Bad Movie Logo
"A website to the detriment of good film"
Custom Search
HOMEB-MOVIE REVIEWSREADER REVIEWSFORUMINTERVIEWSUPDATESABOUT
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?
March 18, 2024, 10:47:01 PM
712920 Posts in 53040 Topics by 7722 Members
Latest Member: GenevaBarr
Badmovies.org Forum  |  Movies  |  Good Movies  |  Women warriors in newer films.. « previous next »
Pages: [1]
Author Topic: Women warriors in newer films..  (Read 2936 times)
Jim H
Frightening Fanatic of Horrible Cinema
****

Karma: 314
Posts: 3668



« on: May 12, 2010, 12:37:11 PM »

One of the things that sometimes irritates me are the newer realistic period films that feel as if they have to have women who can fight.  I don't mean films where that's the point of the film, I mean films where it's as if they were checking a box that said "Attempt to appeal to women" or something.  You know, where it's just not believable giving the realistic historical setting or scenario of the film, and there is no real context for the character given.

I was reminded of this because of the new Robin Hood - in this one, Maid Marion dons armor and fights in the final battle.  Seriously?  I thought it was also ridiculous in Prince of Thieves, but at least it wasn't a major plot point.

This doesn't ALWAYS come across as so silly.  The Clive Owen King Arthur somewhat gets away with it a BIT because they made the Guinevere equivalent a Celt.  It just came across a little hard to believe when they cast Keira Knightley, one of the waifiest actresses of the modern screen in the part.

It's not that I mind women warriors in film, quite the opposite.  I'd like a film about Tomoe Gozen, Pavlichenko, or from a fantasy angle, Hervor, I just don't like it when it's done poorly.
Logged
Flick James
Frightening Fanatic of Horrible Cinema
****

Karma: 489
Posts: 4642


Honorary Bastard of Arts


« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2010, 01:32:48 PM »

That bugs me too. I think you are exactly right, it's a checkbox thing that suggests it is becoming formulaic.

Look, this is not a sexist thing in any form. History is history. In these historical settings, women simply did not fight. The celts are an exception, but in the King Arthur example you give, they're using the celt aspect as a justification for "check the box."

I'm a big fan of capable, headstrong women. I married one. There are plenty of opportunities in history to demonstrate the strength of women. The obligatory fighting women thing is really annoying and I wish they would stop. I understand some women may feel that they are only being portrayed as "damsels in distress," but rewriting history is not the solution.
Logged

I don't always talk about bad movies, but when I do, I prefer badmovies.org
Pages: [1]
Badmovies.org Forum  |  Movies  |  Good Movies  |  Women warriors in newer films.. « previous next »
    Jump to:  


    RSS Feed Subscribe Subscribe by RSS
    Email Subscribe Subscribe by Email


    Popular Articles
    How To Find A Bad Movie

    The Champions of Justice

    Plan 9 from Outer Space

    Manos, The Hands of Fate

    Podcast: Todd the Convenience Store Clerk

    Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!

    Dragonball: The Magic Begins

    Cool As Ice

    The Educational Archives: Driver's Ed

    Godzilla vs. Monster Zero

    Do you have a zombie plan?

    FROM THE BADMOVIES.ORG ARCHIVES
    ImageThe Giant Claw - Slime drop

    Earth is visited by a GIANT ANTIMATTER SPACE BUZZARD! Gawk at the amazingly bad bird puppet, or chuckle over the silly dialog. This is one of the greatest b-movies ever made.

    Lesson Learned:
    • Osmosis: os·mo·sis (oz-mo'sis, os-) n., 1. When a bird eats something.

    Subscribe to Badmovies.org and get updates by email:

    HOME B-Movie Reviews Reader Reviews Forum Interviews TV Shows Advertising Information Sideshows Links Contact

    Badmovies.org is owned and operated by Andrew Borntreger. All original content is © 1998 - 2014 by its respective author(s). Image, video, and audio files are used in accordance with the Fair Use Law, and are property of the film copyright holders. You may freely link to any page (.html or .php) on this website, but reproduction in any other form must be authorized by the copyright holder.