your favorite american films of the past 50 years with female protagonists

Message Bookmarked
Bookmark Removed

it occurs to me that there nearly aren't enough great american films with female protagonists -- or maybe i am just not good at thinking of them. so i hand it over to you.

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 3 May 2012 08:42 (eleven years ago) link

iron man 2

puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Thursday, 3 May 2012 08:43 (eleven years ago) link

You're right, it's pretty hard to think of really good American movies with female protagonists, especially if you exclude ones which have female and male protagonists that are given equal emphasis. In fact I can't think of any such American movie that I really love. I wanted to say Mary Poppins, but you could easily argue Dick van Dyke and the family dad are also protagonists in that one. Maybe also Lilo & Stitch? It has three protagonists: a little girl, her grown-up sister, and an alien, though the alien is clearly coded as male, even if we don't find out its technical gender (or if it even has one).

Tuomas, Thursday, 3 May 2012 09:13 (eleven years ago) link

Oh, I forgot about Clueless and Legally Blonde. Those are great movies!

Tuomas, Thursday, 3 May 2012 09:17 (eleven years ago) link

the last seduction
3 women
carrie
gloria
daughter rite
romy and michele's high school reunion

Ward Fowler, Thursday, 3 May 2012 09:20 (eleven years ago) link

especially if you exclude ones which have female and male protagonists that are given equal emphasis

yeah, a problem is that plenty of romantic movies have twin protagonists, like before sunrise or while you were sleeping etc.

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 3 May 2012 09:24 (eleven years ago) link

or valley girl!

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 3 May 2012 09:25 (eleven years ago) link

I remember really liking The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love, but I haven't seen it since it came out.

Tuomas, Thursday, 3 May 2012 09:28 (eleven years ago) link

kill bill

sleepingbag, Thursday, 3 May 2012 09:33 (eleven years ago) link

Fargo, Broadcast News, Rosemary's Baby, Carrie, Heart Like a Wheel...I'm sure others will occur to me throughout the day.

clemenza, Thursday, 3 May 2012 09:37 (eleven years ago) link

opening night

Ms Tum-Bla-Wi-Tee (nakhchivan), Thursday, 3 May 2012 09:40 (eleven years ago) link

ALIENS

i love the large auns pictures! (Phil D.), Thursday, 3 May 2012 09:42 (eleven years ago) link

silence of the lambs

underleg aeroboots i have smithed (darraghmac), Thursday, 3 May 2012 09:43 (eleven years ago) link

kill bill 2

sleepingbag, Thursday, 3 May 2012 09:54 (eleven years ago) link

Angel, Angel, Down We Go
The Birds
Boom!
Bound
Bunny Lake is Missing
Bye Bye Birdie
A Chronicle of Corpses
Crazy in Alabama
Dead Ringer
Desperate Living
Down With Love
Far From Heaven
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
Hairspray (John Waters 1988)
The Honeymoon Killers
Housekeeping
Illusions (Julie Dash 1980)
Inland Empire
Klute
The Legend of Lylah Clare
Love Streams
Marnie
Mary (Abel Ferrara 2005)
Mildred Pierce (Todd Haynes 2011)
Mulholland Drive
The Naked Kiss
Petulia
Queen of Diamonds
Red Line 7000
Roof (Betsy Kalin 1998)
Ruby in Paradise
'R Xmas
7 Women
Safe
Secret Ceremony
Sextette
Showgirls
Sleepwalk
S.O.B.
Such Good Friends
The Tamarind Seed
Wanda
When Pigs Fly
White Dog
Women of the Night (Zalman King 2000)
Xanadu
You Are Not I

Kevin John Bozelka, Thursday, 3 May 2012 10:06 (eleven years ago) link

Oh and duh Mommie Dearest

Kevin John Bozelka, Thursday, 3 May 2012 10:07 (eleven years ago) link

All my favourites are high school mean girl flicks: Heathers, Jawbreaker, Saved!, Easy A, and of course, Mean Girls.

Roz, Thursday, 3 May 2012 10:46 (eleven years ago) link

is this gonna be the next poll?

Nu Metal is the best music there is, the rest is pussy shit. (Eisbaer), Thursday, 3 May 2012 10:49 (eleven years ago) link

also -- a woman under the influence, hannah and her sisters and gloria

Nu Metal is the best music there is, the rest is pussy shit. (Eisbaer), Thursday, 3 May 2012 10:54 (eleven years ago) link

KJB otm.

jungleous butterflies strange birds (Eric H.), Thursday, 3 May 2012 11:11 (eleven years ago) link

Jane Campion's The Portrait of a Lady

World Congress of Itch (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 3 May 2012 11:44 (eleven years ago) link

The Company

You Don't Throw Oranges On An Escalator (Deric W. Haircare), Thursday, 3 May 2012 11:54 (eleven years ago) link

margaret

just sayin, Thursday, 3 May 2012 11:57 (eleven years ago) link

bridesmaids

just sayin, Thursday, 3 May 2012 11:57 (eleven years ago) link

Thelma & Louise
The Long Kiss Goodnight
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Josie & The Pussycats
Charlie's Angels
Sucker Punch

Andrew Farrell, Thursday, 3 May 2012 12:03 (eleven years ago) link

Contact
Salt
The Others

Following are not actually my favourites:
Erin Brockivich
Steel Magnolias
Mystic Pizza
GI Jane
Blue Steel
Monster
Girl, Interrupted
Stepmom
Private Benjamin
The Devil Wears Prada
The Hours
Sister Act

Andrew Farrell, Thursday, 3 May 2012 12:17 (eleven years ago) link

seconding KJB on Housekeeping

World Congress of Itch (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 3 May 2012 12:22 (eleven years ago) link

Thirded.

