Okay, that makes some sense out of what was rattling around in my head-- the notion that men have to be less so that the woman (the only woman) can be more.
There is some parallel in that often a heroic man is surrounded by lesser men-- the action hero can have a comedic sidekick and even some bumbling competitors, but no real threats to his supremacy.
At the same time, we have buddy films with matched pairs of equally-competent men, and we have ensemble-type groups with men of equal degrees of competence. So now I'm trying to think of any film or tv examples of womanly ensembles with equally competent female leads. I'm going to put my thinking cap on there.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
What does Mangy Rabble Mean?
So, I hear you, and the feminist in me wonders if this isn't reverse sexism but the same old sexism working. You don't have to justify a woman not being the center of attention, right? I mean, in most movies they are around, but they don't do anything. In fact, I just did three movies in a row- 12 Angry Men, Reservoir Dogs, and Glen Garry Glenross- that had no women and never even had to mention it.
On the other hand, if it is a girl's story, and especially if we are framing her as heroic, it seems like they have to justify why none of the guys could do it. I'm glad you came around on Mulan, and I genuinely liked Tangled, but I doubt Brave will be one I am in a rush to put in my kids film library. Because not only is everyone around her kind of dumb, but she isn't anything. It's really the Mom's movie.
So, in a weird way, the Disney movies about boys (Aladdin and Hercules come to mind) can afford to have one strong woman, because she is the ONLY woman and she never encroaches too far on the hero's role as hero. Whereas these girl movies are still about a few females in a world of men. She is supposed to be extraordinary in her ability to DO something, in a world where mostly only men are even visible. So I don't know that these movies are solely doing men wrong, but instead bring men down in the way that all sexism is really bad for everybody involved. It shows that they just haven't actually solved the problem yet. I don't think anyone needs another Brave. And I was surprised how much the set up for Brave was like Tangled, with less joy, even though the stories end in different directions. I think Mulan works because she is in a space that was historically appropriate for men, but its otherwise hard to justify why these lady heroes don't have any lady friends.
Ok, so I have re-engaged in the blog. My next assignment for you is to go watch some Katherine Hepburn- I suggest Philidelphia Story, Bringing Up Baby, and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, because she is the best find I've really gotten into since our last round of blogging. She is a powerhouse, and can take seemingly sexist material and just own every man in the room. She is very literally transcendent, and how often can you say that about anybody?
On the other hand, if it is a girl's story, and especially if we are framing her as heroic, it seems like they have to justify why none of the guys could do it. I'm glad you came around on Mulan, and I genuinely liked Tangled, but I doubt Brave will be one I am in a rush to put in my kids film library. Because not only is everyone around her kind of dumb, but she isn't anything. It's really the Mom's movie.
So, in a weird way, the Disney movies about boys (Aladdin and Hercules come to mind) can afford to have one strong woman, because she is the ONLY woman and she never encroaches too far on the hero's role as hero. Whereas these girl movies are still about a few females in a world of men. She is supposed to be extraordinary in her ability to DO something, in a world where mostly only men are even visible. So I don't know that these movies are solely doing men wrong, but instead bring men down in the way that all sexism is really bad for everybody involved. It shows that they just haven't actually solved the problem yet. I don't think anyone needs another Brave. And I was surprised how much the set up for Brave was like Tangled, with less joy, even though the stories end in different directions. I think Mulan works because she is in a space that was historically appropriate for men, but its otherwise hard to justify why these lady heroes don't have any lady friends.
Ok, so I have re-engaged in the blog. My next assignment for you is to go watch some Katherine Hepburn- I suggest Philidelphia Story, Bringing Up Baby, and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, because she is the best find I've really gotten into since our last round of blogging. She is a powerhouse, and can take seemingly sexist material and just own every man in the room. She is very literally transcendent, and how often can you say that about anybody?
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Mangy Rabble
I have withdrawn my complaint that Mulan only succeeds in elevating its female lead by surrounding her with male characters who are all idiots. It is better and more balanced than my memory gave it credit for.
But I do declare a trend. From the gruff army boobs of Mulan to the mangy rabbly outlaws in Tangled to the hilariously uncouth clansmen in Brave, we seem to have a formula. If the lead is a female, the comic relief must be men who are unkempt, uncouth, un-smart, and uncivilized (except, of course, that they all reveal a more cultured, civilized, sensitive side under prompting by that female lead).
Is this a thing? Does it mean something? Is there a counter-gender equivalent? Or have I got blinders on that are causing me to miss something?
But I do declare a trend. From the gruff army boobs of Mulan to the mangy rabbly outlaws in Tangled to the hilariously uncouth clansmen in Brave, we seem to have a formula. If the lead is a female, the comic relief must be men who are unkempt, uncouth, un-smart, and uncivilized (except, of course, that they all reveal a more cultured, civilized, sensitive side under prompting by that female lead).
