Do Action Films such as ‘Transformers’ and ‘Kill Bill’ (Vol.1) offer stereotypical representations of women?
Within this investigation I want to look at how the female protagonists are represented within the action film genre, with particular focus on the texts ‘Transformers’ (2007) and “Kill Bill Vol.1’ (2003). In this investigation I am going to look at how the females are represented throughout the films, analyzing sequences and applying theories such as representation approaches like voyeurism and scopophilia as well as Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory (1975). I will also incorporate genre theory into this investigation.“An action adventure film is essentially one long quest with a succession of different chase sequences, each one more death defying and seemingly impossible than the one before.” (10). Conventions of the action genre would be weapons and fights, cat and mouse chase, a mission waiting to be complete and most commonly binary opposition (good vs. bad). Through the iconography you can see that both of my chosen texts fall under the ‘action’ genre category. Before viewing the film the audience are already shown the genre on the film posters. For example in one of my films ‘Transformers’ it contains futuristic and hi-tech machinery, which is another convention of the action genre. You can see this on the film poster, the two main protagonists are centred at the bottom of the poster, looming over them is Bumblebee, a futuristic transformer. Behind them you can see explosions, another convention of the genre as explosions usually occur when fighting with futuristic and hi-tech machinery. This type of machinery can also be seen in the film ‘Pacific Rim’ (2013) as the monstrous creatures, the Kaiju, are similar to the Transformers.
However, in Quentin Tarantino’s fourth studio film, Kill Bill Vol.1 (1) this is not the case. The first part of the two-film narrative features a non-linear narrative and a female led action film. The protagonist of the film is ‘The Bride,’ portrayed by actress Uma Thurman. ‘The Bride’ is naturally pretty/ attractive, has an athletic sculpted body-which is emphasized with the skin tight suit- she doesn’t wear any make-up and her hair hasn’t been styled. Through the mise-en-scene this suggests that she is going against the male gaze and is being represented solely as a strong and independent character or has no intention of enticing the male audience with her appearance.
However, in the opening scene of KB (1) ‘The Bride’ is represented (in Mulvey’s perception) as a passive female, as in this scene she is being dominated by the male and is in need of his protection. The first shot you see in the opening scene is a close up of a female’s head/ face. The camera is at a high angle on this character, which shows that she is in danger and that she is in need of rescuing, the camera movement is still, which emphasises how frantic she by watching her movements. The high angle captures her crying and her face covered in cuts which are new as blood is smeared on her face. Through the mise-en-scene you can see that this character is wearing a veil, which is crumpled up next to her head, which suggests that she is lying on the floor. The veil is an item of clothing that a female wears when getting married, you’re shown through the visual codes and the mise-en-scene that this character is the protagonist, ‘The Bride’. Accompanied with the mise-en-scene, you can hear diegetic sound of her gasping showing her fear. These are rapid and in the distance you hear shoes in the distance getting louder suggesting they’re walking towards her, which creates suspense.
Shot reverse shot is used here to capture feet walking towards ‘The Bride’. The first shot is of ‘The Bride’ at the beginning. Then the reverse shot is of two shoes walking. The diegetic sound you hear is from the shoes heels, the sound creates tension as you hear the pace they are walking at. In the distance you can hear the gasps from ‘The Bride’. The style and size of the shoes are typically male. The next shot goes back to ‘The Bride’ lying on the floor. You can tell by the expression on her face-which is captured with the use of a close up- she is being dominated by this male as her eyes look up to him as he looms over her. Through the mise-en-scene and the visual codes it suggests that this is from a male perspective/ doing and “him gaining control and possession of the women within the diegesis” (6). Her representation changes as the non-linear narrative unfolds.
For example the scene within KB (1) where ‘The Bride’ confronts O-Ren Ishii you see that her representation and role within the film has changed from a passive role to a more active role.
A mid-shot is used to capture two-men talking about food, the camera pans around to reveal others in the room sitting around a table, to capture the conversation, the movement of the camera acts as if it too were a part of the group. Diegetic sound from the conversation can be heard along with non-diegetic sound of cultural music in the background. Camera pans to a woman at the head of the table; the mise-en-scene shows her power. Her positioning and clothing show this as the others are wearing black where as she is wearing a white robe. White suggests power and purity, accompanied with her positioning shows her power as well as the slight low angle used to capture her. A straight cut is then used to show an extreme close up of a woman’s mouth as she is shouting for O-Ren Ishii. A split screen is then used to merge the mid-shot of O-Ren Ishii and the extreme close-up of this woman side by side. A mid-shot with shallow focus is then used to capture the back of a woman wearing a black robe with her hair tied up facing as balcony. The focus then shifts to a deep focus to show what she’s facing and to capture the people in the previous shot with O-Ren Ishii coming out to face whoever shouted her. Mid-shot is used again to reveal the woman dressed in black, you also see someone hiding behind her, the camera then pans across to track this person as they move into view. This is where you figure out that it’s ‘The Bride’ coming to face O-Ren Ishii.