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 3 May 2012 12:25 (eleven years ago) link

Technically, thirded and fourthed. I seconded the list en masse.

jungleous butterflies strange birds (Eric H.), Thursday, 3 May 2012 12:26 (eleven years ago) link

Bonjour Tristesse
Erin Brockovich
3 Women

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 3 May 2012 12:28 (eleven years ago) link

An Unmarried Woman and (combination '70s sap/Neil Young fan--pretty iffy otherwise) Diary of a Mad Housewife.

clemenza, Thursday, 3 May 2012 12:32 (eleven years ago) link

Resident Evil

how's life, Thursday, 3 May 2012 12:42 (eleven years ago) link

Terminator
Alien
Aliens
Halloween
Ms. 45

Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Thursday, 3 May 2012 12:51 (eleven years ago) link

Ms. 45

Yes + Serial Mom.

jungleous butterflies strange birds (Eric H.), Thursday, 3 May 2012 12:56 (eleven years ago) link

And Jackie Brown.

But, yeah, among recent movies in which female protagonists don't kill people or narrowly avoid being killed by people, I definitely enjoy The Company, Ghost World and The Bridges of Madison County.

jungleous butterflies strange birds (Eric H.), Thursday, 3 May 2012 13:01 (eleven years ago) link

the private lives of pippa lee isnt my fav or anything @ all, it's ok, but i do remember thinking @ the time i saw it that it was a dream, meaty role for an adult woman

johnny crunch, Thursday, 3 May 2012 13:23 (eleven years ago) link

also, ones i like

looking for mr. goodbar
the runaways
carrie

>S.O.B.

i watched this like last week. don't mean to nitpick but julie andrews def has less screentime than prob like 4 other characters

johnny crunch, Thursday, 3 May 2012 13:34 (eleven years ago) link

Ladies and Gentleman, the Fabulous Stains (on the female protagonists not killing or avoiding being killed tip)

Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Thursday, 3 May 2012 13:38 (eleven years ago) link

Heavenly Creatures

Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Thursday, 3 May 2012 13:39 (eleven years ago) link

Although I guess that's New Zealand so nevermind

Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Thursday, 3 May 2012 13:40 (eleven years ago) link

the alien is clearly coded as male, even if we don't find out its technical gender

i was skimming and i assumed tuomas was talking about a very different movie to the one he was talking about

thomp, Thursday, 3 May 2012 13:43 (eleven years ago) link

Ghost World

Oh gawd yeah. How could I forget that one?

More: Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Vixen, Viva, Marci X, Desperate Teenage Lovedolls, Daughters of the Dust, The Swap, [/i]Sin in the Suburbs[/i], Moonlighting Wives, The Rats Are Coming! The Werewolves Are Here!, Seeds of Sin, Fleshpot on 42nd Street, Bad Girls Go to Hell, etc.

I left out films in which strong female protagonists are played by men (Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, Dinah East, maybe She-Man) and vice versa (I'm Not There, a stretch anyway and I'm blanking on others...does She-Man fit in here?).

Also, "protagonist" doesn't make much sense in the avant-garde but women directors sure do: Peggy Ahwesh, Stephanie Barber, Abigail Child, Leslie Thornton, Beth B, Su Friedrich, etc.

Kevin John Bozelka, Thursday, 3 May 2012 13:51 (eleven years ago) link

switchblade sisters
caged heat

Ward Fowler, Thursday, 3 May 2012 13:59 (eleven years ago) link

S.O.B.

i watched this like last week. don't mean to nitpick but julie andrews def has less screentime than prob like 4 other characters

Yawn. I knew that would happen. Ok true. But her brazooms set everything in motion. And Bunny Lake is Missing was shot in England and co-stars Olivier. But Carol Lynley is American. And so is Preminger (but is he?). And so on.

