Summary
Contemporary films, like post feminist magazines offer a more empowered representation of women in a range of genre. Actions films increasingly feature strong female characters (Black Widow) with whom the audience is encouraged to identify, as discussed by Bergstrom as cross gender identification.
The rom com has always offered strong roles for women contradicting Mulvey's 'male gaze' theory and this can still be seen in Bridget Jones with the contradictory character of the hard drinking, smoking, sexually active, career driven young woman dreaming of her own Mr Darcy and obsessed with her weight and appearance. Bridget combines many of the contradictions of the modern woman. These contradictions and ideologies can be found in more recent rom coms such as Don John in which the film actively attacks male voyeurism and the 'male gaze' while simultaneously positioning the audience to disapprove of the young and glamorous home-maker Barbara in favour of the more challenging, older and more unconventional Julianne Moore character. It suggests that the happy housewife is an outdated character and is one that can neither find meaningful self fiulfilment or is likely to prove a stimulating partner, thereby attacking the patriarchal status quo.
Horrors, featuring The Final Girl, also feature empowered and resourceful female protagonists who the audience (frequently male) both admires and identifies with.
Contemporary films, like post feminist magazines offer a more empowered representation of women in a range of genre. Actions films increasingly feature strong female characters (Black Widow) with whom the audience is encouraged to identify, as discussed by Bergstrom as cross gender identification.
The rom com has always offered strong roles for women contradicting Mulvey's 'male gaze' theory and this can still be seen in Bridget Jones with the contradictory character of the hard drinking, smoking, sexually active, career driven young woman dreaming of her own Mr Darcy and obsessed with her weight and appearance. Bridget combines many of the contradictions of the modern woman. These contradictions and ideologies can be found in more recent rom coms such as Don John in which the film actively attacks male voyeurism and the 'male gaze' while simultaneously positioning the audience to disapprove of the young and glamorous home-maker Barbara in favour of the more challenging, older and more unconventional Julianne Moore character. It suggests that the happy housewife is an outdated character and is one that can neither find meaningful self fiulfilment or is likely to prove a stimulating partner, thereby attacking the patriarchal status quo.
Horrors, featuring The Final Girl, also feature empowered and resourceful female protagonists who the audience (frequently male) both admires and identifies with.
Films of 2014
The top grossing films are dominated by the action genre with rom-coms featuring less frequently. What is particularly interesting is that most of the biggest action film hits of recent years have moved away from Mulvey's 'male gaze' with a female passively looked at and awaiting rescue or seduction from a man as in the Bond films of the 60s. The films we see such as 'The Hunger Games' , 'Guardians of the Galaxy' and 'The Hobbit : Five Armies' join other major recent films such as 'Avengers Assemble' in featuring strong female protagonists. It may be argued that in ensemble films that women's roles represent a form of modern tokenism but there are also examples of women leads in action films such as Wanted, Lucy, Hannah and Salt.
The Action Film
Two of the most successful franchises of recent years each feature empowering representations of women. Avengers Assemble's introductory scene featuring Scarlet Johannsen plays with contemporary and traditional representations of genre. As the scene begins she is
The Hunger Games series features Jennifer Lawrence, the biggest female star in the world, in a series of action scenes in which the audience is positioned to identify with her courage, bravery and resourcefulness, all qualities typical of the conventional action hero. What is important is that the audience for this genre has been traditionally male, meaning that this reverses Mulvey's view of the patriarchal nature of cinema. What we are left with is trans-gender identification. This means that men are now obliged to identify with the female gaze. This would also be the case in a female lead of a traditional rom com in which male watchers might be encouraged to identify with the female protagonist. Janet Bergstrom has questioned the validity of Mulvey's claims about cinema's male gaze by claiming (quite logically) that many films require males to identify with women, and as can be seen here, this also happens in traditionally male centred genre.
