Women in Film! Go girl or Go Home!!

What are your views on Women in Film today?
Is the gap between men and women closing?
What do you think?
Most influential?
Strongest?
What do you know of Amy Pascal?
Any views you can give me will be veeery much appreciated!- its for a school project, don't let me fail now!
Thanks, LAURA ENGLAND 17 XX

Views on what, specifically?

Again, a little vague. I will answer what i think you are asking but there has always been women in 'lead' roles. I think you asking if women and men are being given more equal roles versus roles that are rooted in tradition. I would say most definitely. Look at the more recent superhero films. X-Men, Matrix, Daredevil etc... all have women in positions of power that are equal to or greater than the men (X-Men in particular). In film I think women are being more and more represented as individual and strong versus soft and needy.

I think you started two threads on the same subject and I'm gonna zap one of them .

Not sure about the questions... I'll think about it.

One film that I really enjoyed is Legally Blonde. Granted it's a comedy and it's a pretty silly one at that, but there are messages in that film to speak to your subject. It portrays a woman as being able to handle things traditionally assigned to women as well as something even much more demanding. Reese Witherspoon's role shows her being the 'typical' stereotyped woman yet with much more talent/brains/ etc than would normally be assigned a character like this. I think it's meant to say that girls are indeed girls but there is much more to that than meets the eye. It's a spit in the face of stereotypes film and I got a chuckle (and a lesson) out of it.

What i mean, is that since movies began, women have been given lame roles like 'the wife' or 'the helpless young blonde who conveniently just lost all of her clothes!' They are just extras or eyecandy for guys (or girls, whichever way you go) even as far back as Audrey Hepburn. in her most famous film she was a call girl! I just want to know what people think about it now and whether the 'this roles for a man' and 'this roles for a woman' thing is coming to an end! ps: thankyou for replying.

I see this difference in the characterization of women in an old family favorite; Perry Mason. It's a courtroom drama beginning in the latter '50s starring Raymon Burr. Women in that show always blubbered, always needed direction from the wiser men, and were almost always weak. If they weren't weak, it was because they were conniving witches. Showing that if a woman is strong, then a woman must be bad.

Obviously, shows like that don't really exist anymore, women are more and more often presented as strong, intelligent, and capable people. I think television was always more guilty than cinema when presenting them as weak, especially during the '50s.

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"Today, war is too important to be left to politicians. They have neither the time, the training, nor the inclination for strategic thought. I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids."

Movies tend to follow with reality, and sad as it may seem alot of people see women as perfect for the roles of a "call girl", "a wife", "a ditsy blonde" because well to be honest they are perfect for those roles. I am in no way demeaning women, I just am saying that it would be kind of hard for a guy to play a "wife" I truly love women in leading roles and powerful positions, Kill Bill is truly a gender lopsided film, most of the men in the movie are truly pigs, and I loved the movie (by the way I loved it not because men are pigs, but because they got what was coming to them). To sum it up, actors/actresses play the chracters, and if they to a good job at it then they have my respect whether they are playing a drugged out crack whore or a President.

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“The gladdest moment in human life, methinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton

Thankyou very much for stating what wasn't already clear- men can't play a wife, wow!!
In reality i guess you're right, SOME women are wives and SOME women are call girls but then SOME men are househusbands and SOME men are whores, no?
its fair enough that you think that 'its kind of hard for a guy to play a wife'. But why? Because thats how its been in every film you've ever seen. ''films are made by men, for men''- Laura Mulvey (1975).
And to say that women are perfect for the roles of whores (as opposed to men who are great, macho men who women desperately need and could never look weak or desperate cos thats just wrong!) and then that you are in no way demeaning women is slightly strange don't you think REALLY!?
The fact is that since women have woken up to this, 'big movie men' have accentuated all of these roles for us in film as they don't want us treading on their toes.
95% of top media jobs are held by men, but for how long? what are your views on this?
Thanks for replying. x

I think all women should be banned from movies, any role that requires a female lead shall be played as a man dressed up as a woman. I lie...

