ABSTRACT GirlsWithGuns: UnderstandingGenderandViolenceinContemporaryActionCinema DavidE.Roark,M.A. Mentor:JamesKendrick,Ph.D.

SinceRidleyScottsAlien(1979)therehasbeenasteadytrendtoward

moviesfeaturingwomenusingfirepower.Thesefilmshavebeen,forthemostpart, shunnedbythecriticalcommunity.Theyareregularlycalledsexistand/or unsophisticated.Iarguethatthesecriticismsoftenignorethebasicmechanismsat workwithinthesefilmsandhowtheyeffectivelycommunicatepositive representationsofwomen.ThroughanalysesofAlien,Terminator2:JudgmentDay (1991),BarbWire(1996),SuckerPunch(2011),KickAss(2010),andLaFemme Nikita(1990),Iarguethat,whilethesefilmsincludeproblematicelements(e.g., ideologicallymalewomen,sexualization,andwomenwhosemotivationrelieson oneormoremales),theyarealsooftenmisunderstood.Withinthecontextofafilm, thesetabooscanbeusedtocriticizesocietysunderstandingofestablishedgender norms.Therefore,thegirlswithgunssubgenreshouldnotbeseenasnecessarily regressive.

GirlsWithGuns: UnderstandingGenderandViolenceinContemporaryActionCinema by DavidE.Roark,B.A. AThesis ApprovedbytheDepartmentofCommunicationStudies ___________________________________ DavidW.Schlueter,Ph.D.,Chairperson SubmittedtotheGraduateFacultyof BaylorUniversityinPartialFulfillmentofthe RequirementsfortheDegree of MasterofArts ApprovedbytheThesisCommittee ___________________________________ JamesKendrick,Ph.D.,Chairperson ___________________________________ MichaelF.Korpi,Ph.D. ___________________________________ RobertF.DardenIII,M.J. AcceptedbytheGraduateSchool December2011 ___________________________________ J.LarryLyon,Ph.D.,Dean

Page bearing signatures is kept on file in the Graduate School.

Copyright 2011 by David E. Roark All rights reserved

TABLEOFCONTENTS Acknowledgments...............................................................v Chapter1 Introduction AGirlandaGun.................................................. 1 GirlswithGunsForemothers......................................2 TheThreeMajorIssues...........................................5 Chapter2 PhallicWomen TheDeathofFreud?..............................................11 Girls,GunsandCastrationAnxiety................................ 13 Terminator2:Goodmorning,Dr.Silverman.Howstheknee?....17 TheMatrix:DodgeThis.........................................22 TheDifference...................................................25 Chapter3 TheActionChickFetish TheFetishizedFemaleKiller...................................... 27 TheLook.........................................................29 BarbWire:Dontcallmebabe...................................31 SuckerPunch:Youhavealltheweaponsyouneed............... 36 FailedFetishCriticism............................................41 Chapter4 RestrainingHerMotives DefusingCastrationAnxiety.......................................42 TheMotherArchetype:Alien......................................44 TheMotherArchetype:Terminator2..............................48 TheDaughterArchetype:LaFemmeNikita........................52 TheDaughterArchetype:KickAss.................................56 WhereTheyWentRight..........................................60 Chapter5 Conclusion TheStatusQuo....................................................62 WhyHereandNow?..............................................62 ReceivingThemWithOpenArms.................................64 ThePhallicWoman...............................................66 iii

 Sexualization.....................................................67 Feminization.....................................................68 ThePower........................................................69 Appendix ListofGirlswithGunsMovies............................................71 Bibliography.....................................................................73

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Iwouldliketothankallofthededicatedpeoplewhohelpedmewritethis

thesis.RobertF.DardenIIIforhispatienceandhelpfulcriticism.Dr.MichaelKorpi forinspiringmewiththetopicandallofthelunchbrainstormingsessions.AndDr. JamesKendrickforhiscommitmenttoreadingendlessrevisionsofchaptersand coachingmebothacademicallyandpersonally.Tomyparentsandparentsinlaw, thankyoufortheloveandsupportittakestowriteathesis.AndtomywifeApril anddaughterAddison,thankyouforyourongoingloveandsupportinallofmy endeavors.

CHAPTERONE Introduction AGirlandAGun TheideathatAllyouneedtomakeamovieisagirlandagunisoften

attributedtothefamousFrenchNewWavefilmmakerJeanLucGodard.Whilethere isnoconcreteknowledgeaboutwherehesaidit,thestatement,whetheritwas Godardornot,essentiallydistillstheessenceofwhatisappealingaboutmovies.To Godard,cinemaisawindowthroughwhichhumanityshouldviewthingsthey wouldotherwisebeunabletoexperience.Inthiscase,girlsandgunscombineto makewhatGodardbelievesisaworthwhilemovie. WhatGodarddoesnotexplicitlystateisequallyimportantindetermining whyandhowthesecomponentsworktogether.Ifagirlandagunprovidethe necessarymeanstocreateamovie,itisimportanttounderstandwhatGodardis actuallysaying.First,hedidnotimplythatitisnecessaryforallmoviestohavea girlandagun.Rather,thesecriteriahappentomakeacompellingcombination.Itis alsoimportanttonotethathedoesnotstatethatthegirlmustwieldthegun.Itis merelyrelatedthatbothmustbepresent.Infact,withinhisbodyofwork,itisjust aslikely,ifnotmoreso,thatonewillfindaguninamanshand. However,alookatsomerecentboxofficehitssuggeststhatmodern audiencesfindgirlswithgunsparticularlycompelling:Salt(2010),ResidentEvil: Afterlife(2010),andKnightandDay(2010)areonlyafewoftherecenthits

featuringwomen(orgirls)askillingmachines.Allofthesemoviesreceivedmixed reviewsandallofthemmademorethan$60millionboxoffice(BoxOfficeMojo). Thistrendhighlightsthefactthatagirlwithagunisaparticularlyresonateidea whetherornotcriticsfullyappreciatethem. LikeGodard,Ibelievetheideaofgirlsandgunsprovidesamotivationthat

canbeexploitedtomakeacompellingmovie.Theboxofficeisnowconsistently bombardedwithmoviesaboutwomenwhonotonlywieldguns,butdosomore effectivelythantheirmalecounterparts.Thesecharactersresonatewithboththe Americanpublicandfilmmakers.Entiretransmediafranchisesarebuiltaround starslikeAngelinaJolieandMilaJovovich,whileaudiencesanxiouslyawaitKickAss 2:BallstotheWalltosee13yearoldChloeMoretzmaimbadguys.But,wemust askourselvesaquestion:Isthisagoodthing? Inthisthesis,Icriticallyexamineaspecificsubgenreoffilminwhichthe

primarydrawisthespectacleofwomenhandlingfirearms.Eachofthechaptersisa casestudythatinvestigatesoneaspectofthegirlswithgunssubgenre.By consideringpreviousresearchdoneinthearea,aswellasanalysisofspecificfilms,I intendtoinvestigatewhythisgenreissopopular,howtheaudienceinteractswith thefilms,andwhetherthefemaleprotagonistsshouldbeconsideredfeminist heroinesorjustanotherpointofmaleobjectification. GirlswithGunsForemothers Filmhasalwayshadafascinationwithbothwomenandweapons.Atthe

beginningofmotionpicturehistory,filmreliedontheaudiencesinterestinthe realisticreplicationofmotion,aswellasthemediumsabilitytoshowitsaudience 2

thingsthattheywouldneverseeotherwise.Muchofearlyfilmmaking,suchasthe EdisonCompanyswork,featurerelativelyscantilycladwomendancersandkissing (actsthatwereconsideredrisquinpublic).Later,movieslikeEdwinS.Porters TheGreatTrainRobbery(1903)featureshootouts,holdups,andafamousshotofa cowboypointingagundirectlyatthecameraandfiring.Theseimageswere receivedwithgreatexcitementatthetimeandhavebecomesynonymouswithearly film.Thisfascinationwithviolenceprovidesanimportantframeworkforcinemas currentinterestinthetopic. Ascinemadeveloped,womenweregenerallyrelegatedtosubservientand

stagnantgenderroles.JudithMaynenotesthatclassicalcinemahadanobsession withsexualhierarchy,andthatitiseasytoamassevidenceofwomansexclusion andvictimization(Mayne86).Evenintherarecasesofearlywesterns(which wereconsideredakidsgenre),suchasCalamityJane(1953),womenremained uncomplicatedandpowerless.Ofcourse,thereareplentyofexampleswhere womentakegunsintotheirownhandsandmakesomeofthemostmemorable momentsinfilmhistory.InFredZinnemannsHighNoon(1952),GaryCoopers pacifistwifekillsawouldbemurderertosaveherhusband,andinCasablanca (1942)IngridBergmanthreatensHumphreyBogartwithaguninordertoextort him.Butgenerally,theactionstarswereallmaleintheearlydaysofcinema. Inthe1940s,filmnoirintroducedthefemmefatal.Inhercanonicalbook

FromReverencetoRape,MollyHaskelldescribesthesewomenasthesultry(and diabolical)femmesfatalesoftraditionalmalefantasy,thosesilkyiconsofthefilm noirwhoseselfpossessionrepresentedaforcebeyondmanscontrolandwhowere

responsibleforhisfall(Haskell374).Haskellnotesthesecharacterseasein manipulatingthemaleheroesandtheplot.Whiletheydidgenerallywieldgunsat theendofthemovie,theycanhardlybeconsideredactionheroes.Instead,they consistentlywentoutinarathernonheroicblazeofselfdestructionduringthelast actofthefilm.Inothercases,likeDoubleIndemnity(1944),amanmurdersthe femmefatale,whichservesasareaffirmationofmalepower. Beginningin1934themotionpictureindustrysupportedTheProduction

Code,aformofselfregulationthatoutlawedexplicitsexandviolence,twosurefire boxofficedraws(HollywoodCensored:TheProductionCode).Becausethemovie industrywasbeingstifledunderthiscode,filmmakerseventuallybeganignoringit. Afteritsfallinthelate1960s,actionmovieswerereadytoexplode.Theywereno longerrestrained,forcedtomakeonlyhollowmoviesthatwouldfitthecodesbill. InHollywoodBloodshed,JamesKendrickstates,violenceinmoviesofthe1960sand 1970sisfrequentlyviewedasakindofformativemomentintheaestheticand ideologicaldevelopmentofscreenbloodshed(ix).Formosttheorists,thisera producedaparticularlyAmericanaestheticdrivenbyProductionCodebacklash. Moviesbecamemoreviolentandsexuallyovertandsawanincreaseineverything thatwasnotpreviouslypermissibleundertheProductionCode.Thisethosgave birthtothemodernactionmovie. The1970sweredominatedbymaleactionpersonaslikeClintEastwoodand CharlesBronson,withveryfewexceptions.EvenwhenactresseslikePamGrier starredinavarietyofactionpackedblaxploitationmovies,suchasCoffy(1973)or

Sheba,Baby(1974),theyremainedoutsideoftheHollywoodmainstreamandwere relativelyisolated.Actionmovieswerewaitingfortheirfemaleheroine.

The1970sproducedmanymoviesinwhichwomenusedfirearms,butthey

werestillnotactionheroesasperourdefinition.Theywere,however,incredibly subservient,andtheirfuturewasgenerallytiedtowhatevermaleactionstarthey weresleepingwith.Forinstance,inTheOmegaMan(1971),Lisa(RosalindCash)is astrongsurvivor.SheleadsagroupofsurvivorsinpostapocalypticLosAngeles, shootsthreateningmutants,anddoesitinstyle.However,whenshemeetsCharlton Heston,shesleepswithhimandmustthenrelyonhimtosaveher.Whileshedoes useviolencetosurvive,Lisascharacteremphasizesthepatriarchalpowerstructure thathassurvivedtheapocalypse. ThisformularemainedthecaseuntilRidleyScottandSigourneyWeaver createdanewkindofactionheroine,Ripley(Weaver),inthegroundbreakingmovie Alien(1979).Throughoutthemovie,theaudiencewatchesRipleydevelopfroma passivetomboytoaguntotingalienhunter.Inthesequel,Aliens(1986),sheisthe takechargeactionheroineaudienceshadbeenwaitingfor.Thesemoviesspawned asubgenreofactionmovieinwhichwomenweretheonesheroicallyperpetrating violence. TheThreeMajorIssues Thebulkoftheliteratureonthistopichasbeenwrittenfromfeminist

perspectives.Whilesometheoristsconsiderthesecharacterstobestrongwomen whocanforcetheiragendaonthemalecharactersaroundthem,manyotherssee

theminanegativelight.Thesecriticsconfrontthecharactersinquestiononthree majorissues:theiractualgender,fetishism,andagency. Thefirstisaquestionofwhetherthesecharactersareevenwomenatall.

Feministsgenerallyabhorviolenceasdisplaysofpatriarchalpower(McCaughey andKing2).Thus,whenwomenactviolently,theybecomemasculinizedorphallic women,whichraisesquestionsaboutwhetherthesemoviessimplyreproduce maleviolenceinfemaledrag(McCaugheyandKing2).Dotheseactionheroines abandontheirfemininityandthustransformintomen?CharacterslikeTrinity (CarrieAnneMoss)inTheMatrix(1999)orSarahConnor(LindaHamilton)in Terminator2:JudgmentDay(1991)evenphysicallyresemblemen.Inanessay discussingthehorrorfilm,CarolClovermakesanimportantobservationabout genderinfilm.Shestates,whatfilmmakersseemtoknowbetterthanfilmcriticsis thatgenderislessawallthanapermeablemembrane(Clover208).Accordingto Clover,thesewomenhavebothfeminineandmasculinetraits.Whileitisusually importantthatsuchcharactersarecodedfemale,theycanactuallybebothgenders atthesametime.Thisemphasizesthecharactershumanity,ratherthanhergender. Itisnot,however,difficulttounderstandwherethesetheoriescomefrom.