Avengers Assemble
The first scene involving Black Widow has a number of representations of gender . At the beginning of the scene men are represented as being in control. The only woman may be said to be sexually objectified. A young and attractive actress has been chosen. She is wearing revealing clothing, a low cut and short cocktail dress, all of which initially seems like a traditional and sexist way of signifying gender. This may seem as if her role is to be looked at, almost a sexual fantasy figure for the primarily young male audience of action films. (see Mulvey)
She is physically disempowered at the beginning of the scene, represented as a victim to the dominant three males who surround her and she is symbolically and literally tied down to a chair, immobile and seemingly unable to defend herself. The mean are relaxed and seem to enjoy their positions of authority.
It could also be added at this point that the satisfaction the males take in their dominance coupled with the indications of violent behaviour signify rather negative stereotypically masculine characteristics of a need to dominate and a predisposition towards violence.
However, all of these negative representations are subverted when a phone call is received. It is from the woman’s male superior which may initially seem to reinforce this patriarchal theme. Firstly, she is in no way subservient to him, ‘Are you kidding.’ Secondly, her dialogue reverses our perceived understanding of who was in control within the scene. ‘I’m working. This moron was about to tell me everything.’
The subversion of our expectations and the empowering of women is then emphasised by action. It becomes clear from her rapid escape and disposal of the three men that she was in fact ‘allowing’them to think they had control. Her actions are decisive and pitiless as she quickly overcomes the antagonists demonstrating her power, skill and force – all qualities that are stereotypically associated with men.
In conclusion, although the woman seems initially objectified and disempowered this impression is quickly subverted as she gains control of the scene becomes empowered and dominates the men, thereby creating a positive representation of women being not only the equal of, but superior to men. Interestingly enough, the scene also has the effect of making the audience question its own potentially underlying sexism through this subversion of expectations.
The Hunger Games series features Jennifer Lawrence, the biggest female star in the world, in a series of action scenes in which the audience is positioned to identify with her courage, bravery and resourcefulness, all qualities typical of the conventional action hero. What is important is that the audience for this genre has been traditionally male, meaning that this reverses Mulvey's view of the patriarchal nature of cinema. What we are left with is trans-gender identification. This means that men are now obliged to identify with the female gaze. This would also be the case in a female lead of a traditional rom com in which male watchers might be encouraged to identify with the female protagonist. Janet Bergstrom has questioned the validity of Mulvey's claims about cinema's male gaze by claiming (quite logically) that many films require males to identify with women, and as can be seen here, this also happens in traditionally male centred genre.
Avengers Assemble
The first scene involving Black Widow has a number of representations of gender . At the beginning of the scene men are represented as being in control. The only woman may be said to be sexually objectified. A young and attractive actress has been chosen. She is wearing revealing clothing, a low cut and short cocktail dress, all of which initially seems like a traditional and sexist way of signifying gender. This may seem as if her role is to be looked at, almost a sexual fantasy figure for the primarily young male audience of action films. (see Mulvey)
She is physically disempowered at the beginning of the scene, represented as a victim to the dominant three males who surround her and she is symbolically and literally tied down to a chair, immobile and seemingly unable to defend herself. The mean are relaxed and seem to enjoy their positions of authority.
It could also be added at this point that the satisfaction the males take in their dominance coupled with the indications of violent behaviour signify rather negative stereotypically masculine characteristics of a need to dominate and a predisposition towards violence.
However, all of these negative representations are subverted when a phone call is received. It is from the woman’s male superior which may initially seem to reinforce this patriarchal theme. Firstly, she is in no way subservient to him, ‘Are you kidding.’ Secondly, her dialogue reverses our perceived understanding of who was in control within the scene. ‘I’m working. This moron was about to tell me everything.’
The subversion of our expectations and the empowering of women is then emphasised by action. It becomes clear from her rapid escape and disposal of the three men that she was in fact ‘allowing’them to think they had control. Her actions are decisive and pitiless as she quickly overcomes the antagonists demonstrating her power, skill and force – all qualities that are stereotypically associated with men.