Kevin John Bozelka, Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:02 (eleven years ago) link

Alan Rudolph's Mortal Thoughts (Demi Moore's career justified)

World Congress of Itch (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:10 (eleven years ago) link

I liked all of these to varying degrees, IIRC:

The Birds
Rosemary's Baby
A Woman Under the Influence
Carrie
Another Woman
Silence of the Lambs
The Man in the Moon (1991)
Reality Bites
To Die For
Clueless
Safe
Welcome to the Dollhouse
I Shot Andy Warhol
Bound
Contact
Romy and Michele's High School Reunion
Jackie Brown
High Art
The Last Days of Disco
Slums of Beverly Hills
Boys Don't Cry
Dick
Erin Brockovich
Nurse Betty
Ghost World
The Good Girl
Far from Heaven
Monster
The Company
Kill Bill v. 1 and 2
Mean Girls
Million Dollar Baby
Juno
Rachel Getting Married
Wendy and Lucy
Frozen River
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
Winter's Bone
Whip It
Black Swan
Please Give
Bridesmaids
Margaret
Martha Marcy May Marlene

sockless in moccasins (jaymc), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:15 (eleven years ago) link

Yes on Looking for Mr. Goodbar. I thought about Jackie Brown, but it seems to be as much or more about Sam Jackson and Robert Forster. But you could probably say the same of Broadcast News.

clemenza, Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:23 (eleven years ago) link

Freeway
Election

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:25 (eleven years ago) link

thanks for reminding me about High Art and Please Give, jaymc.

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:26 (eleven years ago) link

KJB's list is super OH YEAH time
nice work!

Also if they haven't been mentioned yet

Valley of the Dolls
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:32 (eleven years ago) link

Satisfaction
Little Darlings
Foxes

former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:33 (eleven years ago) link

Where the Boys Are (is that 50 years ago or not?)

former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:34 (eleven years ago) link

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore

former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:35 (eleven years ago) link

Gas Food Lodging

I should just slow down and make a list like a normal person.

former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:36 (eleven years ago) link

Badlands
Out Of The Blue
Carnival Of Souls

O00O0O00O (Matt #2), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:38 (eleven years ago) link

Have there been any westerns yet?

O00O0O00O (Matt #2), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:40 (eleven years ago) link

Meek's Cutoff, not having seen Raquel Welch in Hannie Caulder

World Congress of Itch (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:43 (eleven years ago) link

The Quick and the Dead is super entertaining but is still pretty bad. xp

Respectfully, Tyrese Gibson (Nicole), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:44 (eleven years ago) link

Woody Allen's best femalecentric films (ie, w/out him in the cast) might be The Purple Rose of Cairo and Another Woman.

World Congress of Itch (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:45 (eleven years ago) link

Glitter

jungleous butterflies strange birds (Eric H.), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:47 (eleven years ago) link

oh duh -- Sayles' Passion Fish w/ a pair of great performances by Alfre Woodard and Mary McDonnell, virtually in every scene together.

(guess which one got an Oscar nomination)

World Congress of Itch (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:47 (eleven years ago) link

Sisters

former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:48 (eleven years ago) link

I know it's not the same thing, but I think the lead females in Nashville--Blakely, Tomlin, Baxley, Gwen Wells, etc.--are among the most interesting in any American film ever.

clemenza, Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:49 (eleven years ago) link

Passion Fish is the only Sayles I like...

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:52 (eleven years ago) link

yeah, passion fish is great. i should rewatch that.

horseshoe, Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:54 (eleven years ago) link

Working Girls
Working Girl

caro's johnson (Eazy), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:55 (eleven years ago) link

The Bridges o' Madison County

caro's johnson (Eazy), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:56 (eleven years ago) link

Heartland
The Trip to Bountiful

caro's johnson (Eazy), Thursday, 3 May 2012 14:59 (eleven years ago) link

lol you like old lady movies!

former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:02 (eleven years ago) link

killing people movies, but

ginger snaps
the descent

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:05 (eleven years ago) link

liquid sky

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:06 (eleven years ago) link

I would always walk into the video store, ask "Where the old lady movies? Passage to India? Naw, naw, seen that one already."

caro's johnson (Eazy), Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:07 (eleven years ago) link

nine to five

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:08 (eleven years ago) link

all of me

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:09 (eleven years ago) link

Married to the Mob

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:09 (eleven years ago) link

crimes of passion

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:10 (eleven years ago) link

The Incredible Shrinking Woman

former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:10 (eleven years ago) link

is michelle pfeiffer really the protagonist of married to the mob?

horseshoe, Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:13 (eleven years ago) link

yes

World Congress of Itch (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:15 (eleven years ago) link

Riding in Cars With Boys

Drew Barrymore is kind of amazing in it (as is Steve Zahn, but it's not about him).

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:19 (eleven years ago) link

OK, here we go listing every piece of shit w/ female protagonists

World Congress of Itch (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:23 (eleven years ago) link

I thought it was about favorites. Satisfaction is a total piece of shit, but I LOVE IT.

former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:24 (eleven years ago) link

I just couldn't resist a three-women-in-a-barrel poster.

caro's johnson (Eazy), Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:27 (eleven years ago) link

feel like Tarantino has been really conscientious about this:

Jackie Brown
Kill Bill
Inglorious Basterds

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:56 (eleven years ago) link

Fargo, obviously

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:56 (eleven years ago) link

Ward OTM re: 3 Women and Carrie, two of my favorites

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 3 May 2012 15:57 (eleven years ago) link

The Sterile Cuckoo's good, though slight; also, Rachel, Rachel.

clemenza, Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:05 (eleven years ago) link

Cabaret
I'm Dancing As Fast As I Can
They Shoot Horses, Don't They

former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:08 (eleven years ago) link