Through the mise-en-scene you can see that ‘The Bride’s’ representation has changed since the opening scene. In the first scene she was represented as in need of rescuing and as weak, this was shown through the mise-en-scene of the smeared make-up, scrunched up and ripped veil, blood and cuts on her face, emphasising her danger and incapability to help/ save herself. Whereas in this scene she isn’t wearing any make-up, her hair hasn’t been styled and she is wearing a tight yellow suit, instead of being “displayed as sexual object” (6) she has been styled as independent and visually strong, altering her representation of a “passive/ female” (6) to a more active female protagonist.
For Mulvey, by casting the lead protagonist female is a step in the right direction, as before females in films were classed as ‘passive’ and were represented in need of protection from the males, but in Tarantino’s KB films the female protagonist is more active and in Propp’s narrative theory, would refuse the role of ‘princess’ or reverse it, into becoming the ‘hero’ or in this case the ‘heroine’.
Shot reverse shot is used here to capture feet walking towards ‘The Bride’. The first shot is of ‘The Bride’ at the beginning. Then the reverse shot is of two shoes walking. The diegetic sound you hear is from the shoes heels, the sound creates tension as you hear the pace they are walking at. In the distance you can hear the gasps from ‘The Bride’. The style and size of the shoes are typically male. The next shot goes back to ‘The Bride’ lying on the floor. You can tell by the expression on her face-which is captured with the use of a close up- she is being dominated by this male as her eyes look up to him as he looms over her. Through the mise-en-scene and the visual codes it suggests that this is from a male perspective/ doing and “him gaining control and possession of the women within the diegesis” (6). Her representation changes as the non-linear narrative unfolds.
For example the scene within KB (1) where ‘The Bride’ confronts O-Ren Ishii you see that her representation and role within the film has changed from a passive role to a more active role.
A mid-shot is used to capture two-men talking about food, the camera pans around to reveal others in the room sitting around a table, to capture the conversation, the movement of the camera acts as if it too were a part of the group. Diegetic sound from the conversation can be heard along with non-diegetic sound of cultural music in the background. Camera pans to a woman at the head of the table; the mise-en-scene shows her power. Her positioning and clothing show this as the others are wearing black where as she is wearing a white robe. White suggests power and purity, accompanied with her positioning shows her power as well as the slight low angle used to capture her. A straight cut is then used to show an extreme close up of a woman’s mouth as she is shouting for O-Ren Ishii. A split screen is then used to merge the mid-shot of O-Ren Ishii and the extreme close-up of this woman side by side. A mid-shot with shallow focus is then used to capture the back of a woman wearing a black robe with her hair tied up facing as balcony. The focus then shifts to a deep focus to show what she’s facing and to capture the people in the previous shot with O-Ren Ishii coming out to face whoever shouted her. Mid-shot is used again to reveal the woman dressed in black, you also see someone hiding behind her, the camera then pans across to track this person as they move into view. This is where you figure out that it’s ‘The Bride’ coming to face O-Ren Ishii.
Through the mise-en-scene you can see that ‘The Bride’s’ representation has changed since the opening scene. In the first scene she was represented as in need of rescuing and as weak, this was shown through the mise-en-scene of the smeared make-up, scrunched up and ripped veil, blood and cuts on her face, emphasising her danger and incapability to help/ save herself. Whereas in this scene she isn’t wearing any make-up, her hair hasn’t been styled and she is wearing a tight yellow suit, instead of being “displayed as sexual object” (6) she has been styled as independent and visually strong, altering her representation of a “passive/ female” (6) to a more active female protagonist.
For Mulvey, by casting the lead protagonist female is a step in the right direction, as before females in films were classed as ‘passive’ and were represented in need of protection from the males, but in Tarantino’s KB films the female protagonist is more active and in Propp’s narrative theory, would refuse the role of ‘princess’ or reverse it, into becoming the ‘hero’ or in this case the ‘heroine’.
My second chosen text is 2007 film ‘Transformers’ directed by Michael Bay. In KB (1) it contains one protagonist, who is female. However, in Transformers (2) there are two protagonists, one being male (Sam Witwicky) and the other female (Mikaela Banes).
“Women are simultaneously looked at and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to connote to-be-looked-at-ness.” (6) Mikaela Banes is represented through the mise-en-scene and the visual coded as “glamorous, on display, sexualised” (6).