In conclusion, although the woman seems initially objectified and disempowered this impression is quickly subverted as she gains control of the scene becomes empowered and dominates the men, thereby creating a positive representation of women being not only the equal of, but superior to men. Interestingly enough, the scene also has the effect of making the audience question its own potentially underlying sexism through this subversion of expectations.
The Romantic Comedy (rom-com)
Don Jon
The film deals with a serial womaniser who objectifies women and suffers from a porn addiction. The majority of the narrative involves his relationship with the 'ideal 'woman played by Scarlet Johannsen. The film's opening montage of sexualised images of women in the media offers an immediate criticism of our society's reliance on voyeurism. Don John meets the young and glamorous Barbara. Barbara is conventionally ideal in terms of her youth and beauty. A conventional narrative would involve the promiscuous male being tamed by the female before they both settled into their conventional gender roles within the institution of marriage. What happens is far more unconventional and involves a series of criticisms of the restrictive nature of stereotyped gender roles.
Initially, it is clear that women are objectified by Don John and his group of friends. The women in the early part of the film are treated like sexual trophies and even scored dependent on their physical appearance. When John meets Barbara he seems to wish to change and embrace monogomy, and, at her insistence give up his porn habit, the ultimate symbol of his objectification of women.
Barbara is praised by both Don John, his friends and his traditional family for her appearance and beauty. However, the film increasingly positions us to question what else she has to offer. She becomes enraged at the thought of him cleaning his own apartment as this is not a suitably 'masculine' occupation. There are a series of references to her own addiction of traditional Hollywood romantic films and the idealised couple, this being a male provider and glamorous female.
When he meets an older woman Don John develops into a more satisfying and stimulating relationship, one in which he will not simply act as provider but fully engage with an equal. The film creates a new ideology in which marriage and children are not the ultimate objective of women. Men are encouraged to look beyond limiting objectification and women are encouraged to see themselves as more that simply objects to be looked at.
Bridget Jones’ Diary
Opinions on whether this character as represented in the film offers a positive or negative representation of the contemporary woman are divided. What has to be accepted is that she is a character that would not be seen either in the pages of ‘Home Chat’ or in ‘Spare Rib’ but has characteristics of the traditional feminine role as well as many of the qualities that feminists fought for.
Bridget is a world away from April Smith in many respects. Behaviourally, she drinks, smokes and swears and is shown with career aspirations throughout these films. It is true that Cleaver manipulates Bridget just as Paulfrey manipulates April, but she is assertive enough and in control enough of her own life to ultimately reject him, rather than passively accept his attentions. She is also in control of her own desires, in terms of her relationships with Cleaver and Darcy. Her solution to being rejected by Cleaver is characteristically assertive as she confronts him in the workplace before focusing on her career ,rather than either feeling inadequate at the rejection (an anxiety that Paulfrey manipulates in April) or seeking out confirmation of her worth from other men.
Bridget as a modern woman stands in contrast to her mother who explicitly states that she has been the perfect wife and mother and done exactly what was expected of her for decades, in other words she has lived the life of the Home Chat or My Home reader. Later, the film questions whether this idealised happy housewife has found anything other than dissatisfaction as she leaves her husband in order to enjoy new sexual and romantic experiences with a particularly unsuitable male.
Bridget could be criticised for other reasons. Some would consider her desire for romantic fulfilment or the idea that one can only be complete when with a man to contradict the independence she exhibits in other areas; indeed an early scene in the film has her fantasising about marrying Cleaver. Within the narrative she is also ‘saved’ by Darcy, first at having gained access to an interviewee to help her career and in The Edge of Reason by securing her release from prison but although he saves her at this moment ,at the end of the film ,Bridget is the active agent of change rushing cavalrylike to his rescue from an unsatisfactory partner and in doing so symbolically taking control of the car from her father. At other times she makes no complaint about sexual objectification by Cleaver in the workplace and is constantly calorie counting and obsessed about her appearance. Again, the text is polysemic and offers an ‘overspill’ of readings. (see Hall and Fiske)
Bridget has an unlikely champion in the form of Angela McRobbie who has commented that:
‘The new young women are confident enough to declare their anxieties about possible failure in regard to finding a husband, they avoid any aggressive or overtly traditional men, and they brazenly enjoy their sexuality, without fear of the sexual double standard. In addition, they are more than capable of earning their own living, and the degree of suffering or shame they anticipate in the absence of finding a husband is countered by sexual self-confidence. Being without a husband does not mean they will go without men.’