I'm kind of feeling like the exclusion criteria should be extended... Solely female protagonists (no male/female romance, no mixed ensemble), no 'girls about to be killed', nothing solely based on their psychological damage (that one's more tricky, but I look at a load of these and I just see 'women as victims' as strongly as you do with the about-to-die horror girl). And I'm certainly not saying that male protagonists never get these roles, they just get other roles too...

emil.y, Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:15 (eleven years ago) link

And I'm not saying those roles are always bad roles, or in bad films, or anything. I mean, most of my favourite films are about psychologically damaged protagonists... argh, I don't know. Whatever.

emil.y, Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:17 (eleven years ago) link

oh duh -- Sayles' Passion Fish w/ a pair of great performances by Alfre Woodard and Mary McDonnell, virtually in every scene together.

I almost mentioned this before realizing that I remember virtually nothing about it.

sockless in moccasins (jaymc), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:17 (eleven years ago) link

I guess part of my problem is that I sometimes forget that there is a man there because all I remember about the movie is related to the women (Sisters, for example). I think Margot Kidder and Jennifer Salt are the stars of that movie. In fact, I don't remember the first thing about the man in Sisters aside from the fact that he was creepy.

former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:19 (eleven years ago) link

tank girl

their private gesture for bison (difficult listening hour), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:20 (eleven years ago) link

Solely female's tough for an American film (unlike, say, Bergman); even obvious choices like Wanda, or An Unmarried Woman, or Fargo prominently involve men.

clemenza, Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:22 (eleven years ago) link

Stillman's new one Damsels in Distress probably passes the Bedchel test.

jungleous butterflies strange birds (Eric H.), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:23 (eleven years ago) link

eXistenZ

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:25 (eleven years ago) link

wait no one's said Alien yet? lol

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:25 (eleven years ago) link

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:25 (eleven years ago) link

was gonna say Heavenly Creatures but I guess that isn't American :(

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:26 (eleven years ago) link

Freeway

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:32 (eleven years ago) link

Election (more of an ensemble thing I guess but Witherspoon and the other female lead whose name escapes me get as much screentime as the male protagonists)

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:33 (eleven years ago) link

no one likes Thelma and Louise anymore? :(

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:34 (eleven years ago) link

I should watch it again. Haven't seen it in probably ten years.

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:35 (eleven years ago) link

Can't stand Thelma and Louise, I must say...

emil.y, Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:36 (eleven years ago) link

Palindromes - more leads than I can remember, but all female

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:37 (eleven years ago) link

we're seeing taste overlap

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:37 (eleven years ago) link

more leads than I can remember, but all female

One of those was a willowy boy.

jungleous butterflies strange birds (Eric H.), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:37 (eleven years ago) link

d'oh! allright well 7 out of 8 were female

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:39 (eleven years ago) link

Go Fish

World Congress of Itch (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:40 (eleven years ago) link

Oh, someone was talking about that recently - sounds good (or at least, it sounded good when I established in my head it wasn't terrible '90s Brit-flick Shooting Fish).

emil.y, Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:49 (eleven years ago) link

would you guys consider jeff daniels to be the clear protagonist of something wild? i would say yes, esp. because melanie griffith is such a proto-M.P.D.G.

awesome lists here, though i must cavil that bonjour tristesse is 1959 and some of the other movies listed are objectively awful ("monster"?!).

i guess i'd add some interesting exploitation items by stephanie rothman: the student nurses and the velvet vampire (particularly the latter).

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 3 May 2012 16:59 (eleven years ago) link

poltergeist maybe fits in here too? maybe?

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 3 May 2012 17:00 (eleven years ago) link

Little Darlings

^^^love this movie so much

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 3 May 2012 17:02 (eleven years ago) link

Going with what emil.y's reply earlier, I do have a problem with a lot of these films' failure to pass the Bechdel test. And while I love A Woman Under the Influence & etc., they are films all about how bitches be crazy.

I'm seriously blanking on my favorite American titles though. All I can think of right now are European films--they tend to play with the limits of female protagonists more broadly. The Dutch film A Question of Silence, for example, tackles the intense emotional reactions of three women but further explores how this may be a reaction to systematic oppression vs. inherent craziness.

superpussy, Thursday, 3 May 2012 17:04 (eleven years ago) link

Monster is the Aileen Wuornos bio, rather than any other film of the same name (or Monster's Ball, for that matter). I haven't seen it, but a lot of people seemed to like it.

Andrew Farrell, Thursday, 3 May 2012 17:05 (eleven years ago) link

they are films all about how bitches be crazy

To be fair, most of the movies not listed itt are about how men be idiots.

jungleous butterflies strange birds (Eric H.), Thursday, 3 May 2012 17:08 (eleven years ago) link

Monster is so ridiculously terrible, the original Broomfield docs are infinitely superior

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 3 May 2012 17:13 (eleven years ago) link

I'm assuming from it's not being mentioned yet that To Kill A Mockingbird must have turned 50 recently...

bit.ly sno cone maker (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 3 May 2012 17:17 (eleven years ago) link

You Can Count On Me

President Keyes, Thursday, 3 May 2012 17:19 (eleven years ago) link

Um, ILX I know you hate Death Proof but DEATH PROOF

and it passes the Bechdel with flying colors

so there

:D

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 3 May 2012 17:27 (eleven years ago) link

that one has so many protagonists it's a bit of a grey area altho yeah it passes the Bechdel test...

