Friday, 16 May 2008
Thursday, 8 May 2008
The problem of relativity...
Has the use of objectification in film changed over the years?
Where once women would be objectified for a reason such as in a patriachal society (during the 1940s it was said to be an expression of power and control over the women as well as sexual), most female audiences are familar with (even expecting) the shallow use of the male point of view camera nowadays.
Is the 'male gaze' becoming extinct?
With an increasing number of female writers and directors, the 'female gaze' is becoming a dominating macro feature of films. Not only are men being objectified but the women are taking control over the characters (the most overt example is Jane Campion's 'The Piano'). Ada is portrayed as the masculine mother and it is the men who are emotionally unstable and weak. But there are other, more sutble blurrings of the gender boundaries; 'Jack And Sarah', 'The Full Monty' and 'Disclosure'.
What do feminists prefer in female cinema? And what do women want from both male and female cinema?
Where once women would be objectified for a reason such as in a patriachal society (during the 1940s it was said to be an expression of power and control over the women as well as sexual), most female audiences are familar with (even expecting) the shallow use of the male point of view camera nowadays.
Is the 'male gaze' becoming extinct?
With an increasing number of female writers and directors, the 'female gaze' is becoming a dominating macro feature of films. Not only are men being objectified but the women are taking control over the characters (the most overt example is Jane Campion's 'The Piano'). Ada is portrayed as the masculine mother and it is the men who are emotionally unstable and weak. But there are other, more sutble blurrings of the gender boundaries; 'Jack And Sarah', 'The Full Monty' and 'Disclosure'.
What do feminists prefer in female cinema? And what do women want from both male and female cinema?
Thursday, 24 April 2008
Primary Research
The Piano and Lost in Translation
Find sequences which you think undermine/question/problematise the male gaze, or invoke a "female gaze", or in some other way exhibit traits of a "feminine" form of filmic storytelling. (cf soap opera stuff too)
Work out how you will use these clips to explore with women their responses - do they WANT a female cinema?
Find sequences which you think undermine/question/problematise the male gaze, or invoke a "female gaze", or in some other way exhibit traits of a "feminine" form of filmic storytelling. (cf soap opera stuff too)
Work out how you will use these clips to explore with women their responses - do they WANT a female cinema?
Thursday, 17 April 2008
What to do now
1. Decide on the texts. I'd use The Piano, Lost in Translation, Briget Jones' Diary.
2. Having read about what might constitute a "female" cinema - ie one which rejects or reflects the male gaze, you need to analyse the films to test out whether they might qualify. (Briget Jones won't, because she is a ditzy blonde stereotype who is structured as "incomplete" because of her lack of a man, but this will be a useful point of comparison).
3. What do women want from a film? Do women want to refuse the male gaze?
2. Having read about what might constitute a "female" cinema - ie one which rejects or reflects the male gaze, you need to analyse the films to test out whether they might qualify. (Briget Jones won't, because she is a ditzy blonde stereotype who is structured as "incomplete" because of her lack of a man, but this will be a useful point of comparison).
3. What do women want from a film? Do women want to refuse the male gaze?
Towards a 'Female Cinema' by Matt Hall...
It is important to differentiate between gender (socially constructed sex identity), sex (what set of genitals you had at birth), and masculine/feminine traits (culturally decided traits that have been allied to gender). You can be male but have lots of feminine traits, just the same as females can have masculine traits.
Where did masculinity and femininity come from? (see Camille Paglia’s Sexual Personae for more detailed ideas)
Because these a cultural terms, the answer is: from anything humans have produced. Early religions based the gender of their gods (it is thought) on their own sexuality.
So:
· because men have the penis - genitals that are obvious, visible, exposed, and pointing forward - the Sun God was male (the sun gives light, in light we can see – other areas like science and maths are deemed as masculine because they seek to interpret and expose ‘the truth’.
· because women have vaginas – genitals that are hidden, out of sight, and internal – the Moon God was female (moon is round like the womb, night is dark so things are hidden, secretive, mysterious – imaginative/creative disciplines have been traditionally ‘feminine’ because they are on ‘the inside’, as are emotions. Plus, the effect of the moon on tides associates femininity with ‘fluidity’, smooth changeability)
From this ancient basis, our cultures have developed complex associations with masculinity and femininity. You can see this in art and literature: male writing tends to be narrative driven, linear (because this is how men experience sex: start, middle, end/climax) and full of visual description. Female writing tends to be character or stylistically driven, non-linear (because the female sexual experience can involve no climaxes or multiple spontaneous orgasms), with an emphasis on other senses, and especially on emotions.
