Hollywood film has evolved greatly over the years. The visual effects, sound and other technical equipment used have significantly enhanced the quality of film today. However, one thing that hasn’t completely changed would be the representation of women in film. Although the film industry has been more open about letting people of color, homosexuals, and even women getting involved in the film industry. The characters in these films are represented with the same old stereotypes that have just been tweaked over time. Films today very much center around white patriarchal capitalism. White patriarchal capitalism is the “dominant ideology of the western world; that suggests that heterosexual Caucasian males and gaining wealth are the most important things in this world.”(Benshoff) .White, heterosexual and wealthy men are considered the standard or “norm” in film. Anything outside of the norm would be considered the other.
When films are centered around women for instance these films are generally considered “women films” or “chick flicks”. In most Hollywood movies with male leads, the character usually has a female love interest that plays the supporting character. There is usually a huge emphasis put on a women’s sexual appeal and more often then not, she normally plays the damsel in distress. Most “women” films that are told from the female perspective could also be guilty of reinforcing the ideology of white patriarchal capitalism. The Bechdel Test is a type of litmus test to assess the presence of women in movies.( Sarkeesian) There are three main requirements that are essential to passing the test: (1) There has to be 2 or more female characters, (2) These characters have to talk to each other, and (3) The females must be able to talk about something other than a man. It’s surprising when you realize how many films actually fail this test. Many of the films I grew up watching and loved have mostly failed. The film P.S I love you is one film told from female perspective that fails the Bechdel Test.
When films are centered around women for instance these films are generally considered “women films” or “chick flicks”. In most Hollywood movies with male leads, the character usually has a female love interest that plays the supporting character. There is usually a huge emphasis put on a women’s sexual appeal and more often then not, she normally plays the damsel in distress. Most “women” films that are told from the female perspective could also be guilty of reinforcing the ideology of white patriarchal capitalism. The Bechdel Test is a type of litmus test to assess the presence of women in movies.( Sarkeesian) There are three main requirements that are essential to passing the test: (1) There has to be 2 or more female characters, (2) These characters have to talk to each other, and (3) The females must be able to talk about something other than a man. It’s surprising when you realize how many films actually fail this test. Many of the films I grew up watching and loved have mostly failed. The film P.S I love you is one film told from female perspective that fails the Bechdel Test.
The film P.S I love you is beautiful love story about a young women named Holly who struggles to cope with her husband’s death. On the day of her birthday, Holly receives some tapes recorded by her husband, Jerry, with 10 messages that are intended to ease her pain and encourage her to move on with her life. The film features two female supporting characters her best friends Sharon and Denise. Although the film passes the first two requirements on the Bechdel Test. It fails because the conversations they discuss center mostly around Jerry or the other men in their lives.
One other movie that fails the Bechdel Test (that may not really come as a surprise to anyone) would be Twilight. This film is another women’s film or chick flick told from the female perspective. Twilight is a movie about a teenage girl named Bella Swan who falls for a vampire named Edward Cullen. Although the film includes other female characters (with names), they don’t really play a major role in the story. All of Bella's time and attention is focused on her boyfriend Edward. When Bella is talking to one of her female “friends”, the topic is typically centered around a guy.
Before learning about the Bechdel test, I never even realized how often movies center around male characters. Keeping this mind I’m going to start paying closer attention to other movies I watch from here on out.
Work Cited
Benshoff, Harry M., and Sean Griffin. America on Film: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality at the Movies. Malden, MA, USA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. Print.
Work Cited
Benshoff, Harry M., and Sean Griffin. America on Film: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality at the Movies. Malden, MA, USA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. Print.
Sarkeesian, Anita. "The Bechdel Test for Women in Movies." Feminist Frequency. 7 Dec. 2009. Web. 29 Apr. 2011. <http://www.feministfrequency.com/2009/12/the-bechdel-test-for-women-in-movies/>.
Nice work applying something we learned in class to outside material. Like the "other" in film, we will be addressing the issue of women in front of and behind the camera in the weeks to come.
ReplyDelete- Ruth