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 3 May 2012 17:29 (eleven years ago) link

My favorites would def be Death Proof, and True Grit, and To Kill a Mockingbird. Oh, and Beetlejuice.

True Grit apparently passes the Bechdel on a technicality bcs of the Boarding House lady which seems kinda weird, but for me the richness of Mattie's character outweighs my need for more than one female protagonist, (also given the period setting etc)

and I secretly love the Wynona "Little Women" movie.

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 3 May 2012 17:32 (eleven years ago) link

I secretly love the Wynona "Little Women" movie.

I don't even secretly love this movie, I just love it. I still hate Bhaer though.

Respectfully, Tyrese Gibson (Nicole), Thursday, 3 May 2012 17:35 (eleven years ago) link

this isn't factually true, but i felt like penelope spheeris was an underlying presence in the jackass movies.

Philip Nunez, Thursday, 3 May 2012 17:41 (eleven years ago) link

Angela (Rebecca Miller's first film)
May

bit.ly sno cone maker (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 3 May 2012 17:42 (eleven years ago) link

May! Good one.

add No Such Thing even though part of the Sarah Polley character was a little bit meek and dull, the other part was not.

former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Thursday, 3 May 2012 17:48 (eleven years ago) link

some of the other movies listed are objectively awful ("monster"?!)

The way I approached this was to consult my .xls of every movie I've seen since 1992 and jot down all the ones that met the requirements. After doing so, I deleted the ones I disliked or didn't remember enough about to say one way or another. I'm in no position to defend Monster, but I recall not hating it.

sockless in moccasins (jaymc), Thursday, 3 May 2012 17:52 (eleven years ago) link

rambling rose

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:12 (eleven years ago) link

outrage & not wanted, both by ida lupino

moullet, Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:14 (eleven years ago) link

I secretly love the Wynona "Little Women" movie.

I don't even secretly love this movie, I just love it. I still hate Bhaer though.

― Respectfully, Tyrese Gibson (Nicole), Thursday, May 3, 2012 12:35 PM (58 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i love this one too

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:35 (eleven years ago) link

everyone just seemed so perfectly cast

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:37 (eleven years ago) link

no shame in loving that movie -- it's good! Susan Sarandon was the only one who looked too modern (and portended sexless roles).

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:39 (eleven years ago) link

would you guys consider jeff daniels to be the clear protagonist of something wild?

Yes; the most interesting character, not at all. It's like American Graffiti: Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips, and Cindy Williams are so much more interesting than almost all the male characters.

clemenza, Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:45 (eleven years ago) link

Alien's an even worse fit than Aliens - Ripley is just one of the big cast, she doesn't become the most interesting until she's the only one left.

Andrew Farrell, Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:46 (eleven years ago) link

she is, however, the protagonist when all is said and done. the movie just takes its time making that clear. i'd say it counts.

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:47 (eleven years ago) link

xspost Alfred, yeah that's true...I'll give her a pass though because even her regular speaking voice is just so perfectly Marmee, at least to me. It's totally how she sounded in my head all those years!

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:48 (eleven years ago) link

times square

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:50 (eleven years ago) link

dang, a lot of the movies i wanted to mention (foxes, the runaways, switchblade sisters) are already up here

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:51 (eleven years ago) link

if anything in the alien franchise emphasizes the female POV more than others it's probably alien:resurrection.

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 3 May 2012 20:24 (eleven years ago) link

i actually kind of like that movie.

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 3 May 2012 20:24 (eleven years ago) link

'little women' is rly good -- winona's last good role (and film), probably.

(The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Thursday, 3 May 2012 20:31 (eleven years ago) link

lol remember when she scored two consecutive Oscar nominations

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 3 May 2012 20:32 (eleven years ago) link

'little women' is rly good -- winona's last good role (and film), probably.

― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Thursday, May 3, 2012 3:31 PM (31 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

that reminds me, is winona the protagonist of edward scissorhands? or beetlejuice for that matter?

(i'd humbly suggest that E.S. has dual protagonists, and actually re. beetlejuice i have no idea. is it alec baldwin and geena davis, alec and winona, or just alec?)

good god how crushworthy was winona in those days?

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 3 May 2012 21:04 (eleven years ago) link

i thought she was rather good in black swan, she's still got it in her, just please stop making her play stupid girlfriend roles!

former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Thursday, 3 May 2012 21:08 (eleven years ago) link

One of these Halloweens I'm going to get my shit together and do a Lydia/Beetlejuice costume

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 3 May 2012 21:10 (eleven years ago) link

oh man a couple with lydia and beetlejuice costumes would be off the charts. actually winona+dress + johnny depp from edward scissorhands would be nifty too.

