I don't understand why we didn't get any unemployment money... We've never even been employed. Doesn't that mean we should get more unemployment? "Tanzie Marchetta. [1] How has the stereotypical view of women been reinforced throughout the film "Material Girls"?There are many ways in which the film, Material Girls (2006) is able to conform and emphasise to the main stereotypes which are given towards young blonde females in society. This therefore has a way in which it is emphasising to the fact that women are being underrepresented and shown in ways to conform and to meet the needs of the "male gaze".[2] This shows to the audience what their main roles are in the film for women and what is expected from the stereotypical blonde female characters to do throughout the film. Tuchman [3] asserts that women were shown to be working were portrayed as "incompetentents and inferiors"[4] this therefore may justify the reasons to why women are represented in a certain way in films. Women therefore from the statement made basically were shown to have no place or have any roles or main responsibilities within the film.The media tend to exploit the faults in which particularly blondes make highlighting them to be degrading to all blondes. Having blonde women constantly in the media such as Paris Hilton can only justify the label in which blonde women are given which makes it evident that they would be the perfect roles to have in comedy films such as the chick flick Material Girls (2006).Films which include the same type of conventions of the Material Girls (2006) film genre are Mean Girls (2004) and Legally Blonde (2001). These films are able to show the audience the familiar roles in which particularly blonde girl have within films of this genre. Their roles are often comical and heavily stereotypical. Compared to the 1940s film "Double Indemnity" (1944) the female role differs to the one in which is shown in material girls. Even though the character is blonde she is very powerful in terms of the way in which she is able to manipulate the male character with her good looks.The main focus of this essay would be to analyse the ways in which stereotypes have been reinforced and presented throughout the film and relevant texts, also looking at different ways in which the representation of women in film have changed over time and how the way they are represented can influence the ways in which the audience consume the text.
The ways in which film texts are produced by the directors can show certain ideologies to the audience watching about the film. It could be made evident through the use of characters used and the plot of the film about the message in which the director is putting across to the main target audience. However an important factor which needs to be addressed is that there is a lack of female directors producing films compared to the large number of male directors which are. There could be many reasons to why there are a limited amount of well known female directors producing films and there are many factors which may influence a female directors decision to want to go continue into directing.
Some of the issues which influence female directors decision into not to wanting to pursue their career and submit their ideas is due to the fact that is that some want to concentrate on looking after their children. Directing can be time consuming therefore it would mean that there would be no time for them to take a break and spend time with the family. The film Material Girls (2006) is directed by a female director called Martha Coolidge. The fact that it was a female director who produced the film shows that the ideologies of the film must be accurate due to the fact that the film is being directed from a female point of view. Therefore I would be her decision to the ways in which she wants the characters to appear to the audience.
The film Material Girls (2006) follows the typical conventions expected of a typical chick flick genre film therefore it meets the possible expectations in which the audience already have of the film. The Material Girls (2006) film presents to the audience with a view of the lives of the two main female characters Tanzie and Ava Marchetta who at the start of the film are shown to only shown to be the typical teenage girls, who only enjoy going to parties and looking good, hence the reason why the film is called material girls. This can link to Walters study in which he had found out that “women enjoy fashion and beauty” [5]. This can therefore then makes it evident from the ways that the women represented in Material Girls (2006) are because they in fact both enjoy those two things in life and that they are expected by society to act the way in which they do.
An issue in which the film is able to deal with is that it portrays the lives of two young female characters that enjoy their easy lifestyle, without fully realising the responsibility in which they have. The story is outlined through the tag line of the film being “It's A Short Trip From The Penthouse To The Poorhouse”[6] This is able to emphasise the main plot of the film. It implies and gives an indication to the audience that these two girls who enjoy the material things in life and all of the luxuries, comes a point in which they would be no longer able to enjoy it as their lives change dramatically. The film is able to show the close relationship that the two sisters have with each other and express the importance of the familial ideology.