Ideologicallymasculinewomenshowupacrossallgenres.Bonnie(FayeDunaway), inBonnieandClyde(1967),istheviolentandsexuallyaggressivememberofthe gang,whileClyde(WarrenBeatty)isimpotent.InthetelevisionshowFirefly(2002 2003)andtheresultingmovieSerenity(2005),Zo(GinaTorres)playsajadedand ruthlesssoldierwhoismarriedtothesofthearted,funnypilotoftheship,Wash (AlanTudyk).EventheFinalGirlsinslashermovieslikeHalloween(1978)

generallyfallintothesameboat.CloverremarksthegenderoftheFinalGirlis compromisedfromtheoutsetbyhermasculineinterests,herinevitablesexual reluctance(penetration,itseems,constructsthefemale),herapartnessfromother girls,andsometimeshername(Clover210).Infact,Cloversobservationabout penetrationconstructingthefemaleisadefiningfactor.Womenwhorefusetobe victimsalmostalwaysfacequestionsabouttheirgender.Thisisoftenevidentinthe raperevengesubgenrewhere,veryoutwardly,womenwhohavebeenmadevictims refusetobevictimizedanymoreandtakeontraditionallymasculinetraitsinorder togetrevenge.Ms.45(1981)servesasaperfectexampleofthiswhentheheroine Thana(ZoLund)israpedtwiceinonedayandrespondsbyattractingrapistsand killingthemwithouthesitation.Thanaputsasideherfemininityanddonsthe masculinepersonaofthehunterinordertogetvengeance. Thesecondreasonthatcriticstakeissuewithgirlswithgunsmoviesisthe

dangerofsexualization.InhercanonicalessayVisualPleasureandNarrative Cinema,whichexamineshowthelookworksincinema,LauraMulveyexplainsthat theaudienceisforcedtoidentifywithmaleprotagonists,butmanisreluctantto gazeathisexhibitionistlike(842).Herargumentisthatmaleviewersareforcedto aligntheirlookwiththemaleprotagonistandprefernottolookuponothermales. Thefactthatevenfemalemembersoftheaudienceareencouragedtoidentifywith themaleprotagonistconstructsthemalegazeasauniversalandthefemaleisthen objectifiedasthemanseesher.Agoodexampleofthisisthescarcompetition betweenRiggs(MelGibson)andCole(ReneRusso)inLethalWeapon3(1992).As thetwocharactersshowofftheirscars,clothingbeginspeelingoff.Theaudienceis

awareofthesexualtensionintheair,andRiggstakesthingsalittletoofarwhenhe removeshispantstoshowaknifewound.WhileRussoisstillalmostcompletely clothed,theaudiencesexualizesherbecausetheyidentifywithGibsonscharacter, whileGibsonescapesthegazealmostcompletely.BecauseRiggsisthemale characterandheroofthemovie,theaudiencealignstheirlookwithhim.When RiggssexualizesColeandtriestogethernaked,theaudiencewantstoseeithappen. Lastly,critiquesofthesefilmsaremadeonthegroundsthatthefemale

charactersmotivationsareoftensubjugated.Bydilutingtheirpotency,film creatorsundercutthecharactersstrength.InheressayActionHeroinesand FemaleViewers:WhatWomenHavetoSay,TiinaVaresinterviewedwomenabout theirresponsestoviolentmovies.OnewomannamedRobynstates,Ithinkthe differencebetweenmaleandfemaleviolenceisthatfewwomenwouldmindlessly useanactionofviolence.Theydoitasalastresorttoanintolerablesituationthat theycantdealwithanyotherway(Vares231).LikeRobyn,manyfemaleviewers appreciatethemotivationsonwhichthesewomenactviolently.Intheinterview transcripts,evensomeofthosewhoareappalledbyviolenceappreciateviolent womenonscreen(Vares229230).CarolM.DolesuggeststhatHollywood deflectedaudiencediscomfortwiththefigureofthelicensedtokillwomanby incorporatingintothefilmsdialoguethequestionofwhyawomanwouldplace herselfinmensturf(81). Forinstance,inDolesanalysisofTheSilenceoftheLambs(1991),shenotes thatClarice(JodieFoster)isnotwillingtobesexualized,issmart,iscapable,and eventuallyusesviolencetosavetheday.However,sheisstillfeminizedviamultiple

fatherfigures.RikkeSchubartseesfeminizationintermsofdifferentfeminine archetypes.InhisbookSuperBitchesandActionBabes:TheFemaleHeroInPopular Cinema,19702006,Schubartreferstothemotherandthedaughterarchetypes. ClariceStarlingisaperfectexampleofadaughterarchetype.SheisaproductiveFBI agentandhuman,butfatherfiguresthroughoutthemoviesubjugateher.Herneed forapprovalfromthesefatherfiguresiswhatultimatelydrivesher. SarahConnor,ontheotherhand,fallsunderthemotherarchetype. ThroughouttheTerminatorseries,sheisportrayedasthemotherofhumanity.Her roleasmotherisrevealedinTheTerminator(1984)whenshefindsoutthatshe willgivebirthtoJohnConnor,thesaviorofhumankind,andispersonifiedin Terminator2:JudgmentDay,asherentiremotivationistoprotectherson.While Connorisobviouslyastrongfemale,hermotivationsaretraditionallyfeminine. Dolearguesthatthesemotivationskeeptheaudiencefrombecominguncomfortable withthecharactersventuringontotraditionallymasculineturf. InhercritiqueofKickAss,CarriePolanskywroteinherblog,Iaminterested

inamoviethatletsHitGirlbeasuperheroanddefeatthebadguys,andIwantto seeherdosoforherownreasons,onherownvolition.ThatsafeministfilmI wouldenjoy.Thus,PolanskyisnottroubledbyHitGirlsvulgarlanguageorhyper violentbehavior;rather,theproblemlieswithhersenseofagencyorlackthereof. ShebelievesthatHitGirlsmotivationisnotherown,butratherherfathers,which undercutsHitGirlsabilitytobecomeatrueheroine. Thesethreeissuesserveasasnapshotofthebattlefieldonwhichthese

charactersaredebatedanddiscussedintermsoftheirrepresentationof

womanhood.MollyHaskellmentionsthat,intheearly1970s,feministscould rejoiceinthefactthat,ifthenextfewyearsdidntshowamassivesurgeoffeminism infilm,theywouldatleastseeatrickleofstrongfeminineheroes.Instead,she states,womenvirtuallydisappearedfromthescreen,assexobjectsorasanything else,foroveradecade(Haskell375).Whileshedidlistafewnotableexceptions, includingRipleyfromAlien,sheworriedabouthowthemovieindustrystoodwhen sherepublishedthebookin1984.However,despitethefactthatthisdrought continuedthroughoutthe1980s,theexceptionshelpedsparkafemaleaction subgenrethathassinceflourished. Theliteraturesurroundingthissubgenreisplentiful,butacriticaltreatment

engagingallthreeofthesefactorsisstillmissing,especiallygiventherecentfluxof girlswithgunsmovies.Popliteraturehasbeeneagertoacknowledgethesemovies, butlittleacademicresearchhasbeendoneinthelastfewyears.Thisthesiswill addressallthreeoftheseissuesthroughcasestudiesofvariousmovies.Each chapterwilldealwithonemajorcriticismofgirlswithgunssubgenre:phallic women,fetishization,andfeminization.

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CHAPTERTWO PhallicWomen TheDeathofFreud? Oneofthemostobviousapproachestostudyingfemaleactionstarsis

throughapsychoanalyticlens.However,thisposesaproblemforfilmtheorists,as psychoanalysishasmanycriticswhobelievethatitiswithoutsignificant experimentalorepidemiologicalsupport(Crews55).Infact,DrewWestenmakes aninterestingandentertainingobservationthatProbablynoonesdeathhasbeen heraldedasmanytimes,overasmanyyears,asSigmundFreuds(1061).Freudis sooftenwrittenoffasdeadorirrelevantthatmanypeoplediscounthim completely.ThepsychologycommunityhasallbutdiscardedFreudswork.Astudy doneattheUniversityofMichiganof150highlyrankeduniversitiesshowsthatone ismorelikelytostudypsychoanalysisoutsideofthepsychologydepartmentthan withinit(RedmondandShulman391). However,thereremainsasignificantpresenceofFreudianthoughtwithin

filmstudies.AccordingtoPatriciaCohenofTheNewYorkTimes,Thehumanities andsocialscienceshavewelcomedpsychoanalysiswithoutcaveats(1).Infact,itis commonpracticeforfilmstudies,alongwiththeotherhumanities,toinvokeFreuds nameandtheoriesregularly.TheoristslikeLauraMulveyhaveusedthe psychoanalyticlenstoinvestigategenderrolesandtobetterunderstandfilms

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ideologicalmechanics.Freudcannotbediscountedwithinfilmstudiesfortwo majorreasons. ThefirstissimplythatFreudsideaswereverypopularandhavebeen

diffusedthroughoutoursociety.Whileitiswidelyacceptedthatmuchofhistheory isnotpsychologicallyrelevant,filmmakersandaudiencesarestillbombardedwith hisideasonaregularbasis.Freudisreferencedregularlyinallformsofmedia, fromHollywoodtoliterature.Infact,EdwardBernays,Freudsnephew,isknownas thefatherofpublicrelations(Curtis)anddevelopedourcurrentconceptof advertising.Becausetheseideasaresoprevalentinsociety,filmmakersoftentimes referencethem.WhiletheminddoesnotnecessarilyworkthewaythatFreud theorized,thepsychoanalyticlensprovidesagoodframeworkforinterpretation. BecausesomanyartistsknowFreudstheories,theypurposelyincorporatethem intotheirworks. Thesecondreasonthepsychoanalyticlensisausefultoolforfilmtheoristsis

thatnotallofitisdefunct.InHorrorFilmandPsychoanalysis:FreudsWorst Nightmare,RobinWoodrespondstothecriticismsthathereliedtooheavilyon Freudinhispreviouswork,TheAmericanNightmare,inwhichhediscussedhorror moviesintermsofthereturnoftherepressed.Intheforeword,Woodlaments thatFewtodayappeartoreadFreudorMarxwithaviewtosortingoutwhatisstill valid,whatcanbestbecastoff,andwhatneedstoberethought(xv).Amongother topics,hediscusseshow,inparticular,GeorgeA.RomerosLivingDeadTrillogy (19681985;itwasonlyatrilogywhenWoodwroteaboutit)celebratedanactive andincreasinglyresourcefulheroinewhoeventuallylearnstofreeherselffrom

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maledominationandsocialformations(Woodxvi).WoodsurmisesthatFreuds perceptionsofthemasculineandthefemininearestillvalidandthatonecanuse themtounderstandhowfemalecharactersareperceivedwithinmedia,especiallyin asubgenredefinedbyitsuseofwomen. Girls,GunsandCastrationAnxiety ThePenis.Thisorganappearsintheformofsharp,penetrating weaponsandtoolssuchasdrillsandswords;toolsandallsortsof complicatedmachineryandapparatusingeneral;tubesthatcan shoot,squirt,orgiveoffsmokesuchasfirearms,cigarettescigars, hoses,Romancandles,fountainpens,andthelike. LawrenceM.Porter InFreudsterms,aweaponisalmostalwaysconsideredaphallicobject.

Thus,whenwomenwieldafirearm,itisoftentimesuncomfortableforthemale viewer.Freuddescribesthisintermsofcastrationanxiety;becausethephallus representsmasculinepower(violence,etc),theviewerseesthisactasthewoman possessingsomethingthatisnothers(seeDole83).Notonlydoestheheroine underminethemalepowerstructure,butherpossessionofthegunrepresentsa threattotheviewersverymanhood.Oftentimes,inordertosubvertthiscastration anxiety,thefilmmakers(whoarealmostalwaysmale)sexuallyobjectifyorfeminize thefemalecharacter. Thereis,however,alargegroupofactionheroineswhoarehard,deadly,and

rarelysexualized.Thesewomenwieldlargefirearms,performdangerousstunts, andsharetraitswithcharacterslikeJohnRambo(SylvesterStallone)andJohn McClain(BruceWillis).Despitethefemalecharactersuseofphallicfirepower,male

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audiencesflocktomovieslikeKnightandDay(2010),whichmade$76million,and Salt(2010),whichmade$118million(BoxOfficeMojo). Asmanycriticshavepointedout,theimageofheroineswieldinggunsand

musclescanbeconflatedwithinthebinarygendercodesoftheactioncinemato renderthesewomenassymbolicallymale(Brown,GenderandtheAction Heroine53).Becausethesecharactersarephysicallyfemale,yetideologicallymale, theyarearguablywithoutgenderor,atworst,amaninwomansclothing.Thishas ledsomecriticstonottakethemseriouslyasfeministheroines.AsCarolM.Dole noted,academicfeministshavesometimesderidedactionheroinesasgender transvestites(Dole79). InWorkingGirls:GenderandSexualityinPopularCinema,YvonneTasker

countersthistheoryinananalysisofTheQuickandtheDead(1995)byarguingthat Ellens(SharonStone)masculinestatusdoesnotrenderherasexual(something thatStonesimagemightnotallow)(57).WhileEllenispresentedasastrongand powerfulgunfighter,sheisabletodrawonherfemininequalitiestogetwhatshe wants.Taskersobservationthatviolentwomencanbecodedaswomen,despite thefactthattheyoftenactinwaysthataretraditionallyconsideredmasculine,is keytothischapter.TaskernotesthatEllenisnotasexual;thatis,theaudience viewsherasawomanwhohasfemininetraits,butisexpectedtoactinahistorically masculinemanner.Byincorporatingthistypeofcharacter,filmmakersavoid makingmaleaudiencemembersuncomfortablewhilestillsubvertingthe patriarchalpowerstructure.