How, then, can women’s cinema reflect feminine perspectives when cinema is based on seeing?
Traits of ‘feminine cinema’
· the male gaze, and the way it defines/objectifies women is acknowledged and criticised
e.g. Sally Potter’s Thriller – two characters (Mimi 1 and Mimi 2) interact. Mimi 1 is a character in traditional opera and we see her ‘conventionally’; Mimi 2 is the actress playing her and we see what her real life is like, in contrast to the ‘male’ view.
· The male gaze is returned – the woman on screen seems aware that she is being viewed (compromising the voyeuristic thrill) and deliberately ‘stares’ back, forcing viewer to take responsibility for the Gaze
e.g. Catherine Tremmel in Basic Instinct during the infamous interrogation scene.
· Narrative structure is non-linear and elliptical – there a gaps, hidden areas in the story that reflect femininity as ‘secret’ and ‘mysterious’. Time may appear to speed up or slow down (feminine time is seen as fluid and subjective, not rigidly measured in hours/days)
e.g.1: Jane Campion’s The Piano – the narrator and protagonist is mute throughout the film. Not only does her silence mock the dominating male characters, but the reasons for this silence are never explained.
e.g.2: Judy Dart’s Daughters of the Dust – events in an ordinary day on a Caribbean island are linked to historical events that the narrative ‘flashes back’ to. Can be very confusing, as this isn’t made obvious – the narrative flows easily from one timeframe to another.
· The camera’s view is self-consciously subjective and emotional – expressionistic film style is used: coloured tints, unusual angles/movement, fantastical/animated sequences, a focus on ‘magical’ happenings or on ‘trivial’ events suddenly made significant.
e.g.1 The Piano has animated sequences to explain the past, everything is filmed in sepia-tone to convey the ‘dirtiness’ the character feels
e.g.2 Run Lola Run shows 3 versions of the same story and has animated sequences to explian protagonist’s viewpoint.
e.g.3 The Double Life of Veronique has a seven minute sequence of the character breathing on her reflection in a mirror and watching, fascinated as the mist evaporates and she sees her ‘self’ emerging.
· ‘Emotional’/’sensual’ visual style – attempts are made to convey emotion through colour, lighting, music, close-ups. A different ‘view’ of reality is given.
e.g. Morvern Callar’s use of music that the character plays on her Walkman; Jane Campion’s Portrait of a Lady shows the character ‘escaping’ male dominated world in sensual indulgence (running her face along a curtain’s tassles – concentration on an ‘alternative’ sensual pleasure).
Where did masculinity and femininity come from? (see Camille Paglia’s Sexual Personae for more detailed ideas)
Because these a cultural terms, the answer is: from anything humans have produced. Early religions based the gender of their gods (it is thought) on their own sexuality.
So:
· because men have the penis - genitals that are obvious, visible, exposed, and pointing forward - the Sun God was male (the sun gives light, in light we can see – other areas like science and maths are deemed as masculine because they seek to interpret and expose ‘the truth’.
· because women have vaginas – genitals that are hidden, out of sight, and internal – the Moon God was female (moon is round like the womb, night is dark so things are hidden, secretive, mysterious – imaginative/creative disciplines have been traditionally ‘feminine’ because they are on ‘the inside’, as are emotions. Plus, the effect of the moon on tides associates femininity with ‘fluidity’, smooth changeability)
From this ancient basis, our cultures have developed complex associations with masculinity and femininity. You can see this in art and literature: male writing tends to be narrative driven, linear (because this is how men experience sex: start, middle, end/climax) and full of visual description. Female writing tends to be character or stylistically driven, non-linear (because the female sexual experience can involve no climaxes or multiple spontaneous orgasms), with an emphasis on other senses, and especially on emotions.
How, then, can women’s cinema reflect feminine perspectives when cinema is based on seeing?
Traits of ‘feminine cinema’
· the male gaze, and the way it defines/objectifies women is acknowledged and criticised
e.g. Sally Potter’s Thriller – two characters (Mimi 1 and Mimi 2) interact. Mimi 1 is a character in traditional opera and we see her ‘conventionally’; Mimi 2 is the actress playing her and we see what her real life is like, in contrast to the ‘male’ view.
· The male gaze is returned – the woman on screen seems aware that she is being viewed (compromising the voyeuristic thrill) and deliberately ‘stares’ back, forcing viewer to take responsibility for the Gaze
e.g. Catherine Tremmel in Basic Instinct during the infamous interrogation scene.
