Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.
Text
Sources
Women of Color:
Greta Gerwig Article:
https://www.independent.ie/life/ladybird-director-greta-gerwig-im-at-peak-shock-and-happiness-36637689.html
Women of Color in Film Article:
https://www.mic.com/articles/84899/hollywood-s-problem-with-women-of-color-is-even-worse-than-you-realize
The Help Article
https://login.libserv-prd.bridgew.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=128153415&site=ehost-live
Female Sexuality:
Pariah:
https://www.nj.com/entertainment/movies/2011/12/pariah_review_the_minority_within_a_minority.html
She Hates Me:
http://web.a.ebscohost.com.libserv-prd.bridgew.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=17&sid=2256d6f2-4b75-4dfb-9ea5-e3ac06bafcf6%40sessionmgr4007
Parched:
https://scroll.in/reel/816700/parched-director-leena-yadav-if-the-film-connects-emotionally-thats-what-matters-in-the-end
Suspiria:
Themes:
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/suspiria-explained-what-is-movie-trying-say-1157724
Emotional Family:
https://blogs.webmd.com/relationships/20180221/you-can-choose-your-family
Good Moms:
http://web.a.ebscohost.com.libserv-prd.bridgew.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=19&sid=45599cbe-a4f7-4fca-b68c-f821760526bb%40sessionmgr4008
3 notes
·
View notes
Text
Suspiria
Luca Guadagnino’s remake of the 1977 classic Suspiria is a haunting film depicting the violence of women, the existence of witches, and the desire to discover Mother Suspiriorum. The entirety of the film follows Madame Blanc and Mother Markos, both played by Tilda Swinton, searching for Mother Suspiriorum, who happens to be Dakota Johnson’s character Susie Bannion. Susie from the start, is a shining star in the dance academy that the film takes place, unknowingly stepping into a building run by witches. The primarily female cast expresses the bonds between women, and how those in charge of the dancers at the academy are like mothers to them, ironic due to the candidates for mother Suspiriorum primarily only being students, the “daughters” in this relationship. However, Guadagnino himself claims the movie is infected with “doubling, mirroring, false fronts and other sorts of misdirection” (Abrams). This quote, coming from Simon Abrams article “What Is 'Suspiria' Trying to Say?” expresses the themes that plague the film, and how this sense of “false fronts” is seen through the relationship between the students and the teachers.
Prior to truly meeting all of the students and teachers, viewers meet Patricia Hingle, played by Chloe Grace Moretz, who meets with Dr. Joseph Klemper, once again played by Tilda Swinton (although going by Lutz Ebersdorf), to express the nature of the dance academy. Patricia, once a student has left the academy due to the evil nature of the teachers, who she claims are witches. While correct about them being witches, Dr. Klemper simply listens and doesn’t act on what he is hearing, that is until Patricia goes missing. This idea of acting after it’s too late is a common issue in society, where women express the danger and discomfort they are in, but men (but also women alike) do not believe them or do not take them seriously until it is far too late to turn back and help. This ignorance of the issues going on at the academy leads to Patricia’s disappearance, and ultimately, her death.
However, Madame Blanc, who is passed up to be the mother of the academy once more, resulting in the re-election of Mother Markos, develops a very strong, genuine relationship with Susie. Susie surpasses the expectations from the teachers, including Blanc herself, when she is doubted that she can dance the lead due to her status as a new student. This type of relationship is also something that is a phenomenon in society. Susie, whose mother is back at home, lying in bed, lacks a genuine mother figure in her life, which is why Blanc’s connection is something so genuine and something viewers can take away from the film. What’s important about the mother-child relationship that Blanc and Susie share is that it is an emotional connection, and an emotional family, which is something that Susie and many women and people today desire and need due to biological families not always being there or in Susie’s case, physically being miles and miles away. Leslie Becker-Phelps’ article “You CAN Choose Your Family” expresses the importance of an emotional family rather than a biological family. While the article doesn’t put down or talk bad about biological family, it expresses the strength and power that an emotional family holds, which is something that is represented in this film.
Rachel D. Davidson of Hanover college along with Catherine A. Dobris, and Kim White-Mills both of Indiana University, Purdue University, Indianapolis, published an academic journal titled “What Makes a “Bad” Mom “Bad”?: A Critical Review of Lucas and Moore’s Bad Moms (2016)” which analyzes the film Bad Moms. While the journal reviews a film not discussed here, it states a definition of what is considered a “good” mom, along with analysis of why the mothers in Bad Moms are seen as “bad”. The article states, “Hayden and Hundley (2016) specify that popular culture tends to portray the “best moms” as ‘fun...cheerful...protective...selfless...loving’ (p. 1). Academic analyses of motherhood in social discourse suggests that the “good” mom is typically defined as a child-centered parent who puts her progeny’s needs before her own (Granju, 1999; Hayes, 1996, O’Reilly, 2006; Sears & Sears, 2003)” (Davidson, et. al, p. 171). The terms “fun” and “protective” are not thought to exist in Suspiria, but one scene may change that.