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InMen,WomenandChainSaws:GenderintheModernHorrorFilm,Carol

Cloverdiscussestheonesexandtwosexmodels.Theonesexmodelisonein whichweconsiderthesexualorgansasthesame;oneismerelyinsidethebody,and oneisoutside.Thismodelemphasizesthatawomancanbecomegenderedmalein therightcircumstances,orviceversa.Thetwosexmodelisonewheremaleand femalestandinopposition.Inthismodel,tobefemaleistonotbemale.Theone sexbinary,asshedescribesit,isauniverse,inotherwords,ofslippageand fungibility,inwhichmalenessandfemalenessarealwaystentativeandhenceonly apparent(Clover,Men,Women,andChainSaws14). Thischapterwilldealspecificallywiththeseslippages.Thefilmsdiscussed

featureshiftsbetweenmaleandfemale,whichspecificallyhelpthemaleviewer disavowcastrationanxiety.IwillpresentcloseanalysisoftwocharactersSarah Connor(LindaHamilton)fromTerminator2(1991)andTrinity(CarrieAnneMoss) fromTheMatrix(1999)inordertobetterunderstandhowthisphenomenon works. Terminator2isoneofthequintessentialfemaleactionmovies.SarahConnor

toutsautomaticassaultriflesandruthlesslyhuntsthosewhoshebelievestobeher enemies.InherreviewinTheNewYorkTimes,JanetMaslinnoted,Althoughthis fastpacedsequellockstheTerminatorandT1000intoanextendedgladiatorial dueloverthefateofSarahandherson,Sarahlookslikemorethanamatchforboth ofthem(Maslin,Terminator2:JudgmentDayReview/Film),andshelater describesConnorasviciousandferal.MydecisiontolookatConnorisbasedon thefactthatsheisadistilledandmuchimitatedversionofthemasculinefemale

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archetype.Eightyearslater,TheMatrixchangedthemoviescapeinthesameway thatTerminator2had.Notonlydiditgiverisetoanewwaveofstylizedviolent movies,butTrinityscharacteristics,suchashertightleatherlook,shorthaircut, andtakechargeattitude,wouldshowupinmanyactionmovieslikeAeonFlux (2005),Blade:Trinity(2004),andtheResidentEvilseries(20022010). Socalledphallicwomenaredefinedbytheiramazingphysicalcondition,

tightand/orrevealingclothes,andtheirabilitytotransfixourgazeforlongperiods oftime.Theyare,however,notdirectlysexualized(atleastnotregularly),Similar tohowmenareviewedwithinactionmovies.InhispaperHardBodiesand SidelongLooks,NickyFalkofdiscusseshowtheaudienceviewsclassic80saction starslikeArnoldSchwarzeneggerandSylvesterStallone,arguing: Thesebodieswerenecessarytoinculcatetheneworrevitalized masculineidealbuttheirvisuality,thepresentationofmale physicalityastheobjectoftobelookedatness,wassaddledwitha setofconcurrentideologicalimplicationsandcomplications. (Falkof21) TheproblemthatFalkofilluminatesisthatitisuncomfortableforthe predominantlymaleaudienceoftheseactionmoviestowatchanalmostnakedman onscreen.Theinshapemalebodyisfetishizedimmediately,andbecauseitisan objectofdesire,thedirectormustdisavowsexualdesireinordertocounteractany chargesofhomoeroticism.Falkofnotesthatwhatactioncinemaexplicitlyavoidsis aneroticizationofamalephysiquethatcouldbetooeasilyreadasoneconstructed forvoyeuristicpleasinginviewing(23).Actionmoviesdothisinanumberofways, butthemostcommonisusingviolencetodisassociatethebodyfromhomosexual intent.Bymakingthesecharactershyperviolent,theviewercanwatchthemoviein

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thecontextofwhatthebodyisdoing,ratherthanwhatthebodylookslike.This methodofsubvertingthegazethroughviolenceishowphallicwomenareallowed totakeactionwithoutalienatingtheaudience. InthischapterIwillfirstgivesomebackgroundonmoviesfeaturingphallic

women,whichwillthentieintomyindividualanalyses.Iwillarguethatthephallic womeninthesemoviesshouldnotbediscountedfortheirmasculinity.Instead, viewersshouldseethemasaneffectivecritiqueofthemalepowerstructure.Both SarahConnorandTrinityarenottobeviewedsimplyaswomeninmaledrag,butas peoplewhoassumethegenderrolesthatarenecessaryfortheirlives.Thissubverts thetraditionalpowerstructurebymakinggenderunimportantintermsofassigning power. Terminator2:GoodmorningDr.Silverman.Howstheknee? Inchapterone,Ileftthehistoryofgirlswithgunsmoviesatitsfoundation:

Alien(1979).Ripley(SigourneyWeaver)isatomboyspacetruckerwhoistheonly crewmemberofthesevenonboard(sixifonedoesnotcountcyborgs)who managestoevadeandkillthealienhuntingthemontheirspaceship.Thesecond halfofthemovieisherjourneyfromdockworkertoactionheroine.Atthebeginning ofthemovie,sheisinthemiddleofthechainofcommand.Sheineffectuallytriesto gethercrewtofollowprotocolinleavingtheinfectedpeopleinquarantineoutside oftheship.Asthemoviecontinues,sheadoptsaridiculouslylargeflamethrower (phallicobject)andtakeschargeoftheshipasthemenabovehergraduallyfellprey tothealien.Thisactsubvertsthemasculinecommand/powerstructureinplaceat

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thebeginningofthemovie.Ripleyiseffectivewherehermasculinecounterparts arehelpless.Thus,bytheendofthemovie,SigourneyWeaverisaphallicwoman. Fiveyearslater,asimilarstorywouldtakeplaceinJamesCameronsThe

Terminator(1984).LikeAlienbeforeit,TheTerminatorisacomingofagestory aboutSarahConnor.Sarahbeginsthestoryasastrugglingwaitresswhoisinto dating,gettingdressedup,andgoingout.Throughoutthemovie,theaudienceis witnesstohertransformationfromayoungsinglegirltoaruggedsurvivalist.The lastlinethatSarahhasbeforesmashingtheTerminatoris,Youreterminated fucker!thusemphasizingheroverwhelmingdefeatoftheTerminatorandher transformationintoaphallicwoman.AsJamesKendricknotes,becausequips almostalwaysfollowanactofviolenceinwhichtheherodispatchesavillain,they functionalsoasataunt,averbalassaultfollowingthephysicalassaulttofurther degradetheenemyandunderscoretheherosvictoriousstatus(Hollywood Bloodshed:Violencein1980sAmericanCinema102). Shortlyafterthis,CameronwroteanddirectedAliens(1986),thefirstsequel

intheAlienseries.AlthoughRipleyescapedhersituationfromthefirstmovie,sheis stillinsurvivalmodeandisnolongercomfortableinhernormalsurroundings. Whensheleadsaplatoonofmarinestotheplanetwheretheyoriginallyfoundthe alien,sheslipsintohercombatmodeinordertodefendthegroupandescape. Ripleyistheonewhovolunteersforthedangerousjobs,burnsupthealiennest,and eventuallyfacesdownthegiantqueenalienaloneinhandtohandcombat.Her characterisdistilledfromAlienintoasortofessenceofaction.AsThomasDoherty noted,inAliens,oncethefirstbloodisshedandtheonslaughtbegins,Cameronup

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shiftsfromcoolsuspensetosuperchargedcombataction(Doherty187).The moviechangesabruptlyfromahorror/thrillertoanactionmovie,andRipley changeswithit,becomingafullfledgedactionheroineintheprocess.Thisis counteredbythestrongmotherhoodthemespresented,especiallyinthedirectors cut,whichIwilldealwithinChapterFour. LikeAlienshaddonefiveyearsbefore,Terminator2expoundedonthefirst

movieintermsoftheheroinescharactergrowth.Thedifferenceisthat,where AliensdevelopsRipleyfromthecharacterweknowfromtheendoftheprevious film,Terminator2skipsyearsofSarahsmetamorphosis.Thelasttimeviewerssaw Sarah,shewasapregnantwomancruisingdowntheroadinherJeeptowardher destiny.AboysaysthenowclichlineAstormscoming,towhichSarahrepliesI know,emphasizingheracknowledgmentofherfate.ThefirsttimeweseeSarahin hermentalhospitalroominT2,shelookspartwarriorandpartwildanimal.Sheis immediatelyfetishized,butinaninterestingwaythatismorethanreminiscentof thewaythatonewouldfetishizeamaleactionstar.Thecamerastartsonacloseup ofherbicepsduringherpullups,emphasizingherwellbuiltbody.Sheisalso extremelysweatyandnotmadeupatall.Whileherbodyisrelishedandlookedat, CameronavoidsanysexualimplicationsbymakingSarahviolentinessence,a malecharacter.Camerondoesnotwantustolookatherandseehowbeautifulshe is.ThatwastheoldSarah.Thiswomanhasbeendoingnothingbutpreparingfor theendoftheworldsincetheconclusionofthefirstmovie.Shelooksatherdoctor andsays,GoodmorningDr.Silverman.Howstheknee?,arathermeanspirited quipaimedatherpsychiatrist,whomshestabbedinthelegwithapenduringa

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recentescapeattempt.ThestarkdifferencesbetweenSarahT1andSarahT2are undeniable.AttheendofTheTerminatorSarahisstillfeminine.Whileshedid destroytheTerminator,quiteviolently,shewasstillessentiallyeffeminate.The beginningofTerminator2isthustheaudiencesintroductiontoSarahthephallic woman. FromtheverybeginningofT2,itismadeclearthatSarahisthemasterofher

owndestiny.ShebreaksoutofthementalinstitutionandtriestokillMilesDyson (JoeMorton)inordertochangethefutureofhumankind.Herfirstshotismorethan reminiscentofthewayonewouldfetishizeamaleactionstar,forinstanceJohn RambomakinghisknifeatthebeginningofRambo(2008).Inbothscenes,the audienceconcentratesonthehardbodiesofthesubject,buttheyarealsoawareof thepowertheywield. TheimageryofSarahConnorisadirectdescendentofRipleyfromAlien.

RikkeSchubartnotesthatRipleyistheprototypeafterwhichlatermother heroesSarahinTerminator2:JudgmentDayarefashioned(169).Ripleyhas fewtonofemininetraitsinthemovie,buttheviewerstillassumesfromthestart thatRipleyisfemininebecausesheisawomangenetically.Howeverone consciouslyorunconsciouslyrealizesthatsheisnotfittingintothegenderrolesthat arenormallyassignedtowomen.LikeRipleybeforeher,SarahConnoristoughas nailsandhasnofeminizingcharacteristicsexceptforhermotherhood.InT2, CamerondistillsRipleyinordertomakeSarah.Hermotherhood,theonefeminine traitthatisemphasizedinthemovie,isbiological(unlikeRipley,whoisarguably onlyamothersymbolicallythroughouttheentireseries)andmorebroadbecause

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Sarahiseffectivelythemotherofthehumanrace.However,Cameronchoosesnot toemphasizethelovingandnurturingsideofSarahsmotherhood.WhenNewt (CarrieHenn),thechildfigure,isintroducedinAliens,Ripleyhugsherandcomforts her.Incontrast,SarahsreactiontohersonJohn(EdwardFurlong)istocheckhim forbulletholesratherthantobeclose.SarahisamoredistilledversionofRipley: Sheisstronger,moreprepared,andmoremasculine. AfterSarahbreaksoutofthementalinstitution,she,hersonJohn,andthe

Terminator(ArnoldSchwarzenegger)maketheirwaytoMexicotoseeanoldfriend. Here,itisrevealedthatSarahhasbeenstockpilingweaponsforyears.Whereas RipleyhadonephallicflamethrowerinAlienandaseriesofmachinegunsinAliens, Sarahisgivenanentirebunkerofgiantgunswithwhichtotakedownthebadguys. Whilerevealingthebunker,Johnsays,Onethingaboutmymom,shealwaysplans ahead.BeingpreparedinthecontextofSarahsmotherhoodiswarped.Rather thanrememberingdiapersorsavingforcollege,Sarahsmotherlyinstinctistobring extraguns.Sheisaviolentmother,onewhowieldsabunkersworthofmasculine powersymbols. WatchingSarahbrandishgiantfirearmsandassaultmenispotentially

disconcertingtoamaleaudience.Sheoccupiesapositionwithinthenarrative structurethatishistoricallyreservedformen.Becauseofthis,sheismasculinized inordertofittherole.SarahconfrontstheviewerwithaconceptthatYvonne Taskercallsmusculinity.Taskernotes,someofthequalitiesassociatedwith masculinityarewrittenoverthemuscularfemalebody(Tasker,SpectacularBodies 149).WhentheviewerlooksuponSarahsbulgingbiceps,theyseemasculinity.