· Narrative structure is non-linear and elliptical – there a gaps, hidden areas in the story that reflect femininity as ‘secret’ and ‘mysterious’. Time may appear to speed up or slow down (feminine time is seen as fluid and subjective, not rigidly measured in hours/days)
e.g.1: Jane Campion’s The Piano – the narrator and protagonist is mute throughout the film. Not only does her silence mock the dominating male characters, but the reasons for this silence are never explained.
e.g.2: Judy Dart’s Daughters of the Dust – events in an ordinary day on a Caribbean island are linked to historical events that the narrative ‘flashes back’ to. Can be very confusing, as this isn’t made obvious – the narrative flows easily from one timeframe to another.
· The camera’s view is self-consciously subjective and emotional – expressionistic film style is used: coloured tints, unusual angles/movement, fantastical/animated sequences, a focus on ‘magical’ happenings or on ‘trivial’ events suddenly made significant.
e.g.1 The Piano has animated sequences to explain the past, everything is filmed in sepia-tone to convey the ‘dirtiness’ the character feels
e.g.2 Run Lola Run shows 3 versions of the same story and has animated sequences to explian protagonist’s viewpoint.
e.g.3 The Double Life of Veronique has a seven minute sequence of the character breathing on her reflection in a mirror and watching, fascinated as the mist evaporates and she sees her ‘self’ emerging.
· ‘Emotional’/’sensual’ visual style – attempts are made to convey emotion through colour, lighting, music, close-ups. A different ‘view’ of reality is given.
e.g. Morvern Callar’s use of music that the character plays on her Walkman; Jane Campion’s Portrait of a Lady shows the character ‘escaping’ male dominated world in sensual indulgence (running her face along a curtain’s tassles – concentration on an ‘alternative’ sensual pleasure).
Feminism and the women's movement...
Here are some more websites to use for background and history of female cinema:
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/Depts/History/Sixties/Feminism/film.htm
http://www.let.uu.nl/womens_studies/anneke/filmtheory.html
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/publications/film/feminist_auteurs.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminist_film_theory
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/Depts/History/Sixties/Feminism/film.htm
http://www.let.uu.nl/womens_studies/anneke/filmtheory.html
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/publications/film/feminist_auteurs.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminist_film_theory
Sunday, 16 March 2008
Female Protagonists
This a short article concerning female representation in British cinema taken from: http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/824016/index.html
"It is widely felt that female characters in film have been restricted to the easy categories that classical narratives and familiar genres demand of them (the typical complaint is that women in films are either 'virgins, mothers or whores'). There is certainly some truth in this view. However, across the history of British cinema we can see the development of an impressive variety of female characters and protagonists. One might even argue that by comparison with Hollywood, British cinema, with its perennial concern for realism, its desire to speak about ordinary lives and social concerns and its comparative lack of emphasis upon superficial beauty and glamour, has permitted a greater breadth of female representation. Thus today's British cinema finds a place for actors as varied as Helena Bonham-Carter, Kathy Burke, Judi Dench, Jane Horrocks, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Samantha Morton, Kristen Scott-Thomas, Maggie Smith, Alison Steadman, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
It's undeniable that, despite this variety, women on film have been more often restricted to familial or domestic roles than have men. While a number of famous female protagonists have been presented as strong models of motherhood (as in Poor Cow (d. Ken Loach, 1967) and A Taste of Honey (d. Tony Richardson, 1961)), we have rarely seen women whose priority is to pursue and develop their ambitions, talents or vocations (see, for example, The Red Shoes (d. Michael Powell/Emeric Pressburger, 1948), Educating Rita (d. Lewis Gilbert, 1983), and Little Voice (UK/US, d. Mark Herman, 1998)). Female characters who are uninterested in motherhood and domesticity are frequently depicted as lacking something or paying a price for their success. Those who do pursue larger ambitions are often portrayed as being in some sense naïve, manipulated by other (male) characters in the pursuit of their dreams.
As British cinema has developed, the number of female protagonists has increased, and female characters play a larger part in propelling the narrative forward. For example, where the British New Wave films of the 1960s largely confined their female characters to motherhood and domesticity, leaving the male protagonists to speak out about larger social concerns, many contemporary social realist films allow female characters greater power over their own destinies.
The representation of women in film depends as much on issues of production, institutions and genres as on social, political and historical contexts. Gainsborough melodramas, Carry On films, Hammer horrors, heritage films and recent 'Brit-grit' realist films all necessarily place limitations upon the kinds of roles open to female (and male) actors.