In a key scene in the film we see men objectified. As Cleaver leaves a lift the suggestive soundtrack immediately signals this, and post production slowmotion allow the audience to gaze on and objectify him. Laura Mulvey has claimed that the cinema prioritises the male gaze thereby frequently reducing women to sexual objects. Here we see the reverse as the film-making itself serves to encourage women to enjoy their own sexuality and predatory instincts. Marion Hanson has argued that cinema exists where women are able to view men as sexual objects.
Bridget Jones' Baby
Bridget Jones’ Baby (2016)
At the opening to the film Bridget is still a somewhat typical post feminist female with a successful media job on a news show, still smoking, drinking and sexually liberated. This liberation is echoed by her friend/colleague Miranda (another post feminist) who discusses using the dating site ‘tinder’ to engage in ‘threeways’. On meeting Jack, he is immediately objectified by Bridget in the same way Cleaver was in the first film as she suggestively comments, ‘ding dong’ on first sight. In fact he is objectified by women throughout who look at photos of him in his shorts, and on his appearance on the tv show after being harassed by the make up lady he is the subject of Miranda’s flirting thereby prompting Bridget’s response, ‘Try not to shag him on air.’
When she sees him again at a festival he is more unclothed than her during the sex scene and after the night she says it was for ‘my own pleasure’ and leaves while he is out getting her breakfast. It is clear that since Bond and School for Scoundrels women are no longer trophies but actively engaging with and satisfying their own physical needs.
One week later Bridget has sex with Mark who romantically asserts, ‘God I’ve missed you’ but again it is the practical and unromantic Bridget who makes it clear that it won’t work and that all they have shared is a sexual encounter.
While Henry Palfrey was in charge of the narration and held the male gaze, these now fall to Bridget who actively controls the narrative. Likewise, while Palfrey manipulated April it is Bridget that manipulates both Mark and Jack. She becomes pregnant but while making it clear that she had always wanted a supporting husband makes clear to both potential fathers that she doesn’t need their help.
The comedic fight in the first film mocks male aggression and stereotypically male qualities and this is continued as it is the men who become increasingly insecure with Mark desperately searching websites for online compatability ratings between him and Bridget while later Jack and Mark both struggle to carry Bridget to the hospital.
The film is also populated by strong women in empowered positions whether they be Bridget’s boss, colleagues or doctor. Even her mother is now a successful councillor and at the end of the film as Bridget rushes to hospital is the most clear statement of post feminism yet. The journey is disrupted by a women’s rights march which is derided by Bridget and her friends as ‘ some lesbians having a stupid all night march,’ and Bridget asking ,’Do we need any more rights?’
The Horror Film.
It may be that you first assume that this genre victimises women who are regularly represented as in danger from a male threat. However many critics and theorists have discussed the empowering messages in the genre.
It may be that you first assume that this genre victimises women who are regularly represented as in danger from a male threat. However many critics and theorists have discussed the empowering messages in the genre.
The opening of the film reinforces traditional stereotypes of gender. Steve arrives ready to propose to Jenny . As the provider he is in charge of their holiday. A successful middle class male ready to whisk his girlfriend away for a pre-arranged weekend. The dialogue supports this ideological positioning of men in control as Jenny asks him where another friend of theirs is taking his girlfriend. Steve is both literally and figuratively in the driving seat. Although she does display sexual traits with flirtatious interactions in the car and the hotel (see McRobbie) and is a qualified professional thereby possibly qualifying as a post-feminist female.