Is this a thing? Does it mean something? Is there a counter-gender equivalent? Or have I got blinders on that are causing me to miss something?
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Mary Poppins
Seriously.
I just watched it again for the first time in ages. It's a pretty genius film in that nothing really happens, but it happens in such beautiful well-paced ways that you almost don't mind. I may have a soft spot for it because it's the first thing I ever saw in a theater-- though I'm amazed at how much I enjoyed it given that there's so much that I didn't understand (women suffragettes, the whole bank thing, etc) at all.
It has some nifty lyrics ("Though we adore men individually, we agree that as a group they're rather stupid"), two excrutiatingly cute children, and David Tomlinson doing a very nice job with a character who is built to be a cliche from the ground up.
But Mary Poppins herself-- nearly godlike, yet completely feminine. Nurturing without being goopy and weak, strong but not in a mannish way at all. And it's the male sidekick who has to pick up the narrative slack-- Bert becomes a clever device for avoiding any sort of weakness or explaining about her character. And the slight hints that they have some sort of backstory, but that she's in charge of it and he's the one who has to wait patiently for the times when she appears.
Okay, so she's maybe a kids version of a woman and not a woman's, but I'd still like to nominate her for the list.
I just watched it again for the first time in ages. It's a pretty genius film in that nothing really happens, but it happens in such beautiful well-paced ways that you almost don't mind. I may have a soft spot for it because it's the first thing I ever saw in a theater-- though I'm amazed at how much I enjoyed it given that there's so much that I didn't understand (women suffragettes, the whole bank thing, etc) at all.
It has some nifty lyrics ("Though we adore men individually, we agree that as a group they're rather stupid"), two excrutiatingly cute children, and David Tomlinson doing a very nice job with a character who is built to be a cliche from the ground up.
But Mary Poppins herself-- nearly godlike, yet completely feminine. Nurturing without being goopy and weak, strong but not in a mannish way at all. And it's the male sidekick who has to pick up the narrative slack-- Bert becomes a clever device for avoiding any sort of weakness or explaining about her character. And the slight hints that they have some sort of backstory, but that she's in charge of it and he's the one who has to wait patiently for the times when she appears.
Okay, so she's maybe a kids version of a woman and not a woman's, but I'd still like to nominate her for the list.
Friday, August 27, 2010
The Proposal
Let me interrupt the flow of our discussion to mention a movie that was apparently popular and yet is an utter fail. It is amazing to me that this film was directed by, co-produced by, and acted in by womans.
Warning for anybody reading-- there are SPOILERS ahead because I don't car, because this movie was spoiled when it was made.
At the beginning we are introduced to Sandra Bullock's character who is an unrepentent and loathed bitch at a publishing company. She is awfully awful, and she is most awful to her assistant Ryan Reynolds, who hates her. It's important to note that this section of film is convincing, and that their mutual disregard contains no hint of romantic tension or anything like it.It is possible that the movie wants to make a complete and utter surprise out of what everybody knows is coming, that is in fact the reason that everybody bought tickets, BUT this belongs to a special family of movie "surprises" that are surprising because they make no sense. Yes, it would have been surprising if Peter Jackson had had the One Ring turn into a gold-plated fax machine, but that's not a good thing.
But I get ahead of myself.
She's going to be deported to Canada, so she blackmails Reynolds into marrying her, and they have to leave immediately for a weekend with his family in Alaska. He also forces her to propose on her knees in the street, because now that we know she's a hig-powered successful bitch, the humiliations can safely begin.
They travel to Alaska. Turns out his family is loaded and he's shlepping in NHYC because of daddy issues. And his grandmother is Betty White. Let the hilarity ensue.
Now after three years of mutual distaste, they must fake, for his family, engagement. A party awaits them so that all the home town folks can meet her, and thy are forced to kiss. It's awkward but the music cue tells us that BANG they are now somehow interested in each other.
More hilarious interaction ensues. No, I'm lying. But the movie does contrive to throw them together naked on top of each other on the floor, and BANG, they are more interested in each other.
Then, as they are lying in different parts of the room they share that night, Bullock just starts sharing personal stuff. Is there a reason? Has her character turned into someone else? Do Reynolds ripped abs have some magic power? (That last one seems most plausible)
More wackiness. Bullock performs a drum ceremony with White in the woods which devolves into her dancing and singing-ish a rap about sweat running down her balls. The family decides the wedding will be held there. The women (including the obligatory sweet former girlfriend) take Bullock to see a bad stripper.
Bullocks character disintegrates. She's worked her way up to the top in publishing, but a pay-computer at an internet cafe flusters her. She has shmoozed at the highest levels of business, but she is socially awkward. And she regularly abuses her employees without a second thought, but she is now wracked with guilt for lying to these adorable total strangers.