The scene where Sam drives Mikaela home from school emphasises that Mikaela is represented as “sexualised” and “on display”. Sam’s car has cut off in the middle of nowhere so Mikaela jumps out of the car and lifts the bonnet up to assess the situation. Her knowledge of cars is impressive to Sam and also to the male audience showing that she is not just a subject of “scopophilic contact” (6) from the male spectator(s). Through the mise-en-scene Mikaela representation is sexualized as she is wearing a tank top that stops just above her stomach and clings to her body along with a denim mini-skirt that rests on her hips. The way she has positioned herself (arms above her head) whilst looking at the engine elongates her body resulting in her top rising up revealing more of her stomach- giving the spectator(s) more to look at. The camera then pans and zooms around the car to the side of the bonnet and shows Sam and Mikaela looking at the engine captured at a low angle. Sam is seen staring at Mikaela’s body, which has been brought closer to the camera due to the pan and the zoom used before. This shows Sam as “the bearer of the look” (6). The way Sam is staring at Mikaela is also the way the “active/ male and passive/ female”(6) audience would look at her. It also shows Sam as “he projects his look on to that of his like, his screen surrogate,” (6). Accompanied with these shots is non-diegetic sound of ‘heavenly’ sounding music that is being played, implying that Sam finds Mikaela angelic or finds her body that of an angel. The camera then tilts up and down Mikaela’s body as she fixes the car. The camera is fragmenting her body; the active males and the passive females would gain scopophilic pleasure in watching her bend over to fix the car as the camera fragments her body. Compared to the protagonist from KB (1) Mikaela is represented as visually and narratively strong causing the male spectator(s) to gain pleasure in looking at her (scopophillia).
In KB (1) the lead protagonist is a female who takes an active role within the narrative. In Transformers (2) this is not the case as there are two protagonists and you can see that they have different roles within the film. The female protagonist in Transformers (2) takes a passive role within the film and is reliant on the male protagonist for protection. “The mans role as the active one of forwarding the story, making things happen,” (6) this is the case for Transformers as Sam Witwicky (male protagonist) takes a more active role within the narrative than Mikaela as the Transformers go to and trust him, without Sam’s help the Transformers can’t achieve their goal.
“Women are simultaneously looked at and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to connote to-be-looked-at-ness.” (6) Mikaela Banes is represented through the mise-en-scene and the visual coded as “glamorous, on display, sexualised” (6).
The scene where Sam drives Mikaela home from school emphasises that Mikaela is represented as “sexualised” and “on display”. Sam’s car has cut off in the middle of nowhere so Mikaela jumps out of the car and lifts the bonnet up to assess the situation. Her knowledge of cars is impressive to Sam and also to the male audience showing that she is not just a subject of “scopophilic contact” (6) from the male spectator(s). Through the mise-en-scene Mikaela representation is sexualized as she is wearing a tank top that stops just above her stomach and clings to her body along with a denim mini-skirt that rests on her hips. The way she has positioned herself (arms above her head) whilst looking at the engine elongates her body resulting in her top rising up revealing more of her stomach- giving the spectator(s) more to look at. The camera then pans and zooms around the car to the side of the bonnet and shows Sam and Mikaela looking at the engine captured at a low angle. Sam is seen staring at Mikaela’s body, which has been brought closer to the camera due to the pan and the zoom used before. This shows Sam as “the bearer of the look” (6). The way Sam is staring at Mikaela is also the way the “active/ male and passive/ female”(6) audience would look at her. It also shows Sam as “he projects his look on to that of his like, his screen surrogate,” (6). Accompanied with these shots is non-diegetic sound of ‘heavenly’ sounding music that is being played, implying that Sam finds Mikaela angelic or finds her body that of an angel. The camera then tilts up and down Mikaela’s body as she fixes the car. The camera is fragmenting her body; the active males and the passive females would gain scopophilic pleasure in watching her bend over to fix the car as the camera fragments her body. Compared to the protagonist from KB (1) Mikaela is represented as visually and narratively strong causing the male spectator(s) to gain pleasure in looking at her (scopophillia).
In KB (1) the lead protagonist is a female who takes an active role within the narrative. In Transformers (2) this is not the case as there are two protagonists and you can see that they have different roles within the film. The female protagonist in Transformers (2) takes a passive role within the film and is reliant on the male protagonist for protection. “The mans role as the active one of forwarding the story, making things happen,” (6) this is the case for Transformers as Sam Witwicky (male protagonist) takes a more active role within the narrative than Mikaela as the Transformers go to and trust him, without Sam’s help the Transformers can’t achieve their goal.
However, this representation is then changed during the scene where Sam’s car/ transformer, Bumblebee fights Barricade, as it is Mikaela who saves Sam from being killed by a smaller robot/ transformer.
At the beginning of the scene a high angle is used to show Sam’s car becoming the transformer Bumblebee. The camera then tilts downwards to reveal Sam and Mikaela lying on the floor in between the legs of the transformer. At this point both protagonists are reliant on Bumblebee for protection, showing Bumblebee as an active character. Binary opposition is visible in this scene as Bumblebee is fighting Barricade which is good vs. bad.