Jenny is a pretty and prettily dressed (pink Summer dress) young woman with a nurturing (gender stereotyping of the female as caring and supportive of the children in her care) role as teacher of primary school children. She happily supports traditional gender roles much to the ire of any second wave feminists watching with comments about him being ‘such a boy’ with his sat nav and later telling him to ‘be a man’ when another couple are disturbing them. Mulvey has explored the limited representations of women in classical Hollywood film, in which the only viewpoint allowed is that of the heterosexual male. Therefore, if seeking to identify (which is after all, intrinsic to the enjoyment of cinema) the female audience become complicit with this viewpoint which approves of a representation of women as attractive, appearance conscious and passive. Jenny could be said at this point of the film to be typical of many of the qualities of ‘looked-at-ness’ that Mulvey describes.
Jenny is a pretty and prettily dressed (pink Summer dress) young woman with a nurturing (gender stereotyping of the female as caring and supportive of the children in her care) role as teacher of primary school children. She happily supports traditional gender roles much to the ire of any second wave feminists watching with comments about him being ‘such a boy’ with his sat nav and later telling him to ‘be a man’ when another couple are disturbing them. Mulvey has explored the limited representations of women in classical Hollywood film, in which the only viewpoint allowed is that of the heterosexual male. Therefore, if seeking to identify (which is after all, intrinsic to the enjoyment of cinema) the female audience become complicit with this viewpoint which approves of a representation of women as attractive, appearance conscious and passive. Jenny could be said at this point of the film to be typical of many of the qualities of ‘looked-at-ness’ that Mulvey describes.
In this state of happy middle class and comfortable equilibrium the dominant ideology suggests that with males and females following traditional gender roles that all is well with the world. At this point the film seems to ideologically stand in a context of patriarchal cultural hegemony. At ‘Eden Lake’ their comfortable middle class world is threatened , at first by the couple next door, one characterised by the aggressive male screaming at his partner, and then by the group of boys who harass them at the lake.
When harassed by the boys, Jenny’s response is more sensible (to leave) and ignore them. Her partner enters into a confrontation with them fuelled by his more aggressive and protective traits (more covert gender stereotyping). Later confrontations follow a similar pattern with the male programmed aggressively and Jenny always passive, never strong enough to stop his aggression but always quietly disapproving.
When harassed by the boys, Jenny’s response is more sensible (to leave) and ignore them. Her partner enters into a confrontation with them fuelled by his more aggressive and protective traits (more covert gender stereotyping). Later confrontations follow a similar pattern with the male programmed aggressively and Jenny always passive, never strong enough to stop his aggression but always quietly disapproving.
In the beach scene the young boys stare at Jenny’s breasts prompting a lingering pov shot. This could be a direct example of the male gaze (Mulvey) objectifying women but as the pov is that of the sociopathic gang leader whom the narrative positions the audience to disapprove it is questionable to what degree she is objectified as the process is contextualised as antisocial. The following shot of the voyeur flaunting his penis at Jenny reinforces our disapproval. Furthermore, her partner’s toned and shirtless physique indicates Hanson’s view that the male can also be the object of desire.
As the narrative lurches into conflict and Steve is injured, the audience increasingly enters into Bergstrom’s identification with the female lead. Jenny has been transformed into the active agent of the narrative charged with getting to help to save her injured partner - this again contradicts Mulvey’s theory. In the final confrontations Jenny is physically transformed, no longer the English rose in pretty dress, now camoflaged in mud and ready to revenge. She stabs one of the aggressors in the throat, refuses to endanger herself to save a young boy and runs over the only girl in the antagonists’ gang. Carol Clover has argued that the ‘final girl’ in the horror native demonstrates many positive attributes and these can certainly seen in Jenny’s determination to survive and save Steve. Bergstrom has also commented on cross gender identification as male audience members may identify with the female lead . The extensive positioning of the narrative from Jenny’s point of view and the multitude of p.o.v shots from Jenny in the editing illustrate this well. It is also worth considering how different the film would be ideologically if Jenny had been captured, been the subject of the boys’ attention and needed to be saved. Therefore, in Jenny’s transformation from non-threatening, pseudo-maternal trophy soon-to-be bride or alternatively from post-feminist female to horror heroine there is a clear message of female empowerment. Jenny’s transformation may be considered a template for the future. Butler argues that there are no inherent gender characteristics, that they are learned and acted out as a performance. This transformation and the rejection of Jenny’s passive, nurturing earlier self could be viewed as an example of this performance in action.