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Fromthebeginningofthemovie,Sarahismasculinizedbecauseofherphysique, andbecausetheviewerassociatesmasculinitywithherimage,Sarahfitsintoher roleasactionheroine. SarahConnorisadistilledphallicwoman.Sheexhibitsthetraitsofmanyof

herpredecessors,butinamuchmoreconcentratedmanner.Sinceitsreleasein 1991,hercharacterhasbeenreproducedinnumerousmoviesandevenaspinoff televisionshow,Terminator:TheSarahConnorChronicles(20082009).Sarah representsonemeansbywhichviolentfemalecharacterscanbesuccessfully incorporatedintoactionmovies.Manyhavearguedthatsheis,atleastideologically, aman.ThecontrastbetweenSarahsbiologicalfemininityandhermasculineacts andlookscreatesatensioninwhichgenderrolesarechallengedandevenreversed. Sarahisastrongwomanfightingherwaythroughamansworld(and,infact,a mansgenre).Eightyearslater,anotherphallicwomanwouldarriveonthescene andforeverchangetheactionlandscape. TheMatrix:Dodgethis. InthedocumentaryReturntotheSource:PhilosophyandTheMatrix(2004),

thephilosopherDr.CornelWeststatesthatTheWachowskiBrothersarevery,very concernedwithpiercingthroughthemundacity,piercingthroughthesuperficiality (Oreck).TheMatrixdoes,indeed,presentviewerswithaseriesofinteresting philosophicalideasandsituations,nottheleastofwhichistheleadingfemale character,Trinity. Atthebeginningofthemovie,theaudienceisinvitedtolistentoaphonecall

betweenamanandawoman.Asthetensionbuilds,wecuttoapoliceraidin 22

progress.Thepolicebreakdownthedoortoahotelroomtofindafigureinachair facingthewall.KimEdwardsnotesthatthecharacterissuggestivelymale:from behindweseesquareshoulders,boycuthairandleatherjacket,andthismiseen scenecoupledwiththeswifttransitionsincethevoiceoverimpliesweareaboutto meetthemalespeakerfromthephonecall(K.Edwards117).Thecharacteris,of course,notamanatall.Trinityjumpsoutofherchairandpromptlydispatchesall ofthepoliceintheroominaparticularlystylizedfashion(thisisthefirstuseofthe nowoftencopiedbullettime).LikeJamesCamerondidwithSarahatthe beginningofTerminator2,theWachowskiBrothersmakeaclearstatementabout howTrinityscharacterisgoingtowork.Thedirectorsgivetheaudienceanimage thatcontrastswithitself;CarrieAnneMosshasshort,manlikehairandisdressedin awaythatsuggestsmasculinity,evenasherskintightclothesexploitherclassical beauty,thusmuddyingthedichotomybetweenmasculinityandfemininity.Trinitys contrastingcharacteristicsareusedinthesamewaythatSarahsareinTerminator 2. Edwardslaternotesthatthefreedomsofcrossdressingandsexual

ambiguityarecelebratedandexactingmale/femaledichotomiesbecome demonized(K.Edwards118).Inthisway,TheMatrixconsidersanewkindof phallicwoman.Trinitystilltakesonmanymasculinetraits,butwithout compromisinghergender,whichtheWachowskisemphasizebyconsistently contrastinghermasculinetraitswithmorefemininetraits.Sheisbothfeminineand masculine,butneveroneexclusively.Forinstance,immediatelyaftersheescapes fromthepoliceraid,shegetstrappedinaphoneboothtryingtoescapetheMatrix.

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Insteadoflookingathermannishhaircutfrombehind,theaudienceisawareofher femininefaceandherstyledbangsfallingacrossherface.Thisgenderconfusionis thenemphasizedinasceneafewminuteslater,inwhichNeo(KeanuReeves) realizesthatTrinityis,infact,awoman.Neogoesthroughthesamerealization aboutTrinitythattheaudiencedidjustafewminutesago.Whenhestatesthathe thoughtshewasaman,shereplies,Mostmendo. Later,whenplanningonbreakingbackintotheMatrixandretrievingher

leader,Morpheus(LaurenceFishburne),Trinityuseshersenioritytothwartthe malepowerstructure.Shenotesthatsheistheseniorofficeronboardandthatif Neodoesntlikeit,hecangotohell.Herunderminingofthetraditionalpower structureiscomplimentedbyheruseofgunsforthenextfiveminutes.Infact, duringashootoutinthelobbyofthebuildingofinterest,sheripsaguardsshotgun awayfromhimandshootshiminthestomach.Inthiscase,Trinityismetaphorically castratingamaninapositionofpower.Thesecurityguardrepresentslawsand rulesandTrinitystripshimofhispoweranddestroyshimwithit.However,the filmmakersavoidanyfeelingsofanxietybecauseTrinityhasyettostepintoher femininerole(beingNeosloveandsupport). Duringtheclimaxofthemovie,TrinitydeclaresherloveforNeo.Thisisa

tensionfilledscenethatismademorepoignantbyasuddenacknowledgementof traditionalgenderroles.Thewomanisadmittingherloveforthemalehero.While itwouldbeeasytoconsiderthisadmissionofloveanunderminingactionfor Trinitystoughandmasculinecharacter,itisalsothefirsttimethatwereallysee femininityinthefilm(withtheexceptionofthewomaninred).Duringher

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confession,theviewerdiscoversthattheOracle(GloriaFoster)predictedthatshe wouldfallinlovewiththeOne.Inthisway,byprofessingherloveforNeo,Trinity isendowinghimwithhispowerand,infact,bestowinglifetohim(themost femininethingsomebodycando).Allofasudden,Trinityscharacterbrings femininitybackintothemovierightbeforetheend,thuspreservingthemuddied masculine/femininedichotomythattheWachowskisestablishedforherinthefirst scene.Attheendofthemovie,sheispresentedasawomanwhocanwield traditionallymasculinepoweratwill. Trinityscharactershattersthemundaneandthesuperficial.Sheisexciting,

beautiful,andyetstrangelymasculine.Sheispresentedtotheaudienceasaphallic womanevenassheconstantlysubvertsthischaractertypethroughimagery,action, andwords. TheDifference Thereisaninterestingbinarybetweenperceivedmasculineandperceived

femininetraits.SarahConnorandTrinitybothconstitutephallicwomenbecause theyreflectmanymasculinetraits,buteachrepresentsadifferentvariationon thisarchetype.Sarahembracesthemasculineandonlyshowssignsoffemininity whenshehasabreakdown.Shephysicallytakesonamanlyshape,aprocessthat Taskerreferstoasmusculinization.Herabilitytolook,talk,dress,andact masculineallowshertobecomeastrongwomaninthecontextofthefilm. Trinity,ontheotherhand,isboyish.Sheispurposelydressedtobothaccent

hershapeandremainreminiscentofayoungman.Forthemajorityofthemovie, heractionsarequitemasculine,butherbigmomentoffemininityattheendserves 25

thepurposeofcontrastingthoseactionsaswellasemphasizingherpower.Even whenothercharactersarestationedhigherwithinthemoviespowerstructure,she maintainsasenseofcontroloverhersituation. Thewomeninthiscategoryarealwaysinchargeandreadytokill.Theyare,

however,rarelysexualized.Thefetishizationofthesecharactersisundeniable,but notinthewayonemightthink.Theyarealmostalwaysfetishizedasiftheywerea man.LindaHamiltonisphotographedasabodybuilder,bringingtomindimagesof StalloneorSchwarzenegger.CarrieAnneMosshasamasculinehaircutanddress style.Theotherendofthespectrumpresentsactionwomenwhoarefetishized specificallybecauseoftheirfemininity.BarbWire(1996)isanexampleofamovie thatusesawomanssexualitytocritiquethesesameissues. Whilemanyabhortheideaofphallicwomen,itisimpossiblenottonotice

theutilityofthesecharacters.Theychallengegenderroles,threatenhistorically maledominatedpowerstructures,andopendoorsforwomenintomoviesthathave beendominatedbymensincetheactiongenresinception.Theseforemothershave createdanenvironmentinwhichourviewingpleasuresmaynotonlytolerate,but theymayevenpartiallydependon,genderposturingsthatchallengeconventional mythologiesofsexualdifference(Willis109).Now,morethanever,challenging genderstereotypesisanacceptablepartofmainstreamcinema.

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CHAPTERTHREE TheActionChickFetish TheFetishizedKillerFemale Inshort,mendonothavetolookgoodinordertobeheroes.Itis differentwithwomen.Thefirststeptoqualifyasafemaleheroina mansworldistobeyoungandbeautiful.Ifnotyoung,thenshemust bebotoxedtolookyoung.Ifnotbeautiful,thenshemusthavesilicone breasts,beaidedbyplasticsurgery,wigs,makeupandneverevera wrinkleonherprettyface. RikkeSchubart Schubartsobservationhighlightsthedifferencebetweenthefemaleandthe

malewithincinema.Pickanymovieposterandonewillseeanattractivewoman,if anywomanatall.Mencanbehideous,lackinginactingability,unpleasant,oreven unabletoeffectivelyspeakEnglish,butwillstillbeacceptedbyanaudience.It seems,however,thatawomanmustbepleasanttolookatinordertogetapart. AsLauraMulveypointsout,Womendisplayedassexualobjectistheleit

motiffoferoticspectacle:frompinupstostriptease,fromZiegfeldtoBusby Berkeley,sheholdsthelook,playstoandsignifiesmaledesire(Mulvey841).The actofwatchingamovie,combinedwiththedarkconditionsthatisolateviewers fromeachother,createsanenvironmentthatfostersasortofvoyeurism.Women rarelyescapetheirroleswithoutbecomingwhatMulveydescribesasthebearerof thelookwhilemengenerallyareagentsofaction.Infact,therearemanymovies thatspecificallyrelyonafetishbuiltaroundthefemalebody.

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ThemoviesthatIdiscussinthischapterareonesthatexploitfemale

sexualityinordertodevelopthecharacter.Violence,however,provides aninterestingbackdropforthesexualizedfemale.Whiletheobjectofthegaze ispowerlessandwithoutvoice,actionwomenusemasculineviolenceinorderto affecttheworldaroundthem.InthissectionIwillshowthat,insomecases,the contrastbetweenfetishizationandviolencecancriticizeandundermineclassical notionsofthelook.Whilethesurfaceisoftentimesvaguelypornographic,the underlyingthemeisthatthosewhochoosetofetishizethesewomenareindanger ofbeingpunished. Idiscusstwomoviesthatexplicitlysexualizetheircharacters.Thefirst,

DavidHogansBarbWire(1996),isconstructedaroundthecharacterBarbaraWire (PamelaAnderson).ThismovieisaninterestingcasebecauseBarbsobjectified appearancehasledtocompletedismissalbyfeministcritics(M.Edwards40).In themovie,shemarchesaroundwearingalmostnothingandrelyingonAndersons pornstarpersona.Themovie,however,attemptstocriticizetheviewingaudience forobjectifyingher.ThesecondmovieIwilldiscuss,ZachSnydersSuckerPunch (2011),isstructuredaroundfouryounggirlsactingouttheirfateinaninsane asylumandtwodifferentlevelsoftheimagination(inneitherofwhicharetheyvery wellclothed).ThecharacterBabyDoll(EmilyBrowning)imaginesthatsheisforced intobeingastripper/prostitute,countingdownthedayuntilsheisessentiallysold intosexualslavery.Bothmoviesrelyheavilyontheactressestheycastandtheir willingnesstoshowskin,butbothalsouseinterestingmechanismstocritiquethe veryfetishizationtheyengender.

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Thesemoviesareinterestingasobjectsofanalysisbecauseofthese

mechanismsandthemannerinwhichtheytrytouseobjectificationtocritique itself.WhileIdonotbelievethatthesearefeministmasterpiecesorevengood movies,Idothinkthattheyareoverlookedastoolsthatcanhelpusunderstandhow sexualizationworksinfilm. TheLook Thelookisanimportant,andmuchtheorized,conceptwithinthe

psychoanalyticbranchoffilmtheory.Essentially,thosewhosubscribetothetheory believethattheonewholooksholdspowerovertheonebeinglookedupon.Many feministcriticshavelatchedontothisconceptbecauseitpresentsadichotomy betweenthemanwholooksandthewomanwhoisobjectifiedbythatlook. E.AnnKaplanobserves,Withinthecontextofthefilmtextitself,mengazeat

women,whobecomeobjectsofthegaze(15).Becausethemanholdsthepowerof thegaze,thewomanisobjectified.Sheispowerlessandhelplessandisthus subjugatedtotheman.MarkJancovichnotesthatThegazeisassociatedwith activityandcontrol,andwomenarethereforeeitherrefusedtheactivegazeor punishedforexercisingit(57).Forinstance,inBillyWildersclassicSunset Boulevard(1950),forgottenHollywoodsilentfilmlegendNormaDesmond(Gloria Swanson)controlstheprotagonistJoeGillis(WilliamHolden).Shespiesonhim, forceshimtostayinherhouse,andtriestomakehimfallinlovewithher.Atthe endofthefilm,whenGillismakesitclearthathewillnolongerliveunderher thumb,shetakesherrevolverandshootshim.Inthiscase,aswithmostfemme fatals,Desmondispunishedforherpower.Nomatterhowmuchinfluenceshe 29

exertsoverGillis,sheisdestinedforfailure.Regardlessofhermoney,herfading looks,orherabilitytogazeuponhim,Desmondishelpless.Ratherthantryingto escapeorplaythecrimeoffasselfdefense,Desmondgoesinsaneandisarrested. Kaplangoesontodiscussthenatureofthelookinrelationtotheactual

cinematicapparatus.Shestates,thespectator,inturn,ismadetoidentifywiththis malegaze,andtoobjectifythewomenonthescreen;andthecamerasoriginal gazecomesintoplayintheveryactoffilming(15).Thecamera,andthusthe viewers,gazeisonthefemaleaswell,astheaudienceidentifieswiththemale protagonist.Allofthelookswithinandexternaltothefilmarealignedonthe female.Thisemphasizesthevoyeuristicpleasureofthemovies.Theaudiencegets tolookinonaworldandderivepleasurefromitwithouttheriskofinteractingwith orbeingaffectedbyit. Whenthefemalegazesback,sheis,ineffect,disruptingthispleasure.