Other films in which they conform to the typical chick flick genre conventions are Legally Blonde (2001) Mean Girls (2006) and the sitcom The Simple Life (2003) which most importantly stars two blonde bombshells Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. These two films and the television series links to the film Material Girls (2006) due to the fact that they all show females to be presented in a similar way following the same characteristics and show a heavy amount of stereotyping with the films and sitcom. In legally Blonde(2001) the main character of the film is played by Reese Witherspoon. The character in which she plays “Elle” as the plot is mainly centred around her, and throughout the film her character is stereotypically made to look as the stupid blonde by wanting to study law in order to win the affections of her boyfriend. However the audience would find this funny due to the fact that the film is aiming to use this in a way to encourage people to want to go out and watch the film. “Going to Harvard is the only way I'm going to get the love of my life back” [7 ] This quote taken from the film can suggest the attitude of the blonde character as she only wants to be successful in order to win back the love of her life.
In Mean Girls (2006) the film portrays the actions of a group of young females highlighting how competitive and bitchy they can become. It is typical of a film like this to have girls falling out over a male character and failing to show female unity.
The Simple Life (2001) is able to give the audience a real life view of two well known celebrities who in fact are both rich celebrity blondes trying to fit into the world which they seem to no nothing about.
An important fact which outlines and makes evident of the changes in history for women appearing on screen is that during the 1950s 1960s and 1970s only 20 to 30 per cent of characters in television were female.[8] However by the mid 1980s more women were placed in leading roles but men had continued to dominate and fulfil the main roles.
The roles in which women have had throughout film have changed dramatically throughout history. Films would often show women fulfilling the typical roles, which were expected by women at the time to have. These roles would include the typical housewife, looking after the children and meeting the needs of her husband.
In film, during the 1950s, the male characters were shown to be the heroes and most importantly having most of the central roles in the films. Therefore this evidently means that women who are watching the film are forced to cross gender identify with the men. The male characters were presented powerful and assertive, as making more, and almost to the most influential decisions which would affect themselves and the women. Women on the other hand, were presented as being frightened and in need of constant protection from the male characters. Women were represented as being more passive, weak and “merely token females”[9]. Gaunter implied that women in film were just there in order to show, and create a sense of equality in the film. The women may not have had a specific role in the film however showing one or two female characters would make the audience believe that they in fact have an important role in the film. In the 1960s there was still no change in the way in which women were presented in film. Men continued to dominate the main screen and were portrayed as being intelligent and assertive. Representations of women were still the same during the 1970s, however a study from McNeil (1975) found out that housewife’s continued to be the main female role on television.[10]. Women therefore main concern was with romance or family. The 1980s saw a change in the way women were in television drama as Gillian Dyer found out that “the number of women in central roles in police and crime drama had increased”[11] This would have seen to be a huge change in the way in which women were shown particular in television due to the fact that it allowed the audience to see a different representation of women. The roles in which women would have been shown to have in these dramas would be strong and independent women. "The 1980s and early 1990s saw the emergence of a few female action heroes defined by a quality of masculinity"[12] During this time period women in film began to be presented in a more positive and independent way. This can fully be shown in the film Tomb Raider (2001) which stared Angelina Jolie, a female actress staring as the main role in the film. Changes at this point in time began to show these female characters in films like this one being in more dominate roles and not in the shows of their male counterparts.
“Stereotypes are labels that categorize people largely in negative terms, and that can be applied to whole social or cultural groups”[13]. In this case the main focus of the cultural in which are being stereotyped in the films are blondes. Stereotyping within films places much importance in the way in which the film can structure the way the characters are presented to the audience. The ways in which certain groups in society are represented can be made evident throughout films offering the audience a more comical view of the particular group or groups which are being represented however the audience may agree that the way that they are being represented is an accurate one. The main group in which is being presented in the film are blondes. The blonde characters would often portray a sense of “dumbing down”. This is shown throughout film texts as it is able to create humour for the audience and makes it easier for them to be able to understand and to consume the text which is given. An example from the text is “I don't understand why we didn't get any unemployment money... We've never even been employed. Doesn't that mean we should get more unemployment?.As used at the start of the essay, this quote from the film Material Girls (2006) from one of the main protagonists in the film Tanzie Marchetta is able to fully justify the ways in which the language of the characters is used to be able to create humour, therefore meeting the audience expectations of the typical blonde female.