The last act of the six act movie shows the culmination of the events of the film. Susie is revealed to be Mother Suspiriorum, but not before Mother Markos and Madame Blanc have a disagreement about the nature of the events. This is where a ritual is taking place, forcefully by Markos, but doubted by Blanc. Susie, the key player in this scene, has a lot of weight put on her shoulders in order to be the body for Markos. Blanc, who is an emotional mother figure to Susie, warns her about what may occur, and argues with Markos that this event can truly only be justified if it is done without hesitation or doubt. Blanc shows a sense of protection over Susie here, potentially showing love she has for her. Based on the description previously states about what a “best mom” looks like, this solidifies Blanc’s connection as a mother to Susie. Moments later, Blanc is killed by Markos, nearly decapitating her due to speaking out about halting the ritual. This results in the continuation of the ritual, in which Susie finally reveals herself as mother Suspiriorum, who has the ability to bring death to all other mothers, in which she does. While sparing the supporters of Blanc, she calls forward a being of Death, violently yet quickly killing Markos and her supporters. Susie truly possesses her title as a mother here as she approaches the deformed bodies of Patricia, her friend Sara, and another student Olga, who have all been tormented by the witches of the academy, forever alive, yet seemingly frozen, craving nothing but to finally be put to rest. Mother Suspiriorum herself grants these wishes, as she approaches, and peacefully lays them to eternal rest rather than violently and gruesomely ending their lives which happened to the other teachers of the academy. Susie, lacking a biological mother with her, feels the love and connection with her emotional mother Madame Blanc, and ultimately takes on the role of mother herself, yet again, another emotional mother figure rather than a biological mother. This shows the importance of the representation of emotional family over the idea that biological family is the only family one can possess.
1 note
·
View note
Photo
SUSPIRIA (2018) dir. Luca Guadagnino
7K notes
·
View notes
Photo
SUSPIRIA (2018) dir. Luca Guadagnino
1K notes
·
View notes
Photo
Suspiria (2018) // dir. Luca Guadagnino
921 notes
·
View notes
Photo
Suspiria (2018) dir. Luca Guadagnino
40 notes
·
View notes
Text
Female Sexuality in Film
In movies produced by major film companies, there is one thing that is lacking: Female sexuality. The lack of inclusion of queer women, and women who love women in film is a major problem that is seen in society as well. Of course there are women who love women in society, and likely every person knows someone who this applies to. However, there is a lack of representation in mainstream film that depict a romantic or sexual relationship between women, often times having women and men linked as a pair, straying away from the idea of female homosexuality, or female queerness in general.
There are films that do explore the sexuality of women in very deep, emotionally-driven way. One film, Pariah from 2011, directed by Dee Rees tells the story of a young woman of color learning to embrace herself as a lesbian, despite what the people closest to her say. In the article “'Pariah' review: The minority within a minority,'' author Stephen Witty says, “race is not an issue in “Pariah.” Sexuality is.” This statement can be seen as striking to some, as typically sexuality is ignored and there is a focus on the way race plays a part in film. However, Adepero Oduye’s character Alike, who the film focuses on, is faced with an unaccepting family, especially her mother. Her family is certain that this is a phase that Alike is going through, despite having a supportive best friend Laura, who allows her to explore her sexuality and explore who she is as a human without judgement or ridicule. This is something that lacks in society today, as sexuality, especially in black communities, isn’t something that too many people have the privilege to explore freely. Pariah ends with Alike attempting to reconnect with her mother, who has not been accepting of her. Unfortunately, her mother tells her she will pray for her, rather than accept her for who she is, depicting an all too familiar tale for many queer women of color.
The idea of ignoring sexuality in women of color is also seen in Spike Lee’s She Hates Me. This film depicts women who identify as lesbian wanting a child, and meeting with a donor to impregnate them. Originally what can be seen as a film depicting the desires of gay women, it struck quite a negative response in terms of the content of the film. Deborah E. Whaley of the University of Iowa published the article “Spike Lee’s Phantasmagoric Fantasy and the Black Female Sexual Imaginary in She Hate Me” in which Whaley expresses the upsetting nature of the film. Whaley says, “Upon closer inspection, one might also conclude that Lee’s corrective to autonomous child rearing among women entails the reinsertion of patriarchy and by extension, heterosexuality, into their lives.” This connects to the fact that in the film, numerous lesbian women begin meeting with the sperm donor to have sex with him, despite identifying as lesbians. They enjoy this interaction with the man, which is why Whaley claims that heterosexuality is them reinserted into their lives. This further pushes the agenda of ignoring sexuality of women, especially women of color.