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 3 May 2012 21:11 (eleven years ago) link

Nah, Edward himself is the protagonist, she's the leading lady.

Beetlejuice is an ensemble piece, mostly led by Winona and Michael Keaton, surely?

xposts

emil.y, Thursday, 3 May 2012 21:12 (eleven years ago) link

i thought she was rather good in black swan, she's still got it in her, just please stop making her play stupid girlfriend roles!

― former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Thursday, May 3, 2012 4:08 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah her role in that vince vaughan/king of queens comedy was likewise a kind of harsh meta-assessment of winona's waning fortunes.

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 3 May 2012 21:12 (eleven years ago) link

Nah, Edward himself is the protagonist, she's the leading lady.

really? doesn't she probably has as much screen time??

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 3 May 2012 21:12 (eleven years ago) link

It's not about screen-time, though - the mother (forgotten her name) has as much screen-time, too. It's about how the story is presented, who the story belongs to, how the characterisation works...

emil.y, Thursday, 3 May 2012 21:14 (eleven years ago) link

(what the cinema ticket in your hand reads)

Andrew Farrell, Thursday, 3 May 2012 21:44 (eleven years ago) link

It's not about screen-time, though - the mother (forgotten her name) has as much screen-time, too. It's about how the story is presented, who the story belongs to, how the characterisation works...

― emil.y, Thursday, May 3, 2012 4:14 PM (30 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

right, i know. in my memory winona's goals are of equal importance, but i haven't seen it in years, so you're probably right.

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 3 May 2012 21:45 (eleven years ago) link

The Virgin Suicides? Lux is basically the protagonist, but it's also all five sisters as remembered by the teenage boys who worshipped them. So I'm not sure if it counts.

clemenza, Thursday, 3 May 2012 23:07 (eleven years ago) link

There were a couple I dithered on because of uncertainty about how "American" they were. E.g., A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries or Maria Full of Grace.

sockless in moccasins (jaymc), Thursday, 3 May 2012 23:20 (eleven years ago) link

or emma, i guess.

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Friday, 4 May 2012 00:04 (eleven years ago) link

i think monster is pretty good

these pretzels are makeing me horney (Hungry4Ass), Friday, 4 May 2012 00:07 (eleven years ago) link

There were a couple I dithered on because of uncertainty about how "American" they were. E.g., A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries or Maria Full of Grace.

― sockless in moccasins (jaymc), Thursday, May 3, 2012 7:20 PM (47 minutes ago) Bookmark

someone mentioned eXistenZ, which i think of as totally canadian

these pretzels are makeing me horney (Hungry4Ass), Friday, 4 May 2012 00:08 (eleven years ago) link

The Virgin Suicides? Lux is basically the protagonist, but it's also all five sisters as remembered by the teenage boys who worshipped them. So I'm not sure if it counts.

― clemenza, Thursday, May 3, 2012 6:07 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i'm not sure the virgin suicides is even really "about" the sisters at all, which i guess is kind of the point

1staethyr, Friday, 4 May 2012 01:29 (eleven years ago) link

well, it's about perceiving them, but also about their sense of existing in the perception of others, so

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Friday, 4 May 2012 01:49 (eleven years ago) link

it's about them as objects and not characters. they may be at the center of the story but that center is a void. idk

1staethyr, Friday, 4 May 2012 01:52 (eleven years ago) link

may be overstating things tho, it's been a long time since i've seen it

1staethyr, Friday, 4 May 2012 01:52 (eleven years ago) link

I think you're both right...which is why I wasn't sure if it belonged or not.

clemenza, Friday, 4 May 2012 03:15 (eleven years ago) link

Ones I liked (to varying degrees) that haven't been mentioned...

Young Adult
Citizen Ruth
Haywire
Strangers With Candy
Waitress
and, um, Dreamgirls?

Vini Reilly Invasion (Elvis Telecom), Friday, 4 May 2012 03:31 (eleven years ago) link

Has anyone said Juno yet? Or Whip It?

Leslie Mann: Boner Machine (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 4 May 2012 03:53 (eleven years ago) link

Getting laid and abandoned by Josh Hartnett on the 50-yd line? Doesn't that disqualify Virgin Suicides by these Bechdel Criteria I seem to have missed?

(I assume it's the graphic novelist Bechdel, whose big book I actually read)

World Congress of Itch (Dr Morbius), Friday, 4 May 2012 04:04 (eleven years ago) link

Sofia Coppola's protagonist women are interesting and perhaps debatable cases, true, but i would still call them protagonists in Lost in Translation and Marie Antoinette. and i really like those films.

obliquity of the ecliptic (rrrobyn), Friday, 4 May 2012 04:21 (eleven years ago) link

actually, now that i really think about it, not debatable, def protagonist

obliquity of the ecliptic (rrrobyn), Friday, 4 May 2012 04:22 (eleven years ago) link

Hanna also rad

obliquity of the ecliptic (rrrobyn), Friday, 4 May 2012 04:23 (eleven years ago) link

and btw Ginger Snaps is Canadian!
^ patriotic duty done for the day

obliquity of the ecliptic (rrrobyn), Friday, 4 May 2012 04:24 (eleven years ago) link

Morbius: the Bechdel Test

emil.y, Friday, 4 May 2012 04:25 (eleven years ago) link

oops, i want to expand the criteria to include canada then, cuz ginger snaps is great

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Friday, 4 May 2012 04:28 (eleven years ago) link

so's hanna, can't believe i forgot that one

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Friday, 4 May 2012 04:29 (eleven years ago) link

A Question of Silence, for example, tackles the intense emotional reactions of three women

Nobody's mentioned "3 Women" yet! Where are the Altman stans?