As the film reaches its conclusion Jenny is again at the mercy of overly violent and aggressive males while their wives mourn the loss of their children. Even in the gang, the girl simply films the violence rather than actively engaging in it. Thus the film consistently illustrates the pervasive nature of gender stereotyping in contemporary society. It could also be argued that through the brutal consequences of Steve’s desire to prove himself and the threatening alpha male led groups that there is an inherent criticism of the dangers of rigid adherence to these roles. It is through Jenny’s empowerment that the narrative provides temporary hope of a return to a new equilibrium and here we see a new representation of women or at least of some gender fluidity (Butler) and negotiation. It could be argued that Jenny only becomes fully empowered when civilisation fails and ultimately can only dream of her other life before Eden Lake. Therefore as a feminist film it’s unsatisfactory but as a horror/thriller contradicts Mulvey and places Clover’s ‘ final girl ‘ in a positive context and could be seen as a critique of gender roles in society of different classes as it’s only when she escapes the stereotype that there’s hope for some justice.
DESCENT 2
The narrative at first suggests that this film will support patriarchal values. Of the two groups heading to the mine to ‘rescue’ the women inside both are led by strong and assertive men. The rescue team leader, Dan, is initially represented as a strong and powerful male presence and is the most knowledgeable and is trusted by others on his team as well as making all of the decisions. The other group, the Sherriff's department is led by a male sherriff with a female deputy. The main female character (Sarah) is allowed screentime but does not speak as a result of a trauma. The two groups combine in order to save a group of women who have disappeared in the mine. Ideologically, the messages are clear, that women need male protection and that leadership is a quality more associated with males.
On the way to the mine one scene creates an interesting dynamic for the rescue team. Dan and Kath ride in the front of the car with Greg asleep in the back. The characters now appear as a small family with Greg as child and Kath and Dan as parents. His patriarchal role is reinforced by Kath's admiring look at Dan, thus the film continues to reinforce traditional gender based social roles. When the group enter the mine, the female deputy, is concerned about Sarah’s wellbeing suggesting female sensitivity. When the another female (Kath) is trapped it is Dan who promises to come back and get her, or rescue her his line, 'I'll come back for you.' being accompanied by stirring strings on the score as the audience are positioned to see him as the hero. Other stereotypical characters are reinforced by Dan and the Sherriff's competition to be alpha male (suggesting the male urge to compete and dominate) prior to Dan telling the Sherriff, 'I call the shots.' At this point it seems that Dan is the narrative agent supporting Mulvey’s theory of the dominant male perspective. However, this sense of a patriarchal hegemony is immediately subverted as Dan is killed meaning that a more empowered Kath must save herself. Within the film’s ideology the notion of male dominance is further subverted as the other strong male character, the Sherriff, proves foolish and overly aggressive, positioning the audience to lose respect for him as he fires his gun (an obviously phallic image) alerting the antagonists and provoking a landslide and later needs to be led to safety, first by Sarah and later by Juno, a woman he had supposedly gone there to save. Janet Bergstrom would note that in the narrative women become the dominant social group meaning that male viewers would inevitably identify with them.
As the film continues the female characters demonstrate their physical power and endurance leading us to wonder who will be Carol Clover’s ‘final girl. Ultimately, this proves to be the Deputy as Sarah sacrifices herself so that the deputy can escape. It is interesting that the narrative has prioritised the deputy’s family and maternal role through frequent discussion of her daughter. This is likely to be the cause of Sarah’s sacrifice (in concern for the deputy’s children). Therefore, within the film’s ideology there is still a recognition of the female maternal role in society by alongside of this are a series of representations of empowered decisive women who don’t need to be rescued alongside a subversion of the narrative cliché of males rescuing.