Becausetheaudiencehasidentifiedwiththemaleprotagonist,ifthefemalelooks uponhim,itisasifshehasbrokenthroughthecinematicdeviceandisengaging withtheaudience,thusviolatingthepleasureofvoyeurism.AccordingtoLaura MulvyscanonicalessayVisualPleasureandNarrativeCinema,becausethe womancannotlookbackatthosewhoaregazingonher,sheexistssolelytobe lookedupon. InbothBarbWireandSuckerPunch,therearenomaleprotagonistswith

whomtoidentify.Bothwomenseewhatisgoingonintheirenvironment,butare beingviewedbythepresumablymaleaudience.Thiscreatesanissueregardingthe comfortoftheaudience.Inbothcases,thecamerafetishizesthewoman,butthe

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characterswhotrytodothiswithinthemoviearepunished.Thedirectorsofeach movietrytousethiscollisionoflookstocritiquethefetishization,butfailtodoso. BarbWire:Dontcallmebabe InherresponsetoBarbWire,MarloEdwardschallengesthetendencyto

viewrepresentationsofthesexualizedfemalebodyasinevitablyregressive(39). SheiscertainlyrightaboutBarbrepresentingthesexualizedfemalebody.Every characterinthemovielooksathersexually,andwhenshedoeswearclothing,there isnotverymuchofit.SheisalsocorrectinnotingthatBarbdoesnotgetthecredit shedeservesforbeingacomplicatedcharacterwhoconsistentlychallenges normativegenderroles.Whetherthesecomplicationsredeemthemisogynistic overtonesofthemovieisdebatable. BarbWireisasciencefictionremakeofMichaelCurtizsCasablanca(1942).

Ittakesplaceintheyear2017duringthesecondAmericancivilwarinthelastfree cityinthecountry,SteelHarbor.Barbsnightclub,theHammerhead,istheplaceto be.Onenight,BarbsexloverAxel(TemueraMorrison)showsuplookingforhelp. HeistryingtosneakDr.CorrinaDevonshire(VictoriaRowell)northtoCanadato makepublicherknowledgeofCongressionalDirectoratebioweapons. Inordertodothis,Axelmusttrackdown,withBarbshelp,apairofcontact

lensesthatwillgetDevonshirethroughsecurityandontoaplaneheadingnorth. WhenBarbcomesintopossessionoftheselenses,aseriesofeventsunfoldsthat leadstotheclassicCassablancaending:AxelandDevonshirefleeonanairplaneand BarbstaysbehindwithPoliceChiefWillis(XanderBerkeley).

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ThemoviesopeningcreditsequencefeaturesBarbonatrapeze,bathedin

flashingbluelight,wearingatinyblackleatherdressandapairofstilettos.Atfirst, theaudienceisnotawarethatsheisinastripclub;justthatsheisdoingastrip teaseandbeingsprayedwithwater.Aboutoneminuteintothedance,weseethe audienceforthefirsttime.Thescenecomestowhattheaudiencemightassume wouldbethenaturalendingpoint,butthedancecontinues.Asthefilmsaudience becomesmoreandmoreawareofthecompanywithwhomtheyarebeingforcedto identify(themeninthestripclub),thepotentialfordiscomfortincreases.Themen sprayingBarbwiththewaterarewearingponchos,whichgivetheappearanceof giantprophylactics,constitutinggiantsquirtingphalluses.Afteranuncomfortable fourminutes,Barbreachesdown,removesoneofherheels,andshieldshereyes fromthelightstoseeamanwhoiscatcallingher.Whenthemusicends,she throwshershoeandhitsthemanbetweentheeyes.Shethensaysinvoiceover,If onemorepersoncallsmebabe Thesceneisstraightforwardintermsofstyleandidentification.Thefirst

shotengagestheaudienceingazingatBarb.Sheseemsunawareofher surroundingsanddancesforhermalevoyeurspleasure.AsMulveyputit,she existsonlytobelookedat.Whentheviewerisintroducedtothestripclub audience,itisquicklymadeclearthatheistoidentifywiththeseperversemen. Thisisanuncomfortablesituationfortheviewer,butthealignmentofthecameras gazewiththevulgarpatronsmakesitimpossiblenottoidentifywiththemifonlyon apurelysensorylevel.Justwhentheviewerfeelsthemostuncomfortable,Barb returnsthegaze.Shepeersoutintotheaudience,findstheworstoffenderand

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thrustshershoe,violentlystabbingthemanintheface.ItisasifHoganispunishing theaudienceforlooking,ratherthanpunishingBarbforencroachinguponthemale gaze.Heraversiontothecondescendingwordbabeemphasizesthisconceptby statingthatsheisnottobetrivialized.ThefrictioncausedbyBarbviolatingtherule ofthelookisleftcompletelyuncheckedandthuscriticizestheviewerforlooking. ThisopeningsceneforeshadowsthewaythatdirectorDavidHoganand

writersChuckPfarrerandIleneChaiken(mostfamousforherworkontheseries TheLWord[20042007])willuseBarbfortherestofthemovie.WheneverBarb beginstoslipintoherfemininerole,sheresortstoanoverthetopdisplayof violenceinordertomaintainherpower.Sheisalmostalwaysinchargeofher situation,andmencontinuouslyunderestimateherbecauseofhergenderandher appearance.Thisinteractionisapplicableforboththecharactersinthemovieand themoviesaudience. Afterthestripteasescene,Barbproceedstorescueayounggirlwhoisbeing

heldcaptiveinthebar.Shesneaksaroundinthebackofthebuildinguntilshefinds wherethegirlislockedup.Whentheowneroftheclubtriestostopher,Barbuses herfemininitytowoohimintoafalsesenseofsecurity,poisonshimwithadart,and takesthekeys.Astheescapecontinues,itbecomesevidentthatBarbresentsthe job.Whenthegirlscreamsastheyrappelfromahighwindow,BarbsaysShutup! WhenBarbisexpectedtoreactmaternallysheshunsthedaughterfigure.Inthe contextofthestory,Barbresentstheyounggirl,butonanotherlevel,sheresents theaudiencestendencytoforceherintoatypicalmaternalcategory.Againthe audienceischastisedforwatchingBarb.

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Infact,thereisonlyonetimeinwhichBarbdemonstratesunchecked

femininity.AxelappearsinBarbsbarlookingforhelp.Whenheapproachesher, Barbreactsviolently,punchinghimandreferringtosomethingthathappenedin Seattle.Later,abouthalfwaythroughthemovie,theaudienceistreatedtoa flashbackthatexplainswhyBarbissoangry.Sheisstandingonthetreadofa helicopter,readytoescapeawarzone.Themanstandingbehindhertellsherthat theyhavetogo,andBarbrepliessimply,No,hellbehere.Anothersoldier appearsoutofthesmokeandtellsBarbthatthemansheiswaitingforwillnotbe coming,andthehelicoptertakesoffandfliestosafety.Thesceneseemsextremely passiveforthecharacterandessentiallyunderminesBarbbymakingheravictim. Inanyotherpartofthemovie,shewouldhaveusedviolencetotakecontrolofthe situation.WhileonecouldarguethatthesceneisaflashbackinwhichBarbisa lesserversionofthewomanpresentedinthefilmpresent,itrunscontrarytothe essenceofhercharacterbyestablishingthatBarbsmotivationisherscornovera man.Sheisnolongersexuallyoremotionallyindependent. Themovieneverdoesanythingtocorrectthisrelationship.Barbisnever

independentagain.DespitehowangrysheiswithAxel,shemovesthroughthe remainderofthemovieinthesamemannerasbefore;but,astheaudiencenow knows,sheismotivatedbyhim.ThatBarbdoesnotactbyherownsenseofagency underminesherbehavior.EvenwhenitiscleartotheaudiencethatBarbwillbe holdingontothedebitcardfullofmoneyattheendofthemovie,itisclearthather truefeelingsareforAxel.

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Inthefinalscene,thelastthingAxeldoesduringhisandBarbsgoodbyeisto

touchherlipsverysexually,agesturethataffectsherdeeply.Hogantriestorecover withthelastlinesinthefilminwhichpolicechiefWillisstates,IdobelieveIm fallinginlove,towhichBarbrespondsGetinline.Here,Hoganistryingto emphasizethatBarbdoesnotneedamantosurvive,butwhatheactually underscoresisthatBarbisfetishizedbyeverymanwholooksather.Thus,thefilm endsinthesamewaythatitstarted,withBarbastheobjectofthegazeandan understandingthatwearesupposedtoadmireandlustafterherbody. Yet,thefilmconsistentlycomplicatesanyviewerassociationwiththosewho

objectifyBarb.Hoganprovidestheaudiencewithaseriesofrepulsivemalefigures withwhomtheyaretoidentifyforverybriefperiodsoftime.Theconflictbetween identifyingwiththosewhogazeonBarbandidentifyingandsympathizingwith Barbsimultaneouslycreatesatensionthatpunishestheviewer.Themovie, however,ultimatelyfailsbecausethismechanismisnullifiedbyherrelationship withAxel.Inmanyfilmsthatfeatureactionherowomen,thechallengesshe presentsareminimized(tosomeextent)byeitherdesexualizinghertounderplay herfemininityorbycontainingthatsexualityanddomesticatingher/itina traditionalheterosexual,maternal,and/orfatherdaughterrelationship(M. Edwards41).Inthiscase,thechallengesareminimizedbecausesheisactingfor Axel.Itisalsoimportanttonotethat,whilethemovietriestoportrayBarbas powerfulbecauseofhersexuality,sheisinfact,subjugatedbyitthroughher relationshipwithAxel.Thus,eventhoughthemoviefallsshortofitsgoals,itisable toraiseaninterestingquestion:Arethesesexualizedandobjectifiedwomen

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necessarilyregressive?HoganusesBarbscharacterandAndersonsphysical featurestocriticizetheverysexualizationtheystimulate. SuckerPunch:Youhavealltheweaponsyouneed DirectorZachSnyderisfamousforhightechcomicbookadaptations.His

movies300(2006)andWatchmen(2009)earnedhimareputationforstunning specialeffects,incredibleviolence,andsexuallychargedimagery.SuckerPunch (2011)isthefirstprojectoverwhichhehadfullcreativecontrol.Asoftenoccurs whenyoungfilmmakersearnenoughclouttomakethehighbudgetmovieoftheir choosing,Snydermadeamovieinwhichhehadmoreinterestthanhispublic. Snyder,itseems,wastryingtobuildafeministtextthatwouldparodytheaction genreandthenatureoffilmitselfbyturningclichsintoagrandmetaphorthat equatesfemalesexualitywithviolence. Themoviewasreleasedtolargelyscathingreviews,withaTomatometer

ratingofonly22%(RottenTomatoes).OnereviewerstatedthatZackSnyders SuckerPunchunfoldslikeavideogameaddledadolescentboyswetdream wrappedinpseudofeministfitsofgirlpower(Kendrick,SuckerPunch);another saidasisoftenpointedout,simplygivingfemalecharactersweaponsandfishnets andthensendingthemonamissiontoblowupsomebadguysdoesnotexactly createempoweredandselfactualizedfemalecharacters(Walber).Itisclearfrom itsreceptionthatratherthanempoweringwomen,themoviemakesamockeryof progressivefilmmaking.Whileclever,Snydersdeviceforcreatingthemetaphorof sexasviolencefailsbecauseitisweakatitscore.Ratherthanempoweringthem, SuckerPunchfurtherobjectifiesitsfemalecharacters. 36

Themovieopenswitha10minutedialoguelesssequencethatrevealsthe

catalystfortherestofthefilm.BabyDoll(EmilyBrowning)accidentlykillsher youngersisterwhoisabouttoberapedbytheirstepfather(GerardPlunkett).He thenhasBabyDollcommittedtoaninsaneasylumbyclaimingthatshehasgone crazyafterthedeathofhermother(thushurtingherdaughter).Hepaysoffan orderlytoforgesomepapersandhaveherlobotomizedinaweek.Thisisthe conflictfortherestofthemovie,anditpresentsthefirstproblemwithinthemovies ideology.Snyderproposestoempowerwomenbyequatingsexualitywithviolence. Whilethemotivationofthecrimeisgreed(thestepfatherhasbeenleftoutofhis deadwifeswill),thenatureofthecrimebeingcommittedissexual.Then,when BabyDolltriestouseviolencetoovercomeherenemy,sheispunished.Thefirst timeawomanssexualityiscalledintoquestion,BabyDollandhersisterare punished.Theconflictofthemovieisaconsequenceofherattractivenessandher useofviolence. Onceintheinsaneasylum,BabyDollentersanimaginaryworldwhereshe

andtheotherinmatesinhabitabordellowheretheydanceforandgotobedwith thecustomers.Theclubsowner,Blue(OscarIsaac),haspromisedBabyDolls virginitytosomeonewhoisonlydescribedastheHighRoller.BabyDollattends thegirlsdailydanceclassinordertoputtogetheraroutineforthecustomers.This iswheretheaudienceisintroducedtothenarrativemechanismthatSnyderwilluse fortheremainderofthemovietojustifyhisfantasticalactionsequences.Thedance instructor(CarlaGugino)tellsher,Dontbeafraid.Youhavealltheweaponsyou need.WhenBabyDollfinallybeginstodance,theaudienceseesherbegintosway

37

andsheentersanotherlayerofherimagination.Here,BabyDollisendowedwitha flashysilverhandgunandherveryownkatanabyawisemanandpseudofather figure(ScottGlenn).Fortherestofthemovie,wheneverBabyDollbeginstodance, sheentersanewscenarioinwhichsheandherfriendsmustcompleteaviolent mission.Whenthemoviecomesbackfromthismission,theaudiencerealizesthat allofthemenwhowatchBabyDolldancearemesmerizedtothepointthather friendscanstealtheitemstheyneedtomaketheirescape. Thisnarrativedeviceisextremelyproblematic,startingwiththefactthat

BabyDollspowercomesfromherbeinggazedupon.Generally,thelooker maintainspoweroverthesituationbecauseheknowswhatishappeningandthe onebeinglookeduponisunaware.Inthiscase,themenwholookuponBabyDoll aremesmerizedandoblivioustotheirsituation.Thisis,however,contradictedby theactualactthatBabyDollmustperform.Becauseofherpower,BabyDoll becomesBluesfavoritegirlandisboughtandsoldashepleases.Thisis emphasizedbyhername.Babyreferstoherinfantlikestateandthefactthatshe hasnopoweroverhersituationandnoabilitytomakedecisionsregardingherown wellbeing.EvenmoredebilitatingisthewordDoll.Sheispresentedasalifeless massthatshouldbeusedtoamuseherowner.Herpowerovermenliterally objectifiesher(evenmorethantherestofthegirls).Snydermayalsobealludingto EliaKazansfilmBabyDoll(1956),inwhichthetitlecharacter,ateenagegirlwhois wedtoasleazyoldermanwhopromisestowaituntilher20thbirthdaybefore havingsexwithher.Bothcharactersareoverdeterminedfemaleobjectsofmale desire.

