Women in film
Women in Film
The number of men and women in the world is roughly equal having men take up 50.4% of the population and women 49.6%. However the film world does not mirror the real world as 29% of major roles are females. This is a significant under-representation, and even when women are in film they are typically objectified and stereotyped. For example in the popular film Skyfall Berenice Marlohe's character received a staring role in which she is only used for sex, as her character informs Bond of her past as a sex slave and tells him that she is a victim of sexual assault. He the process to take a shower with her in the next film.
Women are often portrayed in a passive role and can be in film just to be visual pleasure for male audiences.Film has become a mirror of society’s view of the female body. Women are more likely to be shown in "sexual" attire (25.8% of female compared to 4.7% of men). The representation of women tends to be stereotypical rather then realistic and not reflect the range of roles women actually play in society.
The majority of films are directed by white males and therefore are typically from the perspective of white males. Only 13% of directors are female, showing a massive gap in the film industry.74% of all female characters were White, 11% were Black, 4% were Latina, 4% were Asian, 3% were other worldly, and 4% were other. Here not only is gender a massive problem within film but also ethnicity as both groups seem to highly under-represented. For example the majority of Disney Princesses are thin and white, not portraying a variety of realistic role models for small children, and even some children may feel question their worth due to their race.
However, it can be argued that the role of women in film is improving by having strong, impowered and positive female role models such as Katniss from the film The Hunger Games and Rey from Star Wars; The force awakens. These films enforce the idea that women do not need a man by their sides and can be powerful without needing to be sexual,
A Gender analysis theory from Allison Bechdel to access gender inequality in films. To pass the test, films must have at least two women who talk to each other, and the women must talk about something other than a man. The requirement that the two women must be named characters, rather than generic stock character such as the "girlfriend." Very famous and well established films such as Avatar, The original Star Wars Trilogy and the entire Lord Of The Rings Trilogy. Women are often portrayed in a passive role and can be in film just to be visual pleasure for male audiences.Film has become a mirror of society’s view of the female body. Women are more likely to be shown in "sexual" attire (25.8% of female compared to 4.7% of men). The representation of women tends to be stereotypical rather then realistic and not reflect the range of roles women actually play in society.
The majority of films are directed by white males and therefore are typically from the perspective of white males. Only 13% of directors are female, showing a massive gap in the film industry.74% of all female characters were White, 11% were Black, 4% were Latina, 4% were Asian, 3% were other worldly, and 4% were other. Here not only is gender a massive problem within film but also ethnicity as both groups seem to highly under-represented. For example the majority of Disney Princesses are thin and white, not portraying a variety of realistic role models for small children, and even some children may feel question their worth due to their race.
However, it can be argued that the role of women in film is improving by having strong, impowered and positive female role models such as Katniss from the film The Hunger Games and Rey from Star Wars; The force awakens. These films enforce the idea that women do not need a man by their sides and can be powerful without needing to be sexual,
The Male Gaze- Mulvey
The male gaze refers to the way in which women in film and other arts depict the world and women from a masculine point of view, presenting women as objects of male pleasure.
The male gaze occurs when the camera puts the audience
in the perspective of a heterosexual man.
The male gaze occurs when the camera puts the audience
in the perspective of a heterosexual man.
Media texts are mainly maid by men, produced by men and made
for men. This leads to the camera being viewed from a masculine point of
view. A camera will linger on a women’s
body to provide visual pleasure for a male audience or even the male characters
within the film, sometimes it is sort of men in the film and men in the audience
sharing a joke when women undress. It can be said there is a primitive desire
to look at naked human body which relates to scopophilia. Media produces know
that sex sells and will objectify women to gather a large audience.
An example of this is Scarlett Johansson's character Black Widow in the 2012 film Avengers. which Johansson's character is the only female within the group and unnecessarily wears a skin tight leather suit. The Bechdel Test
Women in Post-Apocalyptic films
The Book Of Eli contains two notable female characters, Solara and her mother Claudia. In the film both women are never objectified through their apparel as they have to cover up to protect themselves from the harsh environment. However, Carnegie routinely uses physical violence against Claudia to control Solara, including ordering her to seduce Eli to gain his cooperation despite Claudia's pleas for mercy. Solara also seems to live with constant low-level harassment from Carnegie's chief henchman. Later in the movie, Carnegie uses her as a bargaining chip to secure the cooperation of said henchman. This shows that the world in which The Book Of Eli is set women are used a objects for sex and bargaining but are also weak and vulnerable, although both Solara and her mother are presented as being very strong mentally, surviving and enduring Carnegie's assault.
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