Women in Action Movies

Empowered role models or chicks with guns?

Today’s Theorist

• Laura Mulvey• The ‘Male Gaze’ theory• In Hollywood movies women are merely

represented to provide pleasure for men• The camera lingers on the body of the woman• She may be dressed in a provocative way

Lesson Objectives

LO1: To investigate the roles that women take on in Action/Adventure movies

LO2: To assess how empowering these characters are for the female audience

Clips Activity

• Dr no• Die Another Day• Salt • X-Men• Kill Bill• The Mummy• Tomb Raider• Terminator 2• Batman

View these clips and note down what the characters role is (think about Propp!).

Also note down how she is represented through costume, camera shots, body language and sounds!

Today’s Objective

• To explore how the role and representation of women has changed from 1970 until today.

Live and Let Die 1973

• Extract 1• Extract 2

Terminator 2 1991

• Extract 1• Extract 2

Mr & Mrs Smith 2005

• Extract 1• Extract 2

Conclusions?

Essay

• How are women represented in Action movies?

Refer to:• Laura Mulvey• Historical examples• Role / Proppian character• Camera work• Mise-en-scene