Yet even within the most conventional of studios and genres, and within the most unpromising films, it's possible to find women who offer alternative and positive representations: for example the powerful female characters played by Helena Bonham-Carter and Emma Thompson in 1980s and '90s heritage films, or the charismatic, if troubled, characters played by Julie Christie in earlier films like Darling (d. John Schlesinger, 1965).
The situation for non-white women is slightly less rosy, in that fewer representations exist, but we still have the varied and careful characterisations found in Burning an Illusion (d. Menelik Shabazz, 1981), Bhaji on the Beach (d. Gurinder Chadha, 1993), East is East (d. Damien O'Donnell, 1999) and Secrets and Lies (d. Mike Leigh, 1996)."
"It is widely felt that female characters in film have been restricted to the easy categories that classical narratives and familiar genres demand of them (the typical complaint is that women in films are either 'virgins, mothers or whores'). There is certainly some truth in this view. However, across the history of British cinema we can see the development of an impressive variety of female characters and protagonists. One might even argue that by comparison with Hollywood, British cinema, with its perennial concern for realism, its desire to speak about ordinary lives and social concerns and its comparative lack of emphasis upon superficial beauty and glamour, has permitted a greater breadth of female representation. Thus today's British cinema finds a place for actors as varied as Helena Bonham-Carter, Kathy Burke, Judi Dench, Jane Horrocks, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Samantha Morton, Kristen Scott-Thomas, Maggie Smith, Alison Steadman, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
It's undeniable that, despite this variety, women on film have been more often restricted to familial or domestic roles than have men. While a number of famous female protagonists have been presented as strong models of motherhood (as in Poor Cow (d. Ken Loach, 1967) and A Taste of Honey (d. Tony Richardson, 1961)), we have rarely seen women whose priority is to pursue and develop their ambitions, talents or vocations (see, for example, The Red Shoes (d. Michael Powell/Emeric Pressburger, 1948), Educating Rita (d. Lewis Gilbert, 1983), and Little Voice (UK/US, d. Mark Herman, 1998)). Female characters who are uninterested in motherhood and domesticity are frequently depicted as lacking something or paying a price for their success. Those who do pursue larger ambitions are often portrayed as being in some sense naïve, manipulated by other (male) characters in the pursuit of their dreams.
As British cinema has developed, the number of female protagonists has increased, and female characters play a larger part in propelling the narrative forward. For example, where the British New Wave films of the 1960s largely confined their female characters to motherhood and domesticity, leaving the male protagonists to speak out about larger social concerns, many contemporary social realist films allow female characters greater power over their own destinies.
The representation of women in film depends as much on issues of production, institutions and genres as on social, political and historical contexts. Gainsborough melodramas, Carry On films, Hammer horrors, heritage films and recent 'Brit-grit' realist films all necessarily place limitations upon the kinds of roles open to female (and male) actors.
Yet even within the most conventional of studios and genres, and within the most unpromising films, it's possible to find women who offer alternative and positive representations: for example the powerful female characters played by Helena Bonham-Carter and Emma Thompson in 1980s and '90s heritage films, or the charismatic, if troubled, characters played by Julie Christie in earlier films like Darling (d. John Schlesinger, 1965).
The situation for non-white women is slightly less rosy, in that fewer representations exist, but we still have the varied and careful characterisations found in Burning an Illusion (d. Menelik Shabazz, 1981), Bhaji on the Beach (d. Gurinder Chadha, 1993), East is East (d. Damien O'Donnell, 1999) and Secrets and Lies (d. Mike Leigh, 1996)."
Friday, 14 March 2008
Baise-moi is available in the AV room, if you want to see it. There are plenty of books on this area. Ask me for stuff from The Cinema Book and try E Ann Kaplan's Women and Film book - a bit old now, and a bit advanced (university level) but worth reading for what you can get from it, and only £1.49 on Amazon! Given your spend on paint for your advance production this is clearly within your budget...
I'll give you the Matt Hall piece next week.
Sean
Is there such a thing as a 'female' cinema?
After reading the research supplied and looking up certain names given I have begun the long road to success. I've decided to lean more towards the idea of a 'female' cinema as it's much more interesting than picking apart a specific genre and representation.
For example:
As it's been said, plenty of women enjoy the male dominated industry and the products made in it, so why do we need a female representation in cinema? Is there such a thing as a female gaze and identity? To do this, one would have to research what women want from a film. Are they offended by stereotypes or women who are objectified? Is the entire audience pressured into adopting a male perspective of what they are watching? What is meant by a 'masculine' and 'feminine' cinema?