A third film exploring female sexuality is Parched, a 2015 Indian film written and directed by Leena Yadav. This film uncovers the expectations of women in India in regards to their bodies, including: child marriage, child bearing, and patriarchy. These limitations on women show how these traditions disable women from living their lives freely. While some characters give into these expectations, there is a scene between two characters who comedically speak out about the desire and need of a husband. “Who needs men,” a character says, “When a mobile can get us off! Hail the vibrating signal provider!” The characters in the scene, all women, laugh and enjoy themselves in this moment, poking fun of what is expected of them, equating the sexual abilities of a man to the vibration of a cell phone. Director Leena Yadav describes the film as “an emotional entertainer about three rural women” in an interview with Manish Gaekwad. Gaekwad’s article on the interview, titled “‘Parched’ director Leena Yadav: ‘If the film connects emotionally, that’s what matters in the end’” expresses Yadav’s connection between herself and the actresses in this film, as well as what it means to break down the boundaries, and take creative risks when it comes to the content of the film especially with their geographic location. There is a great need to dismantle the expectations of women in societies all around the world. The exploration of female sexuality is one that needs more attention and freedom given to those taking part in it. These films and the articles regarding them explain what is expected of women while also showing real struggles that so many women are experiencing that are not heard because there haven’t been many people in the past who were willing to listen to them.
0 notes
Photo
i am not broken, i am free pariah (2011) dir. dee rees
294 notes
·
View notes
Photo
Parched follows three women as they gradually come to realize how the ancient and thorny vines of patriarchy have mangled their desires and individualities. Rani, married at 13 and widowed shortly after, is about to get her 16-year-old ingrate son married, but financial debts and personal reservations threaten to further bind her to her modest hut and a lifetime of invisibility. Her close friend Lajjo, who is constantly beaten by her alcoholic husband and who has internalized the shame of being ‘barren,’ is, despite her jovial spirit, withering from desensitization. And Bijli, Rani’s childhood friend who is outwardly all electricity as a dancer with a moving troupe, deals with the prospect of being ostracized by men who deem her oomph fading.
546 notes
·
View notes
Text
Women of Color in Film
Greta Gerwig, a female director has received a lot of praise for the work she has put out. Her work includes Ladybird (2017), where she made her solo directorial debut, and upcoming film Little Women (2019). Gerwig has received a lot of attention due to being a female director, as there are so few in the spotlight in the industry today. In the independent.ie article Ladybird director Greta Gerwig: 'I'm at peak shock and happiness', Gerwig says, "I think it's going to shift much more quickly now," in regards to women in film gaining more of a platform and opportunities. However, Greta Gerwig herself has been under fire for not casting black actors and actresses in her film.
This is a huge issue in the film industry at the moment, as there are not many women of color being represented in the films being produced and released today. In Amirah Mercer’s 2014 article Hollywood's Problem With Women of Color Is Even Worse Than You Realize, the research shows that only 6 out of the top 500 movies of all time are starring women of color. What’s worse is that five of these films also happen to be animated, which says a lot “regarding how people of color and women are valued in society.” (Mercer). What this shows about Hollywood is that there is a lack of diversity in the stories being told through these films. If there are no women of color being represented in films, that leaves only white people to take the leads of films, therefore portraying films about the lives of white people. While Mercer’s article may be five years old, the proof still shows that in modern film there is not much of a change being made in regards to who stars in the films, and what direction these films will go in in regards to storytelling.
The issue continues within the content of films where women of color are present, and do have active roles in shaping the story that is being told. In the 2011 film The Help, Emma Stone’s character Eugenia Phelan, writes about the wrongdoings to servants Aibileen Clark and Minny Jackson, played by Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer respectively. Mollie K. Murphy and Tina M. Harris’ article “White Innocence and Black Subservience: The Rhetoric of White Heroism in The Help” touches on the importance of these women of color in the film, but also references the fact that Emma Stone’s character, a white woman, is the savior of the film, and that more credit is given to the work of her character rather than the hardships and racism that the women of color have experienced, and the strength that they have. The authors write, “the White savior becomes the true hero of the story, and Black characters become subservient and affectionate toward White people” (Murphy and Harris). This quote is showing how by the end of the story the white woman is the savior of these characters, being titled the “true hero”, and that Aibileen Clark and Minny Jackson should be grateful for the efforts by Eugenia Phelan, despite the actual hard work being the endurance that they expressed during their experiences. This idea of white heroism in regards to struggles of women of color is a dangerous and offensive idea to put in the minds of viewers and will not lead to any progress with the already evident issues in hollywood today, and the struggles of women of color finding work in films.
0 notes