heroine, Barbarella, still spent more time worrying about getting laid than catching villains.
The '80s changed all that, with the advent of hard-core heroines like Linda Hamilton in the "Terminator"movies or Sigourney Weaver's alien-thwarting Ripley in the "Alien" series
But a recent spate of sci-fi films has unearthed a more interesting species of heroine, who is both strong and sexy, and doesn't have to dress like a man in order to save the day .
"The Matrix," and "X-Men," we have a new type of sci-fi heroine: the Fashionable Fatale. She is smart and attractive, lethal yet approachable -- a character women might actually identify with, a character men
She's always fabulously dressed, and she's blasting the sci-fi world with an image that fuses sex appeal and power; she is redefining Superwoman.
Science fiction and fantasy action movies have always been the realm of boys, and no wonder: Movies were made for them. They flocked to films filled with muscle-bound male protagonists who could save the world with a flick of their wrist.
why would girls be interested in sci fi in the first place? the lack of believable female superheroes has reaffirmed the notion of men as saviors, women as victims, that we still haven't been able to shake from our heads.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Article - Sci-Fi Women Want Brains
Conventions of Women Scientists in Sci-fi
Women scientists who read science fiction as kids remember the experience as both encouraging and annoying.
For Genny Dazzo, who holds a doctorate in theoretical chemistry says she didn't like the simplistic characterizations of women.
They portrayed women as well-meaning but worthless. And she would have liked to see more endings that snuffed out alien bad guys using science rather than brute force.
"I wanted to see more intelligent female role models," Mitchell added. Better portrayals will please men, too, she said, since "guys like strong female protagonists."
However some woman did not mind:
Syne Mitchell, a nuclear physicistsaid getting a taste of science through science fiction helped her fit into a male-dominated field.
Mitchell, 32, found that her path as a scientist did not make her unattractive to men. In fact, she said, being the only woman in a physics class gave her favorable dating odds.
Also, women scientists found intelligent men they could talk to who were not put off by her science background. "Being one of the guys wasn't bad, when the guys weren't stupid. They weren't the best-looking guys, but brains count."
Sourced from: http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2002/09/54910
Women scientists who read science fiction as kids remember the experience as both encouraging and annoying.
For Genny Dazzo, who holds a doctorate in theoretical chemistry says she didn't like the simplistic characterizations of women.
They portrayed women as well-meaning but worthless. And she would have liked to see more endings that snuffed out alien bad guys using science rather than brute force.
"I wanted to see more intelligent female role models," Mitchell added. Better portrayals will please men, too, she said, since "guys like strong female protagonists."
However some woman did not mind:
Syne Mitchell, a nuclear physicistsaid getting a taste of science through science fiction helped her fit into a male-dominated field.
Mitchell, 32, found that her path as a scientist did not make her unattractive to men. In fact, she said, being the only woman in a physics class gave her favorable dating odds.
Also, women scientists found intelligent men they could talk to who were not put off by her science background. "Being one of the guys wasn't bad, when the guys weren't stupid. They weren't the best-looking guys, but brains count."
Sourced from: http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2002/09/54910
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Representation of women in sci-fi
I have made notes about how the representation of woman has changed from past to present films. (See Folder)
Here are some notes about woman in sci fi:
Here are some notes about woman in sci fi:
- Usually very emotional and not very independent
- they have to be guided or rescued by men.
- Women are shown as being very afraid and are not able to control their emotions when they see something out of the ordinary like an alien or monster.
This means women do not have a higher status than men.
Exceptions are in X-men where super-heroes have the same power as men but the powers are more feminine like (directing the weather).
WOMEN IN TERMINATOR 2: 1991
Good representations of women
- Main female character = Sarah Conner.
- Sarah is not the typical women who care about their looks as she was first seen doing chin-ups and the camera was focusing on her muscles. This shows that women representation has become one of a more masculine, powerful figure.
- They have the same ability to do what males do.
- She had a very deep voice, sweating all over with messy hair. Not very feminine.
- Sarah Conner is not shown as a sex object
- She is a good representation of women as she’s a smart women, she’s able to escape from a mental institute all by herself, very independent.
- She’s physically very strong, capable of brutally killing a man
- Has the intelligence to hold a doctor hostage and blackmail him to help her escape.
- Sarah can take extreme measures of pain.
- She is very thoughtful of the people she cares about and make sure their safe (representation showing women are caring not selfish).
- She acts very tough and shows she’s not afraid of killing but her conscious stops her (women are not heartless they give a second chance)
- Even at the end of the movie she is seriously injured but still carries on to make sure she completes her mission to save her son. (how women are dedicated and determined + able to accomplish things)
Bad Representations of women:
- Sarah is not an ideal mother, she kills people in front of her son John and smokes.
- Doesnt not trust people easily.
This shows a very positive representation of women however this is in 1991 and the representation was very different before this.
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