Anyway enough of being silly, one thing I will say about female actors is that there are not very many good ones. There are no famale actors (im just going to call them actresses) that inspire me to go see a movie, most of them just lack charisma. There are many good actresses that can play the part fine but none who have a certain spark, especially within the last 20 years or so. The only actresses I would possibly go out of my way to watch may be Sandra Bullock, she may not be the greatest actress but she has got charisma and is quite willing to take the mickey out of herself (I admire any actor/actress willing to make themselves look silly and have a joke on them. I dont see kevin Spacey making a fool of himself...on to this another day though) Meg ryan also has a certain element of charm but I have heard that she can be a handful on set so it tarnishes my view somewhat. Basically there are no actresses who have any Charm and or Charisma that really want to make me go see them. Im not saying that there are no woman that can be Charismatic, many Actresses from the 40's,50's and 60's were highly entertaining. Well I have rambled on long enough and not answered oneof your questions, cept maybe for the "what do you think question"

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Question - Do you think women are chosen for lead roles in action movies to attract more men, or to attract more women to go see the movie??

It's nice to see you joined us cherry (and check your email because i had some questions about Ireland)

But I would hope that women are cast in lead roles not only because they are good for the part but to attract everyone... in my opinion if somone is good for the role, then they should get it...and everyone should see it because they are awesome in the movie

my favorite example for Women is easily Weaver in the Alien series...nobody could do it like Ripley
but i think it goes both ways...nobody could have done Cusack's job as well in Identity

My 2 cents *grins*, plus a buck fifty!

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"If there is one sound the follows the march of humanity, it is the scream." David Gemmell

"Some people have a gift for stupidity,an almost mystic ability to withstand any form of logic."-David Gemmell

When I become and Evil Lord dominating all mankind to my will if an advisor says to me "My liege, he is but one man. What can one man possibly do?", I will reply "This." and kill the advisor.

Hi Cherry, to answer your question, these women in action films are chosen for men. How many females do you think have a say in castings for action films? none. An excuse may be that these women are an inspiration for other women, but personally i'd like a role model whose main ambition in life isn't to have a one night stand with James Bond or Bruce Willis etc. And Lara Croft a great role model? She was created by men, and basically is a man but with boobs and an arse- so men don't feel bad about wanting her.
Another thing, in Action films there is a little thing called 'The Queer Theory' going on, its a genuine theory and to prove it all you have to do is watch Top Gun/ Die Hard etc with this theory in mind- the main men are gay, goodies and baddies like each other and the bullets? well these are substituted for what you can only imagine!...

There is another completely accepted theory within the school of marxist-feminist film studies that suggests that guys who like horror film basically wants to be beat up by their dad.

The problem with a lot of feminist film theory is that it says that all women are helpless and mindless victims, which at least in my film studies class resulted in nothing but pissing the female students off.

There are some very interesting points made by feminist theorists, points that no film theorist had thought about before (for example the thoughts around gender roles in horror pics). But I can't help to feel that the conclusions and the general idea that a lot of the school's followers draw breahtes paranoia and the biggest penis envy in history.

Hollywood is sexist in many ways, but when it comes to physical attributes I think the mania is the same for men and women. It sounds like you think that women must have perfect bodies in Hollywood while men can be fat and ugly and still be superstars. I don't think so. Take a look at the biggest male stars, even the old ones. They spend an absurd amount of time in the gym and new actors must be cute rather than good actors - exactly the same situation as with actresses. Will Philip Seymour Hoffman ever get a "Tom Cruise part"? Don't think so even though he is probably one of the best actors coming out of the industry the recent years. And what is so weird with Lara Croft when it comes to her body? Isn't she supposed to be a superwoman? Doesn't a superwoman just as a superman have it all, including looks and sex appeal? (I haven't seen the movie and probably never will.... But I can't say that I think it's contradictive to have a strong woman that also have big boobs and a nice ass on the screen).

Hollywood reflects reality pretty well. Things have become a little better for women, but in some ways a lot worse for men. And it is no conincident that one of the fastest growing "sports" for men are "going to the gym". At the same time the problem with illegal and dangerous (often lethal) substances and drugs designed to make your muscles grow much faster is rapidly increasing. Females are sex objects but so are males.

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The novelist does not long to see the lion eat grass. He realizes that one and the same God created the wolf and the lamb, then smiled, "seeing that his work was good".

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They had temporarily escaped the factories, the warehouses, the slaughterhouses, the car washes - they'd be back in captivity the next day but now they were out - they were wild with freedom. They weren't thinking about the slavery of poverty. Or the slavery of welfare and food stamps. The rest of us would be all right until the poor learned how to make atom bombs in their basements.