She runs off to think about it in a boat with Reynolds and then, wackily, falls out. He rescues her (she can't swim, though she is a heck of good non-swimmer, or at least a bad drowner) and we can see that, wrapped up in a towel and his big strong man-arms, she finally feels okay.
She confesses in the middle of the wedding ceremony and runs off. Reynolds (boggle) wants to follow her. At the height of an argument with his father, Betty White has a heart attack. We curse the movie for using the oldest, cheapest trick in the book, but then in the ambu-plane, White reveals she was faking to force a reconciliation. At first I was going to givethe movie back a half-point for that, but no-- it doesn't even have the balls to hurt an old lady to get dowwn its obvious and contrived path.
Reynolds misses her plane, but cut to a few days later. She is dejectedly cleaning out her office, when in he comes. He makes a manly proposal and she melts. The office-full of people who loathed and feared her a week ago melt and oo and ahh like they're looking at a truckload of puppies, except for some guy who, as we fade to black, yells, "Show her who's boss."
So yes-- the moral of this rom-com is, once again, women who are in power are inhuman monsters who can only be redeemed by some man with big arms who puts them back in their place and lets them be the frail, weepy creatures they are meant to be.
Or the moral may be, when faced with a totally predictable plot, try to spice it up with characters that make no sense.
The movie has some occasional moments. There's a scene where, asked to tell the story of the proposal, the two improvise and struggle to steer the made-up story to make Reynolds either more or less manly. There are what appear to be improvised interviews over the credits which are fun. That's a good three minutes of decent movie all told.
It could have been worse. Nobody suggests that she really needs to get laid, and the two characters do not have sex. He doesn't chase her through an airport terminal. There's no goopy ballad in the soundtrack.
But my Lord in Heaven, this movie is an offense against womankind in particular and humanity and story-telling general.
Warning for anybody reading-- there are SPOILERS ahead because I don't car, because this movie was spoiled when it was made.
At the beginning we are introduced to Sandra Bullock's character who is an unrepentent and loathed bitch at a publishing company. She is awfully awful, and she is most awful to her assistant Ryan Reynolds, who hates her. It's important to note that this section of film is convincing, and that their mutual disregard contains no hint of romantic tension or anything like it.It is possible that the movie wants to make a complete and utter surprise out of what everybody knows is coming, that is in fact the reason that everybody bought tickets, BUT this belongs to a special family of movie "surprises" that are surprising because they make no sense. Yes, it would have been surprising if Peter Jackson had had the One Ring turn into a gold-plated fax machine, but that's not a good thing.
But I get ahead of myself.
She's going to be deported to Canada, so she blackmails Reynolds into marrying her, and they have to leave immediately for a weekend with his family in Alaska. He also forces her to propose on her knees in the street, because now that we know she's a hig-powered successful bitch, the humiliations can safely begin.
They travel to Alaska. Turns out his family is loaded and he's shlepping in NHYC because of daddy issues. And his grandmother is Betty White. Let the hilarity ensue.
Now after three years of mutual distaste, they must fake, for his family, engagement. A party awaits them so that all the home town folks can meet her, and thy are forced to kiss. It's awkward but the music cue tells us that BANG they are now somehow interested in each other.
More hilarious interaction ensues. No, I'm lying. But the movie does contrive to throw them together naked on top of each other on the floor, and BANG, they are more interested in each other.
Then, as they are lying in different parts of the room they share that night, Bullock just starts sharing personal stuff. Is there a reason? Has her character turned into someone else? Do Reynolds ripped abs have some magic power? (That last one seems most plausible)
More wackiness. Bullock performs a drum ceremony with White in the woods which devolves into her dancing and singing-ish a rap about sweat running down her balls. The family decides the wedding will be held there. The women (including the obligatory sweet former girlfriend) take Bullock to see a bad stripper.
Bullocks character disintegrates. She's worked her way up to the top in publishing, but a pay-computer at an internet cafe flusters her. She has shmoozed at the highest levels of business, but she is socially awkward. And she regularly abuses her employees without a second thought, but she is now wracked with guilt for lying to these adorable total strangers.
She runs off to think about it in a boat with Reynolds and then, wackily, falls out. He rescues her (she can't swim, though she is a heck of good non-swimmer, or at least a bad drowner) and we can see that, wrapped up in a towel and his big strong man-arms, she finally feels okay.
She confesses in the middle of the wedding ceremony and runs off. Reynolds (boggle) wants to follow her. At the height of an argument with his father, Betty White has a heart attack. We curse the movie for using the oldest, cheapest trick in the book, but then in the ambu-plane, White reveals she was faking to force a reconciliation. At first I was going to givethe movie back a half-point for that, but no-- it doesn't even have the balls to hurt an old lady to get dowwn its obvious and contrived path.