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ThesecondissuewiththisdeviceisthatSnyderunderminesthegirlswithin

thetextofthedreamworld.Insteadofbeinginchargeoftheirownmission,they takeordersfromthewiseman.ThepowerthatSnyderwantstogivetothese womanactionheroesiscontainedwithinthemalefatherfiguresturf.Inthenext chapter,Iwilldiscussthedaughterarchetypeandhowitisusedtounderminethe motivationsandactionsofthesecharacters. ThefinalwaythatthisdevicecreatesproblemsstemsfromSnydersstylistic

decisionsthatcompletelyundermineanypowerthewomenmighthave.Inthe actionscenes,BabyDollandhercohortsaredressedinprovocativecostumes,and Snyderneverseemstomissachancetoshootanuptheskirtshotduringthestunts. Whilethespecialeffectsandstuntworkareallverywelldone,theyarestaleand boring.Theoverdoneandmonotonousactionsequencescausetheaudiences attentiontodrift,whichdrawsfurtherattentiontothegirlssexuality. Snyderthengoesontounderminethedeviceitselfwhentheviewersare

transportedbackintothebordello.EverybodyintheroomistransfixedbyBaby Doll.Itisevidentthatwhateverdancewejustmissedwasthemostamazingpartof themovie.Theviewersareleftwishingthattheycouldhaveseenthisdanceandjust forgottenabouttheactionsequencesalltogether. InherbookOverHerDeadBody:Death,FemininityandtheAesthetic,

ElisabethBronfendiscussesacharacterfromSamuelRichardsonsClarissa,or,the HistoryofaYoungLady.Inthenovel,theevilandvindictiveLovelacepursues Clarissa,andattheendofthenovel,Clarissadiesfromhiscruelty.Lovelacethen planstostealherbodyandhaveitembalmedsothathemayalwayspossessher.

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Aboutthissituation,Bronfenstates,Lovelacesfantasiesaboutpreserving Clarissascorpsesuggestbothananxietyaboutherbodilydissolutionandadesire todemonstratehisunlimitedrighttopossessher(95).Ownershipistheepitome ofthemale/femalerelationshipwithinapatriarchalsociety.BeforeClarissawas dead,shecouldfightbackorrunawayfromLovelace.However,oncedeadshe presentsLovelacewiththeperfectgift:Sheisanobjectwithnomotivation,abilityto enjoy,orabilitytoreasonleft.SheisanemptyvesselwithwhichLovelacemaydo ashepleases. SnyderpresentsthesameissueinSuckerPunch.Attheendofthemovie,

SnyderbringstheviolencebackintothebordellowhenBluekillsallofthegirls exceptBabyDollandSweetPea(AbbieCornish).BabyDollstabsBluewithastolen knife,andsheandSweetPeaproceedtoleavethehospital.Anissueariseswhen theygetoutofthehospitalandthereisagroupofmenwaitinginthecourtyard.In ordertosaveSweetPea,BabyDollsubmitsherselftothemenasadistraction. UltimatelythismeansthatBabyDolldoesnotescapeandisinsteadlobotomized. LikeClarissainthepreviousexample,BabyDollbecomesanemptyvessel.The audience,andthosewithinthestory,makeherintosomethingtheycanown. Essentially,BabyDollsviolentactsofrebellionculminateinallofherpowerbeing takenawayfromher.Theempoweredwomaninthefilmispunishedforabusing thegazeandusurpingmasculinepowerinthenameoffemininity. DanielWalbernotesthiswholemethodofportrayingwomenasstrong,

violentandbadasssuperherotypesisproblematicatitscore,anditcompletelytrips upanypositiverepresentationSuckerPunchmighthavegivenus(Walber).Thus,

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ratherthanpositivelyrepresentingempoweredwomen,Snydercutsthemoffatthe knees.Regardlessofwhichworldtheyarein(real,imaginary,orotherimaginary), thewomenareultimatelyatthemercyofthemeninthestory.EveninSweetPeas happyending,shemustbesavedbyabusdriverwhoisnotincidentallythewise manofBabyDollsimagination. FailedFetishCriticism BothBarbWireandSuckerPunchrepresentfailedattemptstocritiquethe

cinematicobjectificationofwomen.Byimplementingahyperattractivefemalein ordertoparodythegenre,bothdirectorsaremerelyaddingtotheproblembecause bothBarbandBabyDollareeventuallypunishedfortheiruseofviolence.Barb nevergetshertruelove.Hogantriestocleanitupbygivingherthedebitcardfullof money,butBarbisclearlypowerlesstoAxelslove.ThegirlsinSuckerPunchare killed,leftaloneintheworldtowander,orlobotomized,thelatterofwhichisthe epitomeofthemalefantasy:afunctionalbodywithnomindtodiscernpainor pleasure. Thesewomencomplicategenderinafewsurprisingways,butintheend,

theyarepowerlessovertheirfate.ThisisespeciallyinterestinginthecaseofBarb WirebecauseBarbscharacterisbasedonRickfromCasablanca(1942).Evenapart writtenforamanbecomesproblematicforwomen.WhileRickisestablishedas powerful,sexy,andtheepitomeofmanliness,heremainsunproblematic.Barb, virtuallythesamecharacter,isproblematicbecauseofherpowerandsexuality. Becauseoftheirfemininity,bothBarbWireandSuckerPunchsubjugatetheirfemale charactersinordertolegitimizetheirviolence. 41

CHAPTERFOUR RestrainingHerMotives DefusingCastrationAnxiety Gunwieldingwomencreateaspecialkindoftensioninmaleviewers.As

CarolM.Dolenotes,thefemaleherospossessionofthephallicgungeneratesa castrationanxiety(Dole83).Intermsofpsychoanalysis,thefemaleis,inessence, holdingapenisandeverythingitsymbolizes(masculinity,power,etc),whichmakes menfeelthreatenedbythedisplacementofwhatistraditionallytheirs.Themale viewerdoesnotfeelcomfortablebeingsubjugatedbyfemales. Inthesecondchapter,IdiscussedthePhallicWomanandnotedthatthere

isaperceivedgenderbinarywherecertaintraitsaremaleandothersarefemale. Thus,withinthisstrictbinarycodetheactionheroine,whofightsandkillsonapar withthemen,confusestheboundariesandisseenbysomecriticsasagender transvestite(Brown,GenderandtheActionHeroine53).Thewomeninsuch filmsarespecificallycodedfemale,andthuscomewithaseriesofexpectations. Violatingtheseexpectationshasthepotentialtomakethemaleviewer uncomfortable.Inordertomaintainaudienceenjoyment,filmmakersmustsubvert anysenseofcastrationanxietyoranyotherpotentialdiscomfort.CarolM.Dole notesthatfilmscandeflectdiscomfortbysubvertingthecharacterspower(87). Thiscanbedoneinmanydifferentways(physically,sexually,etc),butoneofthe mostprolificisbyfeminizingthewomanthroughherfamilyties.

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Thischapterdiscussestwoarchetypes,whichRikkeSchubartdefinesasthe

motherarchetypeandthedaughterarchetype(Schubart).Byreconstructingviolent womenwithinthecontextoftheirfemininerelationshipswithothercharacters(i.e., mother,daughter,wife,etc)thefilmmakerdefusesanythreattheymayholdover theaudiencebyfeminizingthem.Iwilldiscusstwocharacterswhofallunderthe motherarchetype:Ripley(SigourneyWeaver)fromtheAlienseriesandSarah Connor(LindaHamilton)fromTheTerminator(1984)andTerminator2:Judgment Day(1991).Theybothserveasprimeexamplesofextraordinarilyviolentwomen whosemotivationisframedbytheirmaternalcharacteristics.Iwillalsodiscuss Nikita(AnneParillaud)fromLucBessonsLaFemmeNikita(1990)andHitGirl (ChloMoretz)fromMatthewVaughnsKickAss(2010),astheyaregoodexamples ofhowdaughterlynesscanundercutacharacterssenseofagency.Withinmy discussionofeacharchetypeIwillalsoaddressamovieinwhichtherelationshipis biologicalandoneinwhichtherelationshipissymbolic.Inbothcases,the archetypefunctionsinmuchthesameway. Thesecharacterslackofagencyisconsideredtobeanissuebymany

feministcritics.Withinthenarrative,thesewomenarealmostalwaysgivensome sortoffeminizedmotivation.NikitaandHitGirlactintheirfathersinterests,rather thantheirown.Byfeminizingthewomensmotivationandmakingthecharacters subservienttomaleagendas,filmmakersreinforcetheideathatfemalecharacters cannotsimplybecharacters;theymustbefeminine.Iwillarguethatthisisnot necessarilyso.WhileIbelievetherearesomeveryimportantandrogynousfemale charactersincinemahistory,forinstance,MattieRoss(HaileeSteinfeld)fromJoel

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andEthanCoensTrueGrit(2010),othersshouldnotbewrittenoffasregressive simplybecausetheyarefeminine.Inthecasesofthesefilms,thewomensfeminine relationshipsmakethemcapableofmakingpowerfulstatementsaboutthepowerof femininity. TheMotherArchetype:Alien AsIstatedinpreviouschapters,Alienhelpedjumpstartthegirlswithguns

subgenreinHollywoodcinema.RidleyScottpresentedtheaudiencewithRipley,a tomboyspacedockworkerwho,alongwithhercrew,discoversanalienraceof hyperaggressivemonstersthatpreysuponhumans.Ripleyisastrongbodied womanwhoholdsatraditionallymasculinejobasafuturisticsailor. Throughoutthemovie,ScottdoesverylittletofeminizeRipley.Themovie

openswithamontageestablishingacoldlookingspaceship:TheNostromo.A computerburststolifeandwakesuptheshipsrathercrasscrew.Theviewerfirst getstoseetheminteractwitheachotheratthebreakfasttablewhileeverybodyhas acigarette.Neitherofthefemalecharactersiswearingmakeup,theyaredressedin genderneutralclothes,andLambert(VeronicaCartwright)evenhasashortboyish haircut.Scottmakesthemlooklikemen. Asthemoviecontinues,itismadeclearthatCaptainDallas(TomSkerritt)is

thefilmsprotagonist.WhileRipleyisnotfeminized,sheisconsistentlyundermined byhercrew.Thisisnotsurprisingassciencefictionisknownforrelegatingwomen tosubservientrolesandkeepingthembarredfromfulladmissiontotheupper echelonsofthespacecrew(Doherty194).Ripley,thefirstmateontheship,is constantlyignoredanddisrespected.Forinstance,about23minutesintothemovie, 44

Brett(HarryDeanStanton)andParker(YaphetKotto)haveaconversationina steamyhallwayabouthowthetwomechanicswantbettersharesoftheprofits. Ripleyyellsherreplytothem,andleavesforthebridge.Oncesheisgone,Parker turnsoffthesteam,revealingthathehadjustbeentryingtomakeRipleymiserable, andtellsBrettthatsheisabitch. Theship,itturnsout,hasbroughtitscrewoutofhypersleeptoinvestigatea

potentialdistresssignal.Nexttheyareinformedbythecrewsscienceofficerthat thesignalmayrepresentintelligentlifeotherthanhumanandthattheyare, therefore,requiredbytheircontracttocheckitout. Onceonthealienplanet,thecrewsendsoutasearchpartyconsistingof

CaptainDallas,Kane(JohnHurt),andLambert.Theyfindanalienspaceshipwitha largemummifiedalienbodyonboard.Astheydigfurtherintothedepthsofthe craft,theyfindaroomfullofhundredsofsmallpods.Kane,whoissenttocheckout thehulloftheship,leansovertocheckoutoneofthepods.Atthispoint,thepod opensandejectsasmallcreaturethroughhishelmet.Thisfacegrabberisthefirst introductiontotheconflictofthemovie.Kaneisrushedbacktothelandingcraft wherethelandingpartymeetsresistancefromRipley,whowillnotopentheairlock untila24hourquarantineisover.Ash(IanHolm),thescienceofficer,opensthe hatch,directlydisobeyingRipleyandthelaw. Whenthefacegrabber,whichhasproventobeimpossibletopulloffKane,

disappearsandisfounddead,thecrewdecidestotakeoffandgetbackontheirway. Duringdinnerthatnight,Kanebeginstospasmandasmallcreatureburstsfromhis chest.Thelittlecreaturegrowsquickly,andthenexttimetheviewerseesit,itis