Quite right Pidd!? You made some good points that i agree with but i'm doing this for a college project and my theme is 'Women in Film' so men are not my main concern here (only in this circumstance mind!). thanks for your thoughts.
And my thing with Lara Croft was not with how good she looked, (who in a film looks bad these days really?!) just an example of what women have to look up to and admire when its just what men have created. My point being that men are in control of all parts of it when equality should rule and there should be more than 3 women with top jobs in Hollywood.
P.S; who's Philip Seymour Hoffman? (if he's in some strange American TV Soap or something i wouldn't know, unfortunately i can't get them broadcasted over here!!!)

Hmmm.. kind of weird to make a study on females compared to males but without looking at the male situation.

Anyway, I think you are right about the male domination of the industry and of course it has an impact on the films as well. But the industry is commercial and half of the audience is female so they would be stupid not to hire women to make their movies more attractive to women. But as far as the top job situation and the number of female directors/producers, the situation could be much better.

Philip Seymour Hoffman has starred in films like The Big Lebowski, The Talented Mr Ripley, Magnolia, Almost Famous, Boogie Nights, Punch Drunk Love, State & Main, Happiness, 25th Hour and is always brilliant.

CLICK---Philip Seymour Hoffman

I'm going with Pidd on alot of this, if only i could put it quite so elgantly as you though. First of I really like that you put Hoffman in there, I will agree that he is an incredibale and by most of the general public extremely underated actor. I also want to take time out to bitch about one of your points the

[quote=Piddzilla] Take a look at the biggest male stars, even the old ones. They spend an absurd amount of time in the gym and new actors must be cute rather than good actors - exactly the same situation as with actresses. QUOTE]

I am really sick of seing idiots like Freddy Prince Junior in movies because little 15 year old girls want to do "that hotty". I suppose it is ingenious marketing and all, but anyone who appreciates real acting just wants to vomit all over the theatre as a toke of unappreciation to actors like our "good" friend Freddy. Now even though I try not to go to teenie type flicks, being that i am 19 I still have lots of friends that have to go see the newest "insert worthless actor/actress with nice body's name here", so i get to see alot of these not talents being on the center screen, and it pisses me off. In fact i am gonna start a thread i think...

I think a lot of women are used as eye candy for action movies, and maybe wouldn't do as well if there was a male lead, or if that male lead had no woman on his arm.

But I think women are good as the wife or the "helpless blonde" sometimes i think they can make certain movies better and make the movies more emotional or poignant. I dont think they would have the same effect with helpless blonde men.

As a helpess, overemotional frail (hehe...5'10" 213...well maybe not frail, but hey i had to play sports in highschool, it was mandatory) blonde male... I resent the above statement!
then again...maybe I'm just not having a good day

awww sorry, im sure you'd make an excellent helpless blonde male!

i def think that women are introduced into actions films to attract more men, because men dont generally go to the cinema to stare at a bloke for a couple of hours do they??

But if women are introduced into the more violent roles eg uma thurman in kill bill then more men are going to go watch and if they get their 'kit off' it will b a bonus for them!!

Women are happy watching fit men in a film so were not really bothered if more women play violent roles....

cazz
x

Oh, believe me, yes we do!

Firstly, let me just say that I don't watch films because of who's in it. And if men went to the movies primarily to see beautiful women then I would have seen every film J-Lo has ever made by now. I haven't. And I have not seen Austin Powers in Goldmember either.

I think there are a lot of "guy flicks" that have an exclusively male cast, or at least no knock out chicks in any important roles. Reservoir Dogs comes to mind as well as nearly every decent war movie ever made. (Not saying that they're decent just because there aren't no women in them. It might be that way, but I'm not sure... )

And to tell you the truth. I think the biggest reason to why women are "introduced" into action films is the same as why they are hired by sports channels on tv - to attract more women.

With a woman in the film the chances of romance as an ingredient increase considerably. And, running the risk of sounding sexist, I believe that ingredient attracts more women than men. The baked in romance is there to ensure that the guys bring their girlfriends to the movies as well, i.e. buy two tickets instead of just one.

But that does of course not exclude the possibility that some guys like to have something to rest their eyes on between the fist fights and car chases.

Btw, is Reservoir Dogs a "guy flick"?