Choose a scene and discuss it through a feminist lens. Are women portrayed as equal to men? Are they merely eye candy? Are they portrayed as superior or inferior?
Personally I feel that women in this film are eye candy, at least by today’s standards. At the time this film was made, they are more than that. They are active characters in the film and play pinnacle roles. I understand that during the 70’s, this was a big deal, but today, it seems miniscule. Women in modern films possess even greater roles. The scene I am choosing to discuss is when Matthew rescues Elizabeth from her “body-snatched” partner, Geoffrey. This scene portrays women very helplessly; the typical damsel in distress. This is predominantly shown through the parallel editing of Elizabeth sleeping, completely oblivious to what is happening to her and Matthew who is fearlessly charging in to save the day. Elizabeth is shown helpless by shooting her with a HA and her being asleep and slowly becoming more and more covered by the pod stealing her body. Matthew is shown sneaking by Geoffrey, sneaking past danger to save the day. I, if I were an extreme feminist, would call this “bologna” and consider walking out of the theatre, but this scene represents significance when the roles are switched. During the climax of the film, Matthew is shown sleeping and being completely oblivious of having his body stolen from him. He is shown similarly to Elizabeth, with the pod consuming more of his body as he sleeps helplessly. Elizabeth takes charge and saves his life by screaming to him to wake up. If it was not for Elizabeth, Matthew may not have ever woken up. This exchange of roles empowers women in cinema, by giving them the power and making the man the damsel in distress, at least in this film. As an extreme feminist, I would applaud at this and then probably burn my bra or something. It’s a good thing I am not an extreme feminist…….
It seems that women are not portrayed as especially weak in this film. They really don’t appear to be “victims” any more than the men are. It would seem inappropriate for a film that belongs to and bears so many characteristics of the 1970’s to not also reflect its radical attitude towards women. It seems that the film strives to liberate the woman from her conventional role, particularly as it was reflected in the 1950’s Invasion. For example, the female lead here is sexually free and sort of almost has an affair with Matthew. Also, while the 70’s version maintains the part where the female lead falls asleep and becomes “snatched,” it compensates for that by making a woman the final survivor. A scene in which Matthew saves Elizabeth from being snatched while asleep is balanced by a scene in which Elizabeth does the same for Matthew. Maybe it could be argued that women are chiefly in this film for scopophilic pleasure since Brooke Adams is the only character to appear nude after being snatched. But then I’d say Nancy’s kind of homely and they don’t really try to make her attractive. Even when Adams is nude she is portrayed in low angle and eye level shots that empower her, giving her nudity a sort of boldness and frankness rather than a pleasure-giving quality, and placing the attention on her role as a new frightening force of evil (and she is surrounded by the dark forest) rather than a victim. She appears later (still nude) as Matthew is running through the warehouse and makes that horrible screeching sound which negates any kind of sex appeal.
Personally I feel that women in this film are eye candy, at least by today’s standards. At the time this film was made, they are more than that. They are active characters in the film and play pinnacle roles. I understand that during the 70’s, this was a big deal, but today, it seems miniscule. Women in modern films possess even greater roles. The scene I am choosing to discuss is when Matthew rescues Elizabeth from her “body-snatched” partner, Geoffrey. This scene portrays women very helplessly; the typical damsel in distress. This is predominantly shown through the parallel editing of Elizabeth sleeping, completely oblivious to what is happening to her and Matthew who is fearlessly charging in to save the day. Elizabeth is shown helpless by shooting her with a HA and her being asleep and slowly becoming more and more covered by the pod stealing her body. Matthew is shown sneaking by Geoffrey, sneaking past danger to save the day.
ReplyDeleteI, if I were an extreme feminist, would call this “bologna” and consider walking out of the theatre, but this scene represents significance when the roles are switched. During the climax of the film, Matthew is shown sleeping and being completely oblivious of having his body stolen from him. He is shown similarly to Elizabeth, with the pod consuming more of his body as he sleeps helplessly. Elizabeth takes charge and saves his life by screaming to him to wake up. If it was not for Elizabeth, Matthew may not have ever woken up. This exchange of roles empowers women in cinema, by giving them the power and making the man the damsel in distress, at least in this film. As an extreme feminist, I would applaud at this and then probably burn my bra or something. It’s a good thing I am not an extreme feminist…….
It seems that women are not portrayed as especially weak in this film. They really don’t appear to be “victims” any more than the men are. It would seem inappropriate for a film that belongs to and bears so many characteristics of the 1970’s to not also reflect its radical attitude towards women. It seems that the film strives to liberate the woman from her conventional role, particularly as it was reflected in the 1950’s Invasion. For example, the female lead here is sexually free and sort of almost has an affair with Matthew. Also, while the 70’s version maintains the part where the female lead falls asleep and becomes “snatched,” it compensates for that by making a woman the final survivor. A scene in which Matthew saves Elizabeth from being snatched while asleep is balanced by a scene in which Elizabeth does the same for Matthew.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it could be argued that women are chiefly in this film for scopophilic pleasure since Brooke Adams is the only character to appear nude after being snatched. But then I’d say Nancy’s kind of homely and they don’t really try to make her attractive. Even when Adams is nude she is portrayed in low angle and eye level shots that empower her, giving her nudity a sort of boldness and frankness rather than a pleasure-giving quality, and placing the attention on her role as a new frightening force of evil (and she is surrounded by the dark forest) rather than a victim. She appears later (still nude) as Matthew is running through the warehouse and makes that horrible screeching sound which negates any kind of sex appeal.