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eightfeettallandakiller.Itmurdersthemechanic,Brett,andlaterDallas,leaving Ripleyincharge.Dallassdeathisakeymomentinthemovie,becausetheaudience hadassumedhewouldbetheprotagonist.Ripleybecomesthemaincharacterand entersmanhood.ByshiftingthemoviesemphasisfromDallas,aman,toRipley,a woman,thefilmsubvertsthegenderexpectationsofthesciencefictiongenre. Fortheremainderofthemovie,Ripleytakescharge.Sheandherremaining

crewmanagetokillAsh,whomitturnsoutisanandroidwithstrictordersto preservethealienforthecompanyevenattheexpenseofthecrewslife.The remainingthreesurvivorsdeterminethattheywilldestroytheshipandtaketheir chancesintheescapepod. Whilemakingfinalpreparationsfortheirescape,theothertwocharacters

findthemselvescorneredandarequicklydispatched.Meanwhile,Ripley,whois acutelyawarethatsheisnowalone,stalksthroughtheshipwithagiganticphallic flamethrower.ItturnsoutthatRipleyisnotthesubservientscifigirl,butrather CloversFinalGirl.Sheiswatchfultothepointofparanoia;smallsignsofdanger thatherfriendsignore,sheregisters.Aboveallsheisintelligentandresourcefulina pinchTheFinalGirlisboyish,inawordsheisnotfullyfeminine(Clover,Men, Women,andChainSaws3940). Onherwayoutoftheship,Ripleydoessomethingfunny.Despitean

incrediblytenseencounterwiththealien,shedecidestopickuptheshipsmascot,a catnamedJonsiethatgetstotedaroundtheshipunderRipleysprotection.Ripleys maternalneedtocarefortheanimaloverridesherownsenseofwellbeing.After spendingtheentiremovieasagenderneutralcharacter,Ripleysuccumbstoher

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motherlyrole.Shekissesthecatgoodnightandputshimtosleepinhishypersleep chamber,thusfulfillinghernewlyappointedmotherlyduties.Shethenstripsdown, baringherbodyforthecamera.Thisactbothsexualizesher,somethingwhichScott hasbeencarefulnottodofortheentiretyofthemovie,andpreparestheaudience forthefinalshockofthemoviebyrelievingthetensionofthescene.Inherfinal stand,sheejectsthestowawayalienfromtheescapepod,killingitonceandforall. Alientreatsgenderandmotherhoodinaverypeculiarway.Thereisa

distinctabsenceoffemalegendertraitsineitherofthefemalecharacters.They workintraditionallymalejobs(sailors,truckers,explorerswhoventurepastthe finalfrontier)andbehaveliketheirmalecounterparts.Dohertynotesthatthe genericreversalofthespacebimbomotifinthepersonofRipley,thethen unfamiliarSigourneyWeaver,wasthemostaudaciousnarrativetwistinAlien:in thisfutureworld,thenaturalorderofthingsreallywasupsidedown(194).Dallas, thequintessentialheroicscifiprotagonist,isdefinitelyselfconfident,eventhough heconsistentlymakesthewrongdecisions.Meanwhile,Ripleyiskeenlyawareof thedangerthecrewfacesandisignoredateveryturn.WhenDallasiskilled,she takeschargeofthecrew,picksupheroversizedphallicweapon,andultimately dispatcheshermonster.Fromthenon,sheis,essentially,male. Feministcriticismofthismoviehasbeenstrong.Manycriticsbelievethat

Ripleyrepresentsatransvestiteratherthanastrongfemalerolemodel,an argumentsupportedbythefactthatthescriptoriginallycalledforanallmalecast (Lauzirika).Theseaspectsarefurthercomplicatedbytheintroductionofthe motherarchetype.AlthoughScottgoesthroughgreatpainsnottofeminizethe

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character,motherhoodisanoverridingmotifwithinthefilm.Throughoutthemovie therearereferencestomotherhoodandbirth.Thealienburstsforthinabloody messfromKaneschest.Thisact,inaveryelementarymanner,represents childbirth,andwhenoneconsidersthehorrificnatureofthebirth,itisobviously portrayedasanightmare.Later,Ripleyendearsherselftothecatdespitebeingin mortaldanger,andSchubartnotesthatthealienspaceshipwhichDallas,Lamber, andKanefindonLV426wasdesignedorganicallyintheformofahorseshoewith twoprotrudinglegsbetweenwhichwerevaginashapedopenings(Schubart171). Thesesymbolsofmotherhoodobscuretheobviousabsenceoffemaletraitswithin thecharacters.MotherhoodservesasacontrasttothemasculineRipley.Whenshe compromiseshermaletraitsandembracesmotherhooditchangesthewayher characterisperceived.Becausemenarediscomfortedwhenwomentakeonroles thatarenottraditionallytheirs(i.e.,pickingupbigguns),theymustbecontained. BymetaphoricallymakingRipleyamotherthatfeariscontained.Mothersare allowedtodefendtheiryoung;RipleyisallowedtodefendJonsie.Hermotherliness thuscompromiseshermasculinity. TheMotherArchetype:Terminator2 SarahConnorisperhapsthemostruggedandmotherlycharacterinaction

cinema.InthesecondinstallmentoftheTerminatorfranchise,Sarahisahard, ruthlesskiller.UnlikeRipley,Sarahsentiremotivationismotherhood,andher maternityisnometaphor.SheisthemotherofJohnConnor,whowillgrowupto savetheworld.Sheistherefore,inasense,themotherofallhumanity.

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AsdiscussedinChapter2,Sarahisconsistentlymasculinized.Inherroomin

thementalinstitutionsheisfetishizedasifshewereamaleactionstar.Whenshe goestokillMilesDyson(JoeMorton),sheisdressedasaman.Asonewriternoted, withallthosegunsblazingandthemusclesshedevelopedfortherolebytraining inArnoldSchwarzeneggersportablegymnasium,she[LindaHamilton]looksvery tough(JanusonisE05).Perwriter/directorJamesCameronsdesign,Sarah Connorisessentiallyaman. InTerminator2Sarahisgiventwofatherfigureswithwhomtopartner.

WhilesheisstillinthementalhospitalshehasadreaminwhichshefindsKyle (MichaelBiehn),Johnsdeadfather,inhercellasking,WheresoursonHesthe targetnow!1Kyleactsasamotivatorwhenallothermotivationshavefailed.Likea goodcoparent,heralliesSarahwhensheisunabletohelpJohnbyherself.This relationshipbuildsentirelyoffthefirstmovie,butestablishesanuclearfamily withinthefilmsrelationshipstructure. Laterinthemovie,SarahreluctantlyacknowledgesJohnssecondfather

figure.Inavoiceover,Sarahsays: WatchingJohnwiththemachine,itwassuddenlysoclear.The Terminatorwouldneverstop.Itwouldneverleavehim.Anditwould neverhurthim.Nevershoutathim,orgetdrunkandhithim,orsayit wastoobusytospendtimewithhim.Itwouldalwaysbethere.Andit woulddietoprotecthim.Ofallthewouldbefathersthatcameand wentthroughtheyears,thisthing,thismachinewastheonlyonewho measuredup.Inaninsaneworld,itwasthesanestchoice. DespiteSarahshatredforthemachines,sherealizestheirpotential.The Terminatoristhere,inessence,toserveJohn.Thiscrystallizesthefranchises 1Thisscenewasnotintheoriginaltheatricalversionofthefilm.Itwas releasedintheDirectorsCut. 49

definitionofparenthood.Themachinemechanicallylooksaftertheboysinterests withoutanyregardforitsown.Again,thisfatherfiguremotivatesSarah.Although she,John,andthemachinecouldwaitouttheimpendingwarinMexicoandprepare Johnforhisdestinyaspostapocalypticleaderofthehumanresistance,shedecides shewantsmoreforhim,evenatherownexpense.LikeKyle,sheiswillingtogive herlifethathersonmaylivehis.Thisinstinctleadshertojumpbackintothefray andtrytokillthemanwhowouldultimatelybuildSkynet.Attheendofthemovie, theTerminatorcarriesoutthesametaskwhenhedestroyshimselftoadjustJohns fateonceandforall(orsotheybelieveuntilTerminator3,4andtheTVseries). UnlikeRipley,Sarahiskeenlyawareofhermotherhoodandacknowledgesit

inmanyplaces.SherevealsthatherfurywithSkynethasitsrootsinmotherhood whenshesaystoDyson,Youthinkyouresocreative.Youdontknowwhatitslike toreallycreatesomething.Tocreatealife.Tofeelitgrowinginsideyou.Allyou knowisdeathanddestruction.Ratherthanbeingbornandraisedinlove,Skynet wouldbebuiltandeventuallyachieveconsciousnessasaweapon.Sarahis motivatedbyherloveforhersonandthehumanrace(hermetaphoricalchild).She is,withoutquestion,aviolentwoman,butHollywoodgenerallyundercut(s)its armedwomenwithnarrativedevicesthatreducetheheroespower(Dole80). Thisissuehasbeenrepeatedlyreintroducedthroughoutthisgenre.CouldSarahbe aviableandprofitablecharacterwithouthermotherhood?Whilemanyfeminists mayarguethatviolenceispatriarchalandoppressive,theyoftenenjoywatching womenactviolentlyagainsttheirmaleoppressors(McCaugheyandKing2).The factthatSarahischaracterizedasamotherisnotnecessarilyregressive.

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Themotherarchetypeisausefultoolwhenestablishingastrongfemalerole

model.Anoverlysimplisticandpopularanalysisisthatrelegatingthesewomen intotraditionallyfemininerolesisantifeminist.Ifapersonwhoiscodedfemale cannotactviolentlywithoutbeingcharacterizedasafemale,howcoulditpossibly beprogressive?Inthebigpicture,ratherthanbeingthefeministnightmare,Ripley andSarahscharactersembodyCloverspermeablemembrane(Clover,HerBody, Himself208).Thefactthatthesephallicwomentakeontraitsthatareboth masculineandfemininechallengestheideathatmasculineandfemininetraits shouldbeclassifiedasfundamentallyoppositional.DionFarquharputsitinthese terms:thereisarangeofstrategicresponsestosubjectionsincludingthe multiplicationofresistances,thescramblingofmastercodes,andthenurturingof newandhybridforms(Farquhar213).Thesehybridformsareaprogressiveway tolookatgenderstereotypes.Thesecharacters,whichembodybothmaleand femaletraits,disassociatethesetraitsfromgender.Thesewomenare,ideologically, withoutgenderandsoarethetraitsassociatedwiththem. Themotherarchetypeis,aboveall,untamable.Thesewomenalwaysact

withintheirownguidelinesandrefusethepatriarchs.Thisisexemplifiedinthe buttingofheadsbetweenRipleyandhercrewandSarahsrefusaltoresigntoafate dictatedbymen(firstKyleandthentheTerminator).Hermotherlinessallowsher toactoutsideofpatriarchyspredefinedparametersinthenameofherchildswell being.Ripleyactsintheinterestofhersubordinates,whileSarahactsinher biologicalsonsinterest(andtherestoftheworlds). 51

TheDaughterArchetype:LaFemmeNikita Thedaughterarchetypeismuchlikethemotherarchetype.Eachisbasedon

therelationshipoftheprimarycharacterwithanothercharacter,orcharacters, aroundher.AsdefinedbyRikkeSchubart,thedaughterconsistsofthreemajor themes:education,masqueradeandprostitution(Schubart196),eachofwhichis essentialtothedevelopmentofthecharacter.JeffreyA.Brownfindsthemodern actionheroineconfoundsessentialismthroughherperformanceoftraditionally masculineroles(Brown,GenderandtheActionHeroine56).Likethemother archetype,filmmakersuseadaughterlymotivationinordertolimitthecharacters poweranddecreasemaleviewercastrationanxiety. LucBessonsbreakoutmovieLaFemmeNikitainitiatedthisarchetypein

modernactioncinema.Nikitarepresentstheprototypicaldaughterwhowouldbe imitatedandevencopied(HeiMao[1991],PointofNoReturn[1993],andthe televisionseriesLaFemmeNikita[19972001]).DespiteJanetMaslinscomment thatthemovieisbesttakenlightly,andappreciatedforthehighglosseffectiveness ofMr.Bessonsmethods(Maslin,Nikita"),Nikitahasachievedaplaceintheupper echelonofactionmovies.Itishardtoignorethemoviesinfluenceonboth Hollywoodandindependentcinema.