Race Against Rockism (Myonga Vön Bontee), Friday, 4 May 2012 04:32 (eleven years ago) link

it has been

World Congress of Itch (Dr Morbius), Friday, 4 May 2012 04:35 (eleven years ago) link

Has anyone said Juno yet? Or Whip It?

I mentioned both.

sockless in moccasins (jaymc), Friday, 4 May 2012 04:35 (eleven years ago) link

haha I totally read Morbius: the Bechdel Test as the title of an imagined film.

obliquity of the ecliptic (rrrobyn), Friday, 4 May 2012 04:38 (eleven years ago) link

xxxxxpost Ah, so it has. I knew it was unlikely to have been missed (except by me obv.)

Race Against Rockism (Myonga Vön Bontee), Friday, 4 May 2012 04:38 (eleven years ago) link

the end result of this thread is gonna be another poll, amirite?!?

Nu Metal is the best music there is, the rest is pussy shit. (Eisbaer), Friday, 4 May 2012 04:53 (eleven years ago) link

Nobody's mentioned "3 Women" yet! Where are the Altman stans?

― Race Against Rockism (Myonga Vön Bontee), Thursday, May 3, 2012 11:32 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

that's one of his worst movies, though (IMO).

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Friday, 4 May 2012 05:12 (eleven years ago) link

Blue Car is really good.

caro's johnson (Eazy), Friday, 4 May 2012 06:14 (eleven years ago) link

It's interesting to note that many of these movies fail to pass the Bechdel test... I think one reason I had a hard time coming up with good examples was because I was unconsciously excluding movies that don't pass.

Tuomas, Friday, 4 May 2012 06:46 (eleven years ago) link

The thread premise is 'with female protagonists' tho, not 'which pass the Bechdel test'.

haha I totally read Morbius: the Bechdel Test as the title of an imagined film.

Call yr contacts at Marvel. I'll have my treatment ready by monday.

bit.ly sno cone maker (Jon Lewis), Friday, 4 May 2012 15:45 (eleven years ago) link

the Runaways! def passes the Bechdel test

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:14 (eleven years ago) link

I'd like the Runaways a whole lot more if it had nothing to do with the Runaways and was just a throwaway movie about a fictional girlband

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:19 (eleven years ago) link

Anyway, the Bechdel test is an interesting exercise to look at the state of women in movies in general, but isn't very useful in assessing individual movies, IMO.

MrDasher, Friday, 4 May 2012 16:57 (eleven years ago) link

yeah i agree with that.

horseshoe, Friday, 4 May 2012 16:57 (eleven years ago) link

otm

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:58 (eleven years ago) link

Oh yeah, for sure. I mean, nor is the 'female protagonist' thing, without a list of criteria... Though asking for favourites does make it a slightly different exercise.

emil.y, Friday, 4 May 2012 17:06 (eleven years ago) link

Where are the Altman stans?

The only movie I mentioned was an Altman! Even though most of his films featured ensembles where few individuals really stood out above the pack, he generally made good use of female protagonists. He was a very female-friendly director (in many senses).

You Don't Throw Oranges On An Escalator (Deric W. Haircare), Friday, 4 May 2012 17:10 (eleven years ago) link

No one likes Terms of Endearment?

Träumerei, Friday, 4 May 2012 17:14 (eleven years ago) link

prefer Steel Magnolias

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 4 May 2012 17:18 (eleven years ago) link

love terms of endearment

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Friday, 4 May 2012 17:19 (eleven years ago) link

I really like Nicole Holofcener's movies, Lovely & Amazing and Friends With Money. Both are largely populated by female protagonists and both pass the Bechdel test (according to bechdeltest.com).

brontosaur, Friday, 4 May 2012 17:23 (eleven years ago) link

Bring it On!

brontosaur, Friday, 4 May 2012 17:28 (eleven years ago) link

dug friends with money, haven't seen lovely & amazing. have meant to forever, just never got around to it.

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Friday, 4 May 2012 17:35 (eleven years ago) link

Walking and Talking is my favorite of hers

former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Friday, 4 May 2012 17:45 (eleven years ago) link

walking and talking and please give are the best holofceners imo; walking and talking is my fave, too.

horseshoe, Friday, 4 May 2012 17:46 (eleven years ago) link

Anyway, the Bechdel test is an interesting exercise to look at the state of women in movies in general, but isn't very useful in assessing individual movies, IMO.