The fact that films like chick flicks and reality television sitcoms such as The Simple Life (2003) showing a real life account of rich, young and good looking blondes, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie are now able to show this links to Scheibes (1979) view of women that there main concern in life was “beauty, cleanness, family and pleasing others”[14]. This is made evident through the fact that they both are already concerned with two of those factors also suggesting that they are essential for them to have. Without them they result into having to live and have a fairly average and simple life.
The stereotypes in which are given to a particular group or persons within society can therefore lead to it having a negative effect to those that may be associated with that particular group in society. Once given a negative label by those in society it can therefore lead to a self fulfilling prophecy. This is when a social group beings to act upon the label in which they have been given by society. In this case the main focus would be with blonde women. Stan Cohen had argued in the case that “the media labelled youth culture in a stereotyped and negative way”[15] This can then lead to a moral panic occurring within society. A moral panic can take effect once “a person or group of persons become defined as a threat to societal values and interests[16 ] People can them make assumptions about that particular group in society and begin to believe whatever they hear about that group mainly published through the media is the truth.
Women in film could have been categorised into either one of the two groups in a film based on the character that they had adopted within the film. These categories would position female characters to either adopt the role as The Madonna or The Whore. The Madonna is almost made to be presented as the good women who are always shown to be pure and maternal whereas compared to the whore, her characteristics would be sinful and almost everything she would do would be sexual.
The whore however compared to the bimbo, would use her sexual prowess to often manipulate the male characters to almost doing anything that they want them to do. The bimbos main characteristics would be flashy make up, have large breasts and would wear high heels. Her characteristics would suggest that she should be wearing high heels. These images can then be made throughout films due to the fact that the film directors are just giving the audience what they want from the film. This is a way in which they want certain audiences to want to go out and watch the film. This is made evident through the film Double Indemnity (1944). The film is an example in which shows the way the representation of women, playing a particular focus on blonde women, have changed from this time period. This film is able to exploit the ways in which the representation of blonde women have changed over time. During the 1940s therefore from this film the blonde women is shown to have fully control of the decisions in which the male character is able to make. The film presents a more dominant ideology of the blonde female as she is shown to be easily able to manipulate the male character. The whore and the bimbo however do share similar characteristics as aspects from both are shown through the main female protagonist in the film Double Indemnity (1994) played by Barbra Stanwyck. Her character in the film Phyllis Dietrichson is able to cleverly get the male character to kill someone for her. We have gone through with it, Walter. The tough part is all behind us. “We just have to hold on now and not go soft inside. Stick close together the way we started out...I loved you, Walter, and I hated him. But I wasn't going to do anything about it. Not until I met you. You planned the whole thing. I only wanted him dead”. [17] The quote from the film is able to exploit the sort of character she is as she is able to manipulate the male into help her then to find a way which suggests that it was his idea in the first place. An example of another strong an independent women on screen was buffy the vampire slayer. Buffys creator Joss Whedon stated that buffy “is a good role model for not just girls but for everybody”. [18] They way in which her character is presented compared to the way in which they are from material girls is that she is strong and is almost looked up to for protection by both the female characters and the male.
Women in film are often stereotyped in order to create humour for the audience. Different ways in which the film is able to comply with these stereotypes of different social groups within the society is because it is what the target audience wants to see. If the audience want to see dim blondes within a film then that’s what they would be given within the film to see. However it is an effective way of promoting the film as it does offer the audience a lot of humour and could appeal to a large number of people
Word Count 3,051
[1] http:imbd.com/title/tt0433412/quotes - Tanzie Marchetta dialogue
[2] male gaze, Laura Mulvey
[3] Tuchman, G
[4]The Symbolic Annihilation of Women by the Mass media (1998), Tuchman, G
[5] Walter (1998)
[6] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433412/ - Film tagline
[7] Legally Blonde (2001)
[8] Representations of Gender In the Past, David Gauntlett
[9] Gaunter (1995)
[10] McNeil (1975)
[11]Gillian Dyer
[12]Media Gender and Identity, Gauntlett, David
[13]Stereotyping
[14]Scheibe (1979)
[15] Stan Cohen (1975)
[16]Stan Cohen
[17]Double Indemnity quote from film(1944)
[18] Media Gender and Identity
Monday, 2 February 2009
Sunday, 25 January 2009
First Paragraph Rewrite
"I don't understand why we didn't get any unemployment money... We've never even been employed. Doesn't that mean we should get more unemployment? " Tanzie Marchetta [1]
How has the stereotypical view of women been reinforced throughout the film "Material Girls"?
The ways in which the film, Material Girls (2006) is able to conform to the main sterotypes which are given towards young blonde females in society, therefore emphasising the fact that women are being underrepresented and shown to conform to the "male gaze".[2] This shows to the audience what there main roles are in the film and what is expected from the stereotypical blonde female characters to do throughout the film. Tuchman[3] asserts that women were shown to be working were portrayed as "incompetentents and inferiors"[4] This therefore may justify the reasons to why women are represented in a certain way in films.
The media tend to exploit the faults in which blondes make highlighting them to be degrading to all blondes. Having blonde women constantly in the media like paris hilton can only justify the label in which blonde women are given which makes it evident that they would be the perfect roles to have in comedy films such as material girls.
Films like Mean Girls (2004) and Legally Blonde (2001) are able to show the audience the familiar roles in which blondes girl have within films of this genre. There roles are often comical and heavily sterotypical. Compared to the 1940s film "Double Indemnity" (1944) the female role differs to the one in which is shown in material girls. Even though the chracter is blonde she is very powerful in terms of the way in which she is able to manipulate the male charcter with her good looks.
The main focus of this essay would be to analyse the ways in which stereotypes have been reinforced and presented throughout the film and relevant texts.
[1] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433412/quotes
[2] male gaze
[3] Tuchman, G
[4] Gauntlett, David
How has the stereotypical view of women been reinforced throughout the film "Material Girls"?
The ways in which the film, Material Girls (2006) is able to conform to the main sterotypes which are given towards young blonde females in society, therefore emphasising the fact that women are being underrepresented and shown to conform to the "male gaze".[2] This shows to the audience what there main roles are in the film and what is expected from the stereotypical blonde female characters to do throughout the film. Tuchman[3] asserts that women were shown to be working were portrayed as "incompetentents and inferiors"[4] This therefore may justify the reasons to why women are represented in a certain way in films.
The media tend to exploit the faults in which blondes make highlighting them to be degrading to all blondes. Having blonde women constantly in the media like paris hilton can only justify the label in which blonde women are given which makes it evident that they would be the perfect roles to have in comedy films such as material girls.
Films like Mean Girls (2004) and Legally Blonde (2001) are able to show the audience the familiar roles in which blondes girl have within films of this genre. There roles are often comical and heavily sterotypical. Compared to the 1940s film "Double Indemnity" (1944) the female role differs to the one in which is shown in material girls. Even though the chracter is blonde she is very powerful in terms of the way in which she is able to manipulate the male charcter with her good looks.
The main focus of this essay would be to analyse the ways in which stereotypes have been reinforced and presented throughout the film and relevant texts.
[1] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433412/quotes
[2] male gaze
[3] Tuchman, G
[4] Gauntlett, David
Self Evaluation 2
Attainment-1
My attainment is still good as I have continued to attented all my media lessons and have completed all of my work.
Effort-2
I believe that I am putting more effort into my work. This is because I am spending more time on my work and starting my work earlier. This helps me because it ensures that I don't leave my work untill the last minute so i can spend more time and effort on to it.
Punctuality-2
Sometimes I am late for my lessons usually on a wednesday but my attendence for my lessons overall throughout the whole week is good.
Submission and quality of homework-2
I believe that my work has improved throughout the year due to the fact that I am spending more time on it ensuring that there is a quality of work being done. And most importantly I ensure that all my work gets done.
Ability to work independently-1
Throughout my independent study I have continued to work independently, therefore I believe that this has been very good.
Quality of writing-2
I believe that my writing has improved from the last time in which I wrote out my first self evaluations however there is still a need for improvement when I am writing. To do this I would have to check all my work after I have finished and correct mistakes.
Organisation of Media folder-2
The organisation of my media folder has improved from the last time I had written my first self evaluation. Before I failed to have a folder that was up to standard and my work was not organised in the correct order. However now I have put together a separte media folder with just media work in it. This allows me to then remain fully organised and be fully aware of all the work in which has been done in lessons. But I still need to ensure that all of my work gets put in the folder properly and remains organised.
Oral contributions in class-2
My contribution in class still remains the same as whenever we have discussions in class i do try and take part.
Standard of Module 5 blog- 1
My module 5 blog has continued to remain fully organised. I have made sure that all work has been completed on time and posted onto my blog. However I have to ensure that after I have completed my work to ensure I check my spelling.
Standard of Module 6 blog-3
I believe the standard of the module 6 blog compared to my module 5 blog differs a lot in the ways in which my work is presented and the way in which it gets complete. I still need to ensure that I complete some of the work which was set and post it onto my med 6 blog
www
My work is always completed on time
work is done to the best of my ability
EBI
Always try and check work after I have finished
Do some more wider reading
Do more work on med 6 blog
My attainment is still good as I have continued to attented all my media lessons and have completed all of my work.
Effort-2
I believe that I am putting more effort into my work. This is because I am spending more time on my work and starting my work earlier. This helps me because it ensures that I don't leave my work untill the last minute so i can spend more time and effort on to it.
Punctuality-2
Sometimes I am late for my lessons usually on a wednesday but my attendence for my lessons overall throughout the whole week is good.
Submission and quality of homework-2
I believe that my work has improved throughout the year due to the fact that I am spending more time on it ensuring that there is a quality of work being done. And most importantly I ensure that all my work gets done.
Ability to work independently-1
Throughout my independent study I have continued to work independently, therefore I believe that this has been very good.
Quality of writing-2
I believe that my writing has improved from the last time in which I wrote out my first self evaluations however there is still a need for improvement when I am writing. To do this I would have to check all my work after I have finished and correct mistakes.
Organisation of Media folder-2
The organisation of my media folder has improved from the last time I had written my first self evaluation. Before I failed to have a folder that was up to standard and my work was not organised in the correct order. However now I have put together a separte media folder with just media work in it. This allows me to then remain fully organised and be fully aware of all the work in which has been done in lessons. But I still need to ensure that all of my work gets put in the folder properly and remains organised.
Oral contributions in class-2
My contribution in class still remains the same as whenever we have discussions in class i do try and take part.
Standard of Module 5 blog- 1
My module 5 blog has continued to remain fully organised. I have made sure that all work has been completed on time and posted onto my blog. However I have to ensure that after I have completed my work to ensure I check my spelling.
Standard of Module 6 blog-3
I believe the standard of the module 6 blog compared to my module 5 blog differs a lot in the ways in which my work is presented and the way in which it gets complete. I still need to ensure that I complete some of the work which was set and post it onto my med 6 blog
www
My work is always completed on time
work is done to the best of my ability
EBI
Always try and check work after I have finished
Do some more wider reading
Do more work on med 6 blog
Thursday, 1 January 2009
Essayy Plan...
How has the stereotypical view of women been reinforced throughout the film "Material Girls"?
The main focus of my essay is on the way in which female characters are sterotyped throughout films to create humour for the audience and to conform to the sterotypical representations of society, with the main focus of this essay being on my chosen film "Material Girls". It could be argued that the reasons for this being evident in films due to the fact that this is what the audience believe to be an accurate representation therefore the films interpretation of the females would have to be accurate which would encourage people to want to go out and watch the film.
The films main focus is on the lives of two sisters Ava and Tanzie, young females who enjoy life, explained in the title of the film that they are material girls, like many enjoy looking good and going shopping. The girls are presented as always being in the public eye and are alomst glamourised in order to show them as material girls.
Other texts which I would be able to relate to, in order to prove that in films which conform to the typical chick flick genre conventions are, Legally Blonde, Mean Girls and the sitcom The Simple Life which importantly stars Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. These two films and the television series would allow me to make similiar links to my film material girls due to the fact that they all show females to be presented in a similar way. In legally Blonde the main charcter is played by Reese Witherspoon. The character she plays in the film is sterotypically made to look stupid by wanting to study law in order to win the effections of her boyfriend. In mean girls the film portrays the actions of a group of young females highlighting how competeitve and bitchy they can become. Typical of a film like this to have girls falling out over a male character and failing to show female unity. The simple life is able to give the audience a real life view of two celebrities, both blonde trying to fit into the world which they seem to no nothing about.
Using the information above would help me writing up my essay as it invloves the main foucs of my question which would be to find out how in both my own film and the other texts which i am going to make references to, how sterotypes of the female characters espically chracters who are blonde are being reinforced to the audience watching.
Introduction:
Write about the ways in which women are sterotyped within some films and begin to talk about how I may begin to answer my question. Compare the other films and discuss how they are relevant to my essay and how they would help me answer my question.
Para 1- Women throughout history in film
Begin to discuss in the essay the ways in which the roles of women have changed throughout history. Include theorists.
Para 2- Stereotyping
The representation of blonde females in material girls and compare to the historical film double indemnity.
If the films are able to reinforce the negative sterotypes in which young blondes are given, or able to challenge them.
Link to the films to the sitcom the simple life which stars paris hilton and nicole richie. A real account of what blonde women are like in real life instead of film and begin to argue if this is the reason to why blondes are represented like this in film.
This would be an important part of my essay as it is the main topic in my question. It would allow me to show the changes of womens roles in film and the way in which they have been sterotyped.
Para 3- The whore vs the bimbo
Compare the representations of the female charcters in both double indemnity and material girls and discuss how they have changed over time. The whore in double indemnity and the bimbo image created in material girls.
Link to laura mulveys male gaze theory
Para 4- Womens roles in film
In this paragraph I will write about the ways in which womens roles in films have changed over time. Disscus the femme fatale (the bad women) the whore and women as the token characters in films.
Look at films which show women in leading roles and have more power. Shown in such films like tomb raider.
Link to mc neil (1975) typical role of a women in film would be a housewife.
Contrast with gaunters thoery as not all women in film are shown to be weak.
Conclusion:
Summarise the whole essay and to explain how my essay question has been answered
Discuss the different ways in which women are sterotyped within the film and conclude to whether or not the sterotypes have been reinforced in the films or not.
Give my own opinons to whether or not things have changed within films.
Compare
The Chick Flick Genre
This type of genre often shows young females in comical roles. The females would often clash during the film many beacause of another male charcter.
Blonde Women
Blonde women are often represented in film having the most comical roles in film and are often heavily stereotyped throughout them
The media students book Third edition- Gill Branston And Roy Stafford
Impossible bodies, femininity and masculinity at the movies- Chris Holmlund
The main focus of my essay is on the way in which female characters are sterotyped throughout films to create humour for the audience and to conform to the sterotypical representations of society, with the main focus of this essay being on my chosen film "Material Girls". It could be argued that the reasons for this being evident in films due to the fact that this is what the audience believe to be an accurate representation therefore the films interpretation of the females would have to be accurate which would encourage people to want to go out and watch the film.
The films main focus is on the lives of two sisters Ava and Tanzie, young females who enjoy life, explained in the title of the film that they are material girls, like many enjoy looking good and going shopping. The girls are presented as always being in the public eye and are alomst glamourised in order to show them as material girls.
Other texts which I would be able to relate to, in order to prove that in films which conform to the typical chick flick genre conventions are, Legally Blonde, Mean Girls and the sitcom The Simple Life which importantly stars Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. These two films and the television series would allow me to make similiar links to my film material girls due to the fact that they all show females to be presented in a similar way. In legally Blonde the main charcter is played by Reese Witherspoon. The character she plays in the film is sterotypically made to look stupid by wanting to study law in order to win the effections of her boyfriend. In mean girls the film portrays the actions of a group of young females highlighting how competeitve and bitchy they can become. Typical of a film like this to have girls falling out over a male character and failing to show female unity. The simple life is able to give the audience a real life view of two celebrities, both blonde trying to fit into the world which they seem to no nothing about.
Using the information above would help me writing up my essay as it invloves the main foucs of my question which would be to find out how in both my own film and the other texts which i am going to make references to, how sterotypes of the female characters espically chracters who are blonde are being reinforced to the audience watching.
Introduction:
Write about the ways in which women are sterotyped within some films and begin to talk about how I may begin to answer my question. Compare the other films and discuss how they are relevant to my essay and how they would help me answer my question.
Para 1- Women throughout history in film
Begin to discuss in the essay the ways in which the roles of women have changed throughout history. Include theorists.
Para 2- Stereotyping
The representation of blonde females in material girls and compare to the historical film double indemnity.
If the films are able to reinforce the negative sterotypes in which young blondes are given, or able to challenge them.
Link to the films to the sitcom the simple life which stars paris hilton and nicole richie. A real account of what blonde women are like in real life instead of film and begin to argue if this is the reason to why blondes are represented like this in film.
This would be an important part of my essay as it is the main topic in my question. It would allow me to show the changes of womens roles in film and the way in which they have been sterotyped.
Para 3- The whore vs the bimbo
Compare the representations of the female charcters in both double indemnity and material girls and discuss how they have changed over time. The whore in double indemnity and the bimbo image created in material girls.
Link to laura mulveys male gaze theory
Para 4- Womens roles in film
In this paragraph I will write about the ways in which womens roles in films have changed over time. Disscus the femme fatale (the bad women) the whore and women as the token characters in films.
Look at films which show women in leading roles and have more power. Shown in such films like tomb raider.
Link to mc neil (1975) typical role of a women in film would be a housewife.
Contrast with gaunters thoery as not all women in film are shown to be weak.
Conclusion:
Summarise the whole essay and to explain how my essay question has been answered
Discuss the different ways in which women are sterotyped within the film and conclude to whether or not the sterotypes have been reinforced in the films or not.
Give my own opinons to whether or not things have changed within films.
Compare
The Chick Flick Genre
This type of genre often shows young females in comical roles. The females would often clash during the film many beacause of another male charcter.
Blonde Women
Blonde women are often represented in film having the most comical roles in film and are often heavily stereotyped throughout them
Books which I will refer to:
Working Girls, Gender and Sexuality in Popular Cinema
The media students book Third edition- Gill Branston And Roy Stafford
Impossible bodies, femininity and masculinity at the movies- Chris Holmlund
Historical Task..
Double Indemnity (1944)
This film is able to exploit the man for being the weaker compared to the women as throughout the film the female charcter is shown to be in control and have enough power in order to manipulate the male character. The females character in the film is the "whore" as she plays the bad women, as in not caring that she is only using the male charcter in order to meet her own needs.
The plot of the film shows the main female character aiming to murder her husband and is able to manipulate the male charcter to help her. The fact that the women in the film has the most power and is able to manipulate the male character with her good looks challenges Gunters thoery that in films women were more passive and presented as the weaker charcter. It is evident from the film that the male chracter is the weaker as he is easily influced by the female.
The female charcter in this film compared to the females in the film material girls contrast as in double indemnity she is presented to the audience as not being the typical blonde, as in being stupid and dim, however one in which is clever and is able to use her sexuality in order to get what she wants. Looking at the material girls film both of the main female charcters enjoy life and are fully aware of what they want from it.
The film is able to show the audience the ways in which blonde womens roles within film have changed over time, however quite a few of the characteristics of them have not changed and still have been presented in films today. The blonde in the film is manipulative and uses her good looks in order to get the males to do what she wants which is similiar to the female charcters in the meaterial girls film.
Wednesday, 31 December 2008
First Paragraph
Title:
How has the stereotypical view of women been reinforced throughout the film "Material Girls"?
Throughout this, essay I will be dicussing the ways in which the film, "Material Girls" is able to conform to the main sterotypes which are given towards young blonde females in society, therefore emphasising the fact that women are being "underrepresented" and shown to conform to the "male gaze" showing to the audience what there main roles are in the film and what is expected from the stereotypical blonde female characters to do throughout the film. The media tend to exploit the faults in which blondes make highlighting them to be degrading to all blondes. Having blonde women constantly in the media like paris hilton can only justify the label in which blonde women are given which makes it evident that they would be the perfect roles to have in comedy films such as material girls.
Films like mean girls and legally blonde are able to show the audience the familiar roles in which blondes girl have within films of this genre. There roles are often comical and heavily sterotypical. Compared to the 1940s film "Double Indemnity" the female role differs to the one in which is shown in material girls. Even though the chracter is blonde she is very powerful in terms of the way in which she is able to manipulate the male charcter with her good looks.
How has the stereotypical view of women been reinforced throughout the film "Material Girls"?
Throughout this, essay I will be dicussing the ways in which the film, "Material Girls" is able to conform to the main sterotypes which are given towards young blonde females in society, therefore emphasising the fact that women are being "underrepresented" and shown to conform to the "male gaze" showing to the audience what there main roles are in the film and what is expected from the stereotypical blonde female characters to do throughout the film. The media tend to exploit the faults in which blondes make highlighting them to be degrading to all blondes. Having blonde women constantly in the media like paris hilton can only justify the label in which blonde women are given which makes it evident that they would be the perfect roles to have in comedy films such as material girls.
Films like mean girls and legally blonde are able to show the audience the familiar roles in which blondes girl have within films of this genre. There roles are often comical and heavily sterotypical. Compared to the 1940s film "Double Indemnity" the female role differs to the one in which is shown in material girls. Even though the chracter is blonde she is very powerful in terms of the way in which she is able to manipulate the male charcter with her good looks.
Monday, 15 December 2008
3 contemporay adverts
Diet coke advert
The difference with this advertisemnet for diet coke is that the man is being objectified by all of the women which makes a change to how women are represented as it its no longer the male gaze but the female gaze. This advert suggests now that there is a role reversal to the audience due to the fact that the men have to now identify with the women as they are given the point of view of what the females see in the advert.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4uL-YMCJlRY
GAP Advert
This advert portrays to the audience the life of what its like for a single man. Its clear from how the man is represented that the target audience for the advert is for men however this does comply with the female gaze as all the shots are of the man throughout the advert. This adevrt portrays the man in a more material role due to the fact that the advert shows the man looking after himself and shows him living on his own. Male audeince would identify with this man in the advert and may believe that this is the perfect image of what a man is supposed to be like.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=egBh9lauQDg&feature=related
Kate moss advert
This advert begins to portray how the female character is objectified. The advert links to greer theorys that all women are only interested in beauty products and looking good. This advert shows that its both for the male audience as kate moss is being objectified in order to meet the needs of the men that may be watching the advert. The adverts target audience is females however its shown through the close up shots which are used in the advert that some aspects are shown to meet the needs of men. This can also link to walters (1998) theory that women enjoy fashion and beauty and enjoy looking good which constrasts with the idea that this advert is only shown in order to target and comply with the male gaze.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jeZc6hjW22c&feature=related
The difference with this advertisemnet for diet coke is that the man is being objectified by all of the women which makes a change to how women are represented as it its no longer the male gaze but the female gaze. This advert suggests now that there is a role reversal to the audience due to the fact that the men have to now identify with the women as they are given the point of view of what the females see in the advert.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4uL-YMCJlRY
GAP Advert
This advert portrays to the audience the life of what its like for a single man. Its clear from how the man is represented that the target audience for the advert is for men however this does comply with the female gaze as all the shots are of the man throughout the advert. This adevrt portrays the man in a more material role due to the fact that the advert shows the man looking after himself and shows him living on his own. Male audeince would identify with this man in the advert and may believe that this is the perfect image of what a man is supposed to be like.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=egBh9lauQDg&feature=related
Kate moss advert
This advert begins to portray how the female character is objectified. The advert links to greer theorys that all women are only interested in beauty products and looking good. This advert shows that its both for the male audience as kate moss is being objectified in order to meet the needs of the men that may be watching the advert. The adverts target audience is females however its shown through the close up shots which are used in the advert that some aspects are shown to meet the needs of men. This can also link to walters (1998) theory that women enjoy fashion and beauty and enjoy looking good which constrasts with the idea that this advert is only shown in order to target and comply with the male gaze.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jeZc6hjW22c&feature=related
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