LaFemmeNikitaopenswithadrugstorerobberygonebad.Aneuroticand

highNikitamurdersapoliceofficerincoldblood.Sheissubsequentlyarrested, tried,andjailedforlife.Whileinjailhersuicideisfakedandsheawakesina bedroomwithnoclueastohersurroundings.Aman,whomtheaudiencewilllater knowashermentorBob(TchkyKaryo),entersandexplainstoherthatifshe

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refusestoworkforhergovernment,shereallywillbekilled.Whensheagreesto jointheprogram,sheentersintoherfirststageofdaughterliness. Hereducationbegins.Thequestionthedaughterposesis,Whyisshethe

waysheis?Thisimpliesthatthereissomethingwrongwithher;somethingnot feminine.Forinstance,Nikitaisaviolentcriminal.Theeducationphaseseeksto controland/oreradicatethemasculineandreeducateher.Shemustlearnhowto bemorefeminine.Theentirefirsthalfofthemovieisdedicatedtothisact.Nikitais enrolledineverythingfromfirearmandhandtohandcombattrainingtocomputer classes.Whilethesemayseemlikemasculineendeavors,theybothfocusand controlherrawviolencefromthebeginningofthemovie.Atfirstshestruggles. Nikitarefusestocooperatewithanyofherinstructorsandgenerallyrunsamuck.It isnotuntilthemanagementthreatensherlifeandBobisforcedtogiveheran ultimatumthatNikitabeginstoshowsignificantprogress. Thesecondphaseofthedaughterarchetypeisthemasquerade.In1929,the

famousEnglishpsychoanalystJoanRivierewroteanessaytitledWomanlinessasa Masquerade.Inheranalysisofamarriedpatient,Rivierenotedthatthepatient tendedtointeractwithmenotherthanherhusbandinaflirtatiousmanner.Riviere theorizedthatthewomanrevertedtothisbehaviorbecauseofanunconsciousfear ofreprisalfrommenforencroachingontheirterritory:womanlinesstherefore couldbeassumedandwornasamask,bothtohidethepossessionofmasculinity andtoavertthereprisalsexpectedifshewasfoundtopossessit(Riviere37). Themasqueradeisashowthatwomenusetoappearexplicitlyfeminineto

avoidseemingmasculineorencroachingonmasculineterritory.Atthebeginningof

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thefilm,Nikitadoesnotrespecttheseboundaries.ThenshewalksintoAmandes (JeanneMoreau)office.AmandesroleistoteachNikitaabouthermasquerade. Nikitalearnshowtopickoutclothes,dohermakeupandhair,andtrickpeopleinto believingthatsheisalady.Amandesays,Smilewhenyoudontknowanything. Youwontbeanysmarter,butitsniceforthosewholookatyou.Thewomanis teachingNikitahowtomaskhermasculineself.Ratherthanlookinglikeakiller,it isimportantforNikitatocomeoffasaninnocentgirl.Amandeachievesthislookby physicallymaskingNikitasimperfectionsaswellasgivingherpersonalityaveneer thatappearssophisticatedandfragile(twothingswhichNikitaisnot). Thefinalthemeofthedaughterarchetypeisprostitution.Thenatureofthe

relationshipbetweenthewomanandherfatherfigureisofasexualnature.Sheis alwayspluckedfromherlifetobefixed.Hermentor,forinstance,choosesNikita whenshehasreachedtheultimatelow.Sheisinprison,nevertogetout,being punishedforflexinghermasculinemuscles.Hethenproceedstogivehersome valuableskillsanddressheruptolookacceptable.Shedoeshisbidding,literally tosaveherlife. Inthisscenario,themanteachesthewomanhowtobefeminine.Rather

thanbeingabiologicalfunction,femininityisamaskthedaughterdonsinorderto impresshermentor.InLaFemmeNikita,forinstance,thereisagrowingattraction betweenNikitaandBobthroughouthertimeatschool.WhenNikitaisinvitedoutto dinnerwithBob,hetakeshertoaromanticrestaurant.Shewearsaflattering cocktaildressandpearlsandhewearsasuit,makingthemappeartobeanolder manandhismistress.Thisincestuousrelationshipisindicativeofmostcharacters

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withinthisarchetype.Thecharactersdesireforherfathersattentioncrossesa line.Becausethecharacterhasspentsomuchtimetryingtobecomethefathers idealwoman,theneedforapprovaliseverpresent. Thisprostitutioncreatesametamorphosisforthecharacter.Schubartrefers

toitasthethirdself(Schubart216).Thefirstselfisthecharacteraswemeether, thesecondisthecharacterwithinhermasquerade,andthethirdselfisherpersonal self.ThesecondhalfofLaFemmeNikitashowstheactualizationofthatself.While NikitalivesinBobscompoundduringthefirsthalfofthemovie,herentireselfis basedonwhatBobwantshertobe.Thesecondhalfisspentoutsideofthetraining facility,whereNikitahasachancetodevelopapersonallife.Bothherfianc,Marco (JeanHuguesAnglade)andherapartment,representthisthirdself.Nikitatakesher educationandbecomesthepersonshewantstobe.Themasqueradeisalwaysin conflictwiththethirdself.Forinstance,Nikitastrugglesdesperatelytomaintain herrelationshipwithMarco,butfindsitimpossibleaslongassheisworkingforthe governmentagency.Nikitachoosestotakeherchancesonherown.Ratherthan stayunderherfatherfiguresthumb,sheescapeshercaptors(thepatriarchy)by leavingherlifeandeverythinginit,usingtheskillsthatshewastaughtinthe agency. Attheendofthemovies,thesecharactersareleftwithachoice:cutandrun,

establishinganewlifeawayfromtheirfatherfigures,asinLaFemmeNikita,orstay involvedwiththerelationshipasSydneyBristow(JenniferGarner)doesintheTV seriesAlias(20012006). 55

TheDaughterArchetype:KickAss In2010,directorMatthewVaugnintroducedtheworldtoHitGirlinthe

movieKickAss.Thereinterpretationofapopulargraphicnovelisaboutahigh schoolageboywhodecidestobecomeasuperheronamedKickAss(Aaron Johnson).Hemeetsarealfatherdaughterteamofsuperheroes,oneofwhomis playedby11yearoldChloMoretz.Shebehavesinmanywaysonewouldnot expecttoseesuchayounggirl.Sheisakiller,trainedinmartialarts.Sheis proficientwithfirearms.Shealsodressesupinapurpleandblackjumpsuitand purplewiginordertofightcrimeonanightlybasis.Butwhatreallycatches audiencesattentionisherage.Indiscussingthemovie,RogerEbertbringsupan interestingpoint.Hestates,Amoviecameramakesarecordofwhateverisplaced infrontofit,andinthiscase,itshowsdeadlycarnagedishedoutbyan11yearold girl,afterwhichanadultmanbrutallyhammershertowithinaninchofherlife. Bloodeverywhere.Nowtellmeallaboutthecontext(Ebert).Moretzbringstothe screenanewwaytointerpretviolence.Heramazingabilities,herfoulmouth,and herrelationshipwithherfatherallcomplicateanypreviousunderstandingsof genderinactionheroines. ThefirsttimeHitGirlisintroduced,herroleasdaughterisalreadythefocus.

Sheisdressedasheralterego,mildmanneredMindyMacready,andisstandingin somedesolatepartofthecitywithherfather,DamonMacready(NicolasCage),who isthesuperheroBigDaddy.Damoncomfortshisdaughter,usingcondescending termslikechildandyounglady.Astheycontinuetalking,theviewerrealizes thatDamonplanstoshootherinthechest.Hethenraiseshispistolandshootsher.

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Themomentisincrediblyvisceral.Thegirlslimpbodyfliesbackaboutsixfeetand shelandsonherbackwithathudandapoofoffeathersasstuffingpoursfromher rippedjacket.Theaudiencewaitsforasecond,andthenshemoves.Thenlaughter comes.Sheiswearingabulletproofvest.Thescenepurposelycontrastsextreme violenceandradicalabusewithcomedyandthefatherdaughterdynamic. Inthiscase,thenatureofthedaughterlinessisbiological.HitGirlwas

selectedbyherfathersimplybecauseoftheirpreexistingrelationship.Atthe openingofthemovie,sheisalreadythoroughlyintohereducationphase. Immediatelyaftertheshooting,Mindyandherfathergotothebowlingalleyto celebrateheroutstandingperformance.Mindyrevealsthatshewantsapuppyanda dollforherbirthday,andDamonisvisiblydistraught.Muchtohisrelief,sheisonly jokingwithhim,andoffersherrealdesire:aBenchmadeModel42butterflyknife. Thedynamicrevealedherecontradictstheclassicdaughterarchetype.Ratherthan beingtaughthowtobemorefeminine,BigDaddyhasreeducatedhisdaughterinto aclassicallyhypermasculinestate.HitGirlisnotpunishedforencroachingon masculineterritory;sheiscelebrated. Thisparodyrepresentsthepostmodernphaseofthedaughterarchetype.At

thispointinhistory,thecharacterissowellknownthatitwelcomesthistypeof humor.Feministcritics,however,oftenrespondnegativelytothisfeminineimage. CarriePolansky,afeministfilmcritic,hadthistosayaboutHitGirl: Inmanyways,HitGirlisanempoweringcharacterforyounggirls. SheisthesortofroleactressChloGraceMoretzhadalways fantasizedaboutplaying,andtheideaofsuperheroandactionmovies creatingspaceforgirlstoplayaggressive,powerfulcharactersis innovativeandrefreshing.MyoverallfeelingonceIleftthetheatre,

57

however,isthatHitGirlwasafeministcharactertrappedina dreadfullyantifeministfilm.(Polansky1) Whileparodyingthedaughterarchetype,HitGirlstillhasallofthecharacteristicsof adaughter.Mindyisbeingtrainedbyherfathertoreflecthisvalues.Their relationshipischaracterizedbyadaughterwho,ratherthanplayingwithdollsand teasets,iscompletelydevotedtoherfatherandafatherwhoselfishlymoldshis daughterintoatool. Hermasqueradenecessarilyfollowstheeducationthatherfatherhasgiven

her.Ratherthanresortingtofemininitywhenencroachingonmasculineterritory, HitGirlresortstooverthetopviolenceandprofanityinordertosquelchanysortof femininity.WheneverKickAsstreatsHitGirlaccordingtoherageorgender,she respondswithabitingremark.Whentheguncrazybellhoptriestohelpthe helplesslittlegirlfindhermommy,shesticksasilencedpistolinhismouthand shootssomebodyelsethroughhischeek.Theintentionhereistocriticizethe tendencyformentofeminize,sexualize,andcondescendtowomen.HitGirlsage andhergenderworkintandeminjuxtapositiontoherviolence.Becausesheis11 yearsold,wedonotexpecthertoactviolently,andbecausesheisalittlegirl,wedo notexpecthertoactmasculine.Everycharacterwhofeminizes,sexualizes,or condescendstowardheristreatedtoapunishmentrangingfromthecwordtoa bullettothehead(withtheexceptionofherfather). Inanarticlediscussingtherecentwaveofpetitekillerwomeninpopular

media,MariaRicapitonotes,theviolentfemme,ofcourse,isanenduringmale fantasy,aLolitawhojustcanthelpherselfaroundagun(Ricapito1).This observationrevealsVaughnsmechanism.Heusesagirlwithagun(somethingthat 58

mencannothelpbutbedrawnto)andthen,rightastheaudienceisenjoyingitself themost,heshocksthemwithbrutalviolence,gore,orlanguage. Thefilmalsocontainsastrangeformofprostitution.Mindyandherfathers

relationshipisextremelycomplex.Thefatherdaughterrelationshipisboth charmingandshocking:Theirbondisbasedonlove,yettheendresultofall Damonsteaching,planningandplottingissupremelybrutal(Wallace).Damons loveforhisdaughterisleftwithoutanyquestion,buthisintentionstowardherare suspect.HishatredfortheevilFrankDAmico(MarkStrong)issoobsessivethat Damoniswillingtoputhisdaughterslifeonthelineinordertokillhim.AndHit Girldoesitwillingly.Damonpaysherwithelaboratepresents,hotchocolate,and compliments,andMindygivesupherchildhoodandrisksherlife.Infact,Mindyis sodedicatedtoherfatherthatattheconclusionofthemovieshecommitstothe suicidalactofstormingtheDAmicopenthouse.Andtomakemattersworse,she putsherfaithinthehandsoftheineptKickAss. Ineverycaseinwhichthedaughterarchetypeisdeployed,thedaughter

figurenecessarilyactswithinthepatriarchalstructure.Nikitaisimprisonedby men,trainedbythem,anddoestheirdirtyworkforyears.Itisnotuntiltheendof themoviethatshedisownsherfatherandleavesherfianc,effectivelyabandoning herpatriarchalchainofcommand.LikeNikita,HitGirlisessentiallyimprisonedby herfather.Sheisnotforciblydetainedorthreatened,butshehasnochoicebutto dohisbiddingasitisallthatsheknows.Neitherofthesecharactersmotivationis theirown,apointofcontentionwithfeministtheorists.

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ThoughMindyneverrefusesherfatherswill,attheendofthemovieshe

does,essentially,breakthemoldinwhichshewasbroughtup.LikeNikita,sheis startinganewlife,awayfromwhatshehasknown.UnlikeNikita,Mindyhasa friendwithwhichtostarthernew,normallife.Herthirdselfisfinallyimaginedin thelastshotofthemovieasMindyhappilygoestoschoollikeanormalgirlherage, butstillenjoysbeatingupthebullieswhotrytotakeherlunchmoney. Whilethesewomenlacktheirownsenseofagencythroughoutthemajority

oftheirrespectivemovies,themostimportantaspectofsaidcharactersliesintheir thirdselves.Afterspendingtheentiremovieunderthebrutaltyrannyoftheir fatherfigures,attheconclusiontheybreakfreeofthepatriarchalstructurethathas containedthem.BothNikitaandMindyreturntothelivestheyhadlostpreviousto thefilmsbeginning. WhereTheyWentRight Ripley,SarahConnor,Nikita,andHitGirlrepresentastapleofHollywood

filmmaking.Filmmakersusethesetypesofrelationshipsinordertosubvert feelingsofcastrationanxiety.Thisisanaturaltendencythatgivestheaudiencea chancetoidentifywiththemaincharacters. Classifyingthesewomenasmotherordaughterdoesfeminizethem,whichis

oftenconsideredproblematicinfeministcircles.Onemightaskwhythesewomen arefeminizedratherthanjustplayingviolentcharacters.However,their feminizationgivesthemthechancetocriticizethewaypatriarchyworks.Inevery case,themasculinepowerstructureestablishedatthebeginningofthemovieis disrupted.Sarahbreaksoutofprison,Ripleytakeschargeofthecrewthat 60

disregardedherauthority,Nikitauseshernewlylearnedabilitiestoescapeher fatherfigure,andHitGirlgetsoutofherfathersenvironmentofviolence. Thereasonthatgirlswithgunsmoviesaresuchpowerfultoolsisthatