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The Bechdel Rule
So through the Twilight post on Feministing I was introduced to the "Bechdel Rule," which requires that a movie must A) have two female characters B) who have a conversation C) about something that is not a man. I was reminded of this rule while A and I were watching Iron Man tonight - a movie that almost fulfills this rule, but makes me think there should be a fourth component to it, perhaps: D) without one of the characters insulting the other. (Man, Iron Man was a textbook case of how Hollywood treats fictional women, am I right or am I right. :/ )
Guys, this makes me want to start a meme! To participate, please go through your favourite movies and tell me which ones do and do not fulfill this rule. :D
My list, with the note that I am only counting female characters who are important enough that you would list them if you were making a list of characters in the movie:
After Life: Actually a pretty good number of female characters (Shiori, the woman who remembers her brother, the woman who collects flower petals, the girl who remembers her mother, the woman who lies about her age, Kyoko, the woman who remembers the earthquake, the woman who remembers meeting her boyfriend after the war, the secretary). Shiori and the girl who remembers her mother have two conversations (one about Disneyland and one about their parents), and the woman who remembers the earthquake shows Shiori how to make onigiri, so this one definitely passes.
Aladdin: ONE female character (Jasmine). COMPLETE AND UTTER FAIL!
Amadeus: Four female characters (Stanzi, Frau Weber, Katerina, Lorl). The closest thing to a conversation that any of them has with another is when Stanzi asks Lorl if the anonymous person is going to be paying her. So that's a pass, but kind of a pathetic one ...
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl: Five female characters, but I'm being a bit lenient here (Elizabeth, her servant lady, Annamaria, Scarlett, Giselle). Elizabeth and Annamaria shout at each other about how best to outrun the pirates, so technically it passes, but Annamaria is pretty eager to offer Elizabeth to the pirates which I think kind of breaks my addition to the rule.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: Four female characters (Elizabeth, Tia Dalma, Scarlett, Giselle). I'm calling this a fail; Scarlett and Giselle exchange knowing glances but they're thinking about Jack, and when Tia Dalma talks to Elizabeth everyone is thinking about Jack, so yeah. That's a fail.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End: Seven female characters (Elizabeth, Tia Dalma, Mistress Ching, Scarlett, Giselle, Sao Feng's two women who have three minutes of screen time). Elizabeth talks to Tia Dalma but about Sao Feng. Mistress Ching asks Elizabeth for her orders? So I guess this passes, although like Amadeus, it's kind of pathetic ...
I feel like I'm forgetting a really obvious movie, but oh well that's enough for now. x) How do your favourite movies stand up??
Guys, this makes me want to start a meme! To participate, please go through your favourite movies and tell me which ones do and do not fulfill this rule. :D
My list, with the note that I am only counting female characters who are important enough that you would list them if you were making a list of characters in the movie:
After Life: Actually a pretty good number of female characters (Shiori, the woman who remembers her brother, the woman who collects flower petals, the girl who remembers her mother, the woman who lies about her age, Kyoko, the woman who remembers the earthquake, the woman who remembers meeting her boyfriend after the war, the secretary). Shiori and the girl who remembers her mother have two conversations (one about Disneyland and one about their parents), and the woman who remembers the earthquake shows Shiori how to make onigiri, so this one definitely passes.
Aladdin: ONE female character (Jasmine). COMPLETE AND UTTER FAIL!
Amadeus: Four female characters (Stanzi, Frau Weber, Katerina, Lorl). The closest thing to a conversation that any of them has with another is when Stanzi asks Lorl if the anonymous person is going to be paying her. So that's a pass, but kind of a pathetic one ...
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl: Five female characters, but I'm being a bit lenient here (Elizabeth, her servant lady, Annamaria, Scarlett, Giselle). Elizabeth and Annamaria shout at each other about how best to outrun the pirates, so technically it passes, but Annamaria is pretty eager to offer Elizabeth to the pirates which I think kind of breaks my addition to the rule.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: Four female characters (Elizabeth, Tia Dalma, Scarlett, Giselle). I'm calling this a fail; Scarlett and Giselle exchange knowing glances but they're thinking about Jack, and when Tia Dalma talks to Elizabeth everyone is thinking about Jack, so yeah. That's a fail.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End: Seven female characters (Elizabeth, Tia Dalma, Mistress Ching, Scarlett, Giselle, Sao Feng's two women who have three minutes of screen time). Elizabeth talks to Tia Dalma but about Sao Feng. Mistress Ching asks Elizabeth for her orders? So I guess this passes, although like Amadeus, it's kind of pathetic ...
I feel like I'm forgetting a really obvious movie, but oh well that's enough for now. x) How do your favourite movies stand up??