Mikaela and Sam are then faced with Barricade looming over them and a high angle is used to capture them crawling away, the high angle shows their vulnerability towards this transformer.
Sam then gets attacked by a smaller robot; this is captured with a low angle on the robot as it drags Sam down. The roles have now been reversed and it is Sam who is in need of protection/ help from Mikaela. A tracking shot is then used to follow Mikaela as she tries to find a weapon to kill the robot attacking Sam. When Mikaela finds a suitable weapon, a low angle is used to show her holding it showing her power. As she slices the robot a low angle is used capturing her power and showing that she is more active in this scene as she has just saved Sam. Through the mise-en-scene you can see that Mikaela’s role/ representation has changed, as she is wearing jeans, a white tank top that covers the whole of her stomach and a denim jacket. Compared to the previous scene from Transformers (2) this shows Mikaela as a stronger protagonist and as someone who is not being subjected to scopophilia.
In conclusion both films connote to showing aspects of stereotypical representations of the female within their narratives. In KB (1) the Bride's representation changes in Mulvey's perception from a 'passive/ female' (6) to a more active protagonist. Even though the role has changed and the stereotypical representation of women in the action genre reverted, the Bride is/ was constructed as a vulnerable, 'passive/ female' (6) within the narrative. However, compared to Transformers (2) this representation is brief whereas Mikaela's is referred to throughout the film.
Mikaela is represented as a subject of male gaze and sexual objectification from the start. "Women as image, Man as bearer of the look," (6) implying that women are there purely for the male spectator(s) gratification. This is an accurate representation of how Mikaela is portrayed/ represented within Transformers. However, compared to KB (1), Transformers has two protagonists- one male and one female- which may be the cause behind Mikaela's stereotypical representation within the narrative as Mulvey says in her essay "the mans role as the active one of forwarding the story, making things happen," (6).
Finally, both narratives show stereotypical representations of women in the action genre.
At the beginning of the scene a high angle is used to show Sam’s car becoming the transformer Bumblebee. The camera then tilts downwards to reveal Sam and Mikaela lying on the floor in between the legs of the transformer. At this point both protagonists are reliant on Bumblebee for protection, showing Bumblebee as an active character. Binary opposition is visible in this scene as Bumblebee is fighting Barricade which is good vs. bad.
Mikaela and Sam are then faced with Barricade looming over them and a high angle is used to capture them crawling away, the high angle shows their vulnerability towards this transformer.
Sam then gets attacked by a smaller robot; this is captured with a low angle on the robot as it drags Sam down. The roles have now been reversed and it is Sam who is in need of protection/ help from Mikaela. A tracking shot is then used to follow Mikaela as she tries to find a weapon to kill the robot attacking Sam. When Mikaela finds a suitable weapon, a low angle is used to show her holding it showing her power. As she slices the robot a low angle is used capturing her power and showing that she is more active in this scene as she has just saved Sam. Through the mise-en-scene you can see that Mikaela’s role/ representation has changed, as she is wearing jeans, a white tank top that covers the whole of her stomach and a denim jacket. Compared to the previous scene from Transformers (2) this shows Mikaela as a stronger protagonist and as someone who is not being subjected to scopophilia.
In conclusion both films connote to showing aspects of stereotypical representations of the female within their narratives. In KB (1) the Bride's representation changes in Mulvey's perception from a 'passive/ female' (6) to a more active protagonist. Even though the role has changed and the stereotypical representation of women in the action genre reverted, the Bride is/ was constructed as a vulnerable, 'passive/ female' (6) within the narrative. However, compared to Transformers (2) this representation is brief whereas Mikaela's is referred to throughout the film.
Mikaela is represented as a subject of male gaze and sexual objectification from the start. "Women as image, Man as bearer of the look," (6) implying that women are there purely for the male spectator(s) gratification. This is an accurate representation of how Mikaela is portrayed/ represented within Transformers. However, compared to KB (1), Transformers has two protagonists- one male and one female- which may be the cause behind Mikaela's stereotypical representation within the narrative as Mulvey says in her essay "the mans role as the active one of forwarding the story, making things happen," (6).
Finally, both narratives show stereotypical representations of women in the action genre.
Bibliography
(1) Film: Kill Bill Volume 1, Director: Quentin Tarantino, Year: 2003
(2) Film: Transformers, Director: , Year: 2007
(9) Book: Media Studies AS & A2 by Jacquie Bennett
(10) http://brianair.wordpress.com/film-theory/codes-and-conventions-of-action-adventure-films/
(10) http://brianair.wordpress.com/film-theory/codes-and-conventions-of-action-adventure-films/
Scoop.it
For my research investigation I have been collecting articles, interviews and videos that link in and will help inform me in answering my research investigation theory. This research has been collected and posted onto my 'Scoop.it' page which is:
http://www.scoop.it/t/a2-media
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