― MrDasher, Friday, 4 May 2012 16:57 (3 hours ago) Permalink

yeah, it's idiotic as some kind of litmus test for watching/appreciating individual films but thinking about it gives you a sense of hollywood's generally sexist orientation.

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Friday, 4 May 2012 20:05 (eleven years ago) link

Nobody's mentioned "3 Women"

I mentioned it yesterday morning

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 4 May 2012 20:09 (eleven years ago) link

disagree w/r/t hollywood -- hollywood's sexism is evidenced by gender disparity in high-power/high-pay jobs. the actual product is pretty much audience-driven.

Philip Nunez, Friday, 4 May 2012 20:09 (eleven years ago) link

thanks for making me Google the "Bechdel test"

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 4 May 2012 20:10 (eleven years ago) link

disagree w/r/t hollywood -- hollywood's sexism is evidenced by gender disparity in high-power/high-pay jobs. the actual product is pretty much audience-driven.

― Philip Nunez, Friday, May 4, 2012 3:09 PM (7 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

which doesn't mean it's immune from dysfunctional attitudes on gender!

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Friday, 4 May 2012 20:17 (eleven years ago) link

Nobody's mentioned "3 Women"

I mentioned it yesterday morning

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn)

And morbs mentioned that you mentioned it last night!

Race Against Rockism (Myonga Vön Bontee), Friday, 4 May 2012 20:19 (eleven years ago) link

i'm gonna mention it again just in case: 3 women.

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Friday, 4 May 2012 20:20 (eleven years ago) link

"which doesn't mean it's immune from dysfunctional attitudes on gender!"
it ... sort of is! having no principles w/r/t making money means that the only barrier is the audience's willingness to pay for it.

Philip Nunez, Friday, 4 May 2012 20:26 (eleven years ago) link

i mean, mel gibson got his foreign-language torture movies made because enough people wanted to see it, jesus!

Philip Nunez, Friday, 4 May 2012 20:28 (eleven years ago) link

"which doesn't mean it's immune from dysfunctional attitudes on gender!"
it ... sort of is! having no principles w/r/t making money means that the only barrier is the audience's willingness to pay for it.

― Philip Nunez, Friday, May 4, 2012 3:26 PM (9 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

but... i don't follow.

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Friday, 4 May 2012 20:36 (eleven years ago) link

What, is this a poll or a listing?

1. Aliens
2. Alien
3. Heathers

Choad of Choad Hall (kingfish), Friday, 4 May 2012 20:59 (eleven years ago) link

"but... i don't follow."
what i mean is that the sexism in hollywood that puts a glass ceiling on, say, a woman wanting to become a director or producer wouldn't stop a movie with two or more female characters talking about stuff getting made, provided it could make a lot of money.

Philip Nunez, Friday, 4 May 2012 21:27 (eleven years ago) link

You're assuming that hollywood has a crystal ball that shows it what people want - the evidence here is shaky to say the least.

Andrew Farrell, Friday, 4 May 2012 22:55 (eleven years ago) link

It's not so much a crystal ball as simply thinking "people like Julia Roberts/Cameron Diaz/Kate Hudson/Anne Hathaway etc., so let's develop stuff for them."

Leslie Mann: Boner Machine (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 4 May 2012 23:12 (eleven years ago) link

the fact that hollywood doesn't have a crystal ball makes them that much more likely to embrace a non-sexist formula movie if one were shown to be highly profitable. like if elfquest starring naomi klein as capt. nologo made $200million, there'd be nothing but non-sexist, socially progressive elf movies forever.

Philip Nunez, Friday, 4 May 2012 23:19 (eleven years ago) link

dare to dream

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 4 May 2012 23:20 (eleven years ago) link

so where are all the Bridesmaids knockoffs btw

Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 4 May 2012 23:20 (eleven years ago) link

aren't there like 2 or 3 already in the pipeline?

Philip Nunez, Friday, 4 May 2012 23:24 (eleven years ago) link

panic room

omar little, Friday, 4 May 2012 23:27 (eleven years ago) link

is carnival of souls too old to make the cutoff?

Philip Nunez, Friday, 4 May 2012 23:35 (eleven years ago) link

no ones mentioned the travelling pants movies fyi

johnny crunch, Friday, 4 May 2012 23:38 (eleven years ago) link

havent seen them but the protagonists are female pants i hear

johnny crunch, Friday, 4 May 2012 23:38 (eleven years ago) link

so where are all the Bridesmaids knockoffs btw

Bridesmaids was retrograde and shallow too so no worries

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 4 May 2012 23:57 (eleven years ago) link

But it had an Irish leading male!

Choad of Choad Hall (kingfish), Saturday, 5 May 2012 00:14 (eleven years ago) link

It's not so much a crystal ball as simply thinking "people like Julia Roberts/Cameron Diaz/Kate Hudson/Anne Hathaway etc., so let's develop stuff for them."

Not so much, seemingly: http://jezebel.com/5907744/the-truth-about-women-and-hollywood-these-actresses-theyre-fucked-good-luck-to-kate-and-reese

i love the large auns pictures! (Phil D.), Saturday, 5 May 2012 00:16 (eleven years ago) link


You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.