The new Indiana Jones movie

[catsittingstill]

Kip and I ran errands this afternoon, and while we were out, went to see a matinee of the new Indiana Jones movie.  It's not, um, great literature or anything, but it was fun and amusing.  Coming out of the theater, Kip commented that Kate Blanchett's character (the cool Russian villain) stole every scene she was in, effortlessly, and that he thought her experience playing Elizabeth in previous movies might have something to do with it.  I mentioned that in some ways I admired the character's courage and unflinching willingness to risk everything for knowledge--that I had really disliked her to that point, but found that part of her character admirable.  Kip pointed out that she was the leader of the bad guys--not somebody's beautiful female sidekick--and furthermore that very little preparation had been necessary to convince the audience that of course a woman could be in charge.  He saw that as progress toward women's equality.  That seemed reasonable to me too.

Then tonight, hours later, I was thinking about the Bechdel Movie Measure, (origin here).  It isn't a high bar to get over--it merely requires that a movie have two female characters who talk to each other about something other than a man.  Pause to consider how many movies have two male characters who talk to each other about something other than a woman--it's routine, right?  Now I understand that the people who write scripts don't have enough airtime to show us everything that happens to everyone, so they only show the most important parts.  But somehow, the important parts are never what two women might say to each other about something other than a man.  And thus most movies fail the Bechdel Movie Measure.

Including, for all its progress toward women's equality,  Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Sigh.

Comments

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

I hadn't heard of the Bechdel Movie Measure, but I absolutely love it. Thanks for introducing me to it.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

:-) You're welcome

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

OMG, I read that comic in college - about twenty years ago! And to think that so many movies *still* can't trip over that bar on the floor!

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

I only came across it about a year ago. But yes, it's appalling how many movies can't pass such a simple test.

[karinny.livejournal.com]

I loved the villian. I loved her smile every time she got the skull. it made me smile, too. I have to say, I loved the movie in all its cheesy glory. *grin*

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Oh, I liked the villian and I enjoyed the movie very much.

[min0taur.livejournal.com]

>"...most movies fail the Bechdel Movie Measure."

Sadly but truly, the consistency with which (IMHO) "Serenity" and the whole "Firefly" miniverse honor the Bechtel Movie Measure make it look so effortless -- like antigravity -- that one wonders why the other filmmakers don't just get human and make the leap.

[Something about cashflow. Something about pulp roots. Something about male adolescent fantasies as a consistent moneymaker. Something about blind force of habit. Something about No Damn Excuse Regardless.]

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

I think that a lot of people just make movies that are like the movies they grew up with. People seem to have a hard time visualizing different *social* systems. I see it in books too, though not as much. But maybe I haven't been looking for it.

[almeda.livejournal.com]

It's one thing I love about the current CBS series Criminal Minds, too.