Reynolds misses her plane, but cut to a few days later. She is dejectedly cleaning out her office, when in he comes. He makes a manly proposal and she melts. The office-full of people who loathed and feared her a week ago melt and oo and ahh like they're looking at a truckload of puppies, except for some guy who, as we fade to black, yells, "Show her who's boss."
So yes-- the moral of this rom-com is, once again, women who are in power are inhuman monsters who can only be redeemed by some man with big arms who puts them back in their place and lets them be the frail, weepy creatures they are meant to be.
Or the moral may be, when faced with a totally predictable plot, try to spice it up with characters that make no sense.
The movie has some occasional moments. There's a scene where, asked to tell the story of the proposal, the two improvise and struggle to steer the made-up story to make Reynolds either more or less manly. There are what appear to be improvised interviews over the credits which are fun. That's a good three minutes of decent movie all told.
It could have been worse. Nobody suggests that she really needs to get laid, and the two characters do not have sex. He doesn't chase her through an airport terminal. There's no goopy ballad in the soundtrack.
But my Lord in Heaven, this movie is an offense against womankind in particular and humanity and story-telling general.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Keeping Streisand at Bay
We are watching (and sitll haven't finished) the Judy Garland version of A Star is Born. Because Nick didn't know who Liza Minelli was. And he had never seen Judy in anything but Wizard of Oz. So that's that. I have never seen a Barbra Streisand movie, because I find her so obnoxious.
On a totally unrelated note, you should go see the new Jennifer Aniston movie, because it is based on a Eugenides short story. It's really a story about boys, I think, so maybe it won't be so relevant here, but we all know how much I love Jeff, so I will go. Actually, since I will be home so soon, we could probably go together.
I think that's all I have to add. You caught on to the essential problem/paradox/weirdness of Ms. Piggy being a badass, but also being played by a guy. Drag characters in general may come up here a lot actually.
On a totally unrelated note, you should go see the new Jennifer Aniston movie, because it is based on a Eugenides short story. It's really a story about boys, I think, so maybe it won't be so relevant here, but we all know how much I love Jeff, so I will go. Actually, since I will be home so soon, we could probably go together.
I think that's all I have to add. You caught on to the essential problem/paradox/weirdness of Ms. Piggy being a badass, but also being played by a guy. Drag characters in general may come up here a lot actually.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
I don't know that I'm ready to deal with Streisand yet. Though "What's Up, Doc" is now out on disc. That might be the last thing she did that I unequivocally liked.
Cabaret is a heck of a movie. I agree that Minelli takes things up a notch by her two-layered performance, turning Sally from a character who is the standard Auntie Mame theater bigger-than-life goddess into a woman who doesn't seem to know herself and prefers to view her own illusions. It's super-effective for the film because it makes a perfect bridge to a country that refuses to see itself as it really is, all building up to the finale of the song "Cabaret" that is not the celebration of life that it pretends to be, but a creepy and ineffective denial of the darker things that, unanswered, will soon overwhelm the club and places like it. I saw the movie in college and I still remember that final shot of the nazis' twisted reflection.
It was also a brave film in its time, with its subtle suggestion that throwing flowers and peace signs around and telling yourself you're really hip and together when you aren't.
I'm not sure how it fits our purposes here, but it is a good film. I should probably watch it again. (I am also tickled that it covers exactly the same period as Sound of Music. I want Maria and Sally to meet.)
Another suggestion to add to the list is Farscape, probably one of the most female-heavy SF series ever. And since it is essentially a four-and-a-half year love story between its two leads, it hs some stuff to say about that, too.
I agree that Miss Piggy makes a good choice. But what do we do with the fact that she's played by a man.
Cabaret is a heck of a movie. I agree that Minelli takes things up a notch by her two-layered performance, turning Sally from a character who is the standard Auntie Mame theater bigger-than-life goddess into a woman who doesn't seem to know herself and prefers to view her own illusions. It's super-effective for the film because it makes a perfect bridge to a country that refuses to see itself as it really is, all building up to the finale of the song "Cabaret" that is not the celebration of life that it pretends to be, but a creepy and ineffective denial of the darker things that, unanswered, will soon overwhelm the club and places like it. I saw the movie in college and I still remember that final shot of the nazis' twisted reflection.
It was also a brave film in its time, with its subtle suggestion that throwing flowers and peace signs around and telling yourself you're really hip and together when you aren't.
I'm not sure how it fits our purposes here, but it is a good film. I should probably watch it again. (I am also tickled that it covers exactly the same period as Sound of Music. I want Maria and Sally to meet.)
Another suggestion to add to the list is Farscape, probably one of the most female-heavy SF series ever. And since it is essentially a four-and-a-half year love story between its two leads, it hs some stuff to say about that, too.
I agree that Miss Piggy makes a good choice. But what do we do with the fact that she's played by a man.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)