There are certainly opposing styles of films that are made by different sexes but what of those that are similar? A group of French feminists who wanted to portray independence and empowerment went a very masculine way about it by making a film called "Baise-moi" (Rape Me) - full of sex, rape and murder all by women done to men (I haven't seen it but we're learning about contraversial cinema and the BBFC hated this one). Perhaps this would be common in a male orientated thriller or horror but the subject matter and characters are very alternative for the conventional female representations (yes, that is sexist). And what happens women do work behind the camera? They do not all make the same films but they do hold certain ideologies and when we see a female producer, writer and director we do expect a certain style of storytelling.
Film text ideas; Lost In Translation (Francis Ford Coppola: the modern representation ), The Piano (Jane Campion: traditional female ideology), Brokeback Mountain (Ang lee: the male love story) and ??? I'm now going to look at: www.aber.ac.uk/media/sections/film01.html, Matt Hall's Towards a Female Cinema and E. Ann Kaplan's Women and Film - Both sides of the camera.
P.S. If you have time Sean, ask the Mrs (Jill) what she thinks about all this. She's a feminist and could be of paramount importance, so I hope she watches plenty of films (not just Hamlet). Also, any book ideas? I'd like more time to choose my film texts after this re-think, please.
For example:
As it's been said, plenty of women enjoy the male dominated industry and the products made in it, so why do we need a female representation in cinema? Is there such a thing as a female gaze and identity? To do this, one would have to research what women want from a film. Are they offended by stereotypes or women who are objectified? Is the entire audience pressured into adopting a male perspective of what they are watching? What is meant by a 'masculine' and 'feminine' cinema?
There are certainly opposing styles of films that are made by different sexes but what of those that are similar? A group of French feminists who wanted to portray independence and empowerment went a very masculine way about it by making a film called "Baise-moi" (Rape Me) - full of sex, rape and murder all by women done to men (I haven't seen it but we're learning about contraversial cinema and the BBFC hated this one). Perhaps this would be common in a male orientated thriller or horror but the subject matter and characters are very alternative for the conventional female representations (yes, that is sexist). And what happens women do work behind the camera? They do not all make the same films but they do hold certain ideologies and when we see a female producer, writer and director we do expect a certain style of storytelling.
Film text ideas; Lost In Translation (Francis Ford Coppola: the modern representation ), The Piano (Jane Campion: traditional female ideology), Brokeback Mountain (Ang lee: the male love story) and ??? I'm now going to look at: www.aber.ac.uk/media/sections/film01.html, Matt Hall's Towards a Female Cinema and E. Ann Kaplan's Women and Film - Both sides of the camera.
P.S. If you have time Sean, ask the Mrs (Jill) what she thinks about all this. She's a feminist and could be of paramount importance, so I hope she watches plenty of films (not just Hamlet). Also, any book ideas? I'd like more time to choose my film texts after this re-think, please.
Thursday, 13 March 2008
Your first ideas
Women and Film
A “female” cinema
Your proposal is much too wide and we need to narrow it to a specific area. I would suggest you pick a single GENRE and look at the range of reps of women available within that genre. OR you explore the idea of whether or not there is such a thing as a “female” cinema by looking at some specific films which have been considered to be “female” viewpoints on the world – perhaps “The Piano” (Jane Campion) compared with, say, “Lost in Translation”. The trouble with such a study is that you are in danger of arguing that “women make different films from men”, which is always a position which you can counter argue just by looking at other directors (eg Kathryn Bigelow). However, the notion that some films attempt to refuse “the male gaze” is one which can work fairly well).
What I suggest you read will depend on whether you choose to look at a genre or at this issue. I attach an essay about the issue for you, but I need to discuss this more carefully with you.
A “female” cinema
Your proposal is much too wide and we need to narrow it to a specific area. I would suggest you pick a single GENRE and look at the range of reps of women available within that genre. OR you explore the idea of whether or not there is such a thing as a “female” cinema by looking at some specific films which have been considered to be “female” viewpoints on the world – perhaps “The Piano” (Jane Campion) compared with, say, “Lost in Translation”. The trouble with such a study is that you are in danger of arguing that “women make different films from men”, which is always a position which you can counter argue just by looking at other directors (eg Kathryn Bigelow). However, the notion that some films attempt to refuse “the male gaze” is one which can work fairly well).
What I suggest you read will depend on whether you choose to look at a genre or at this issue. I attach an essay about the issue for you, but I need to discuss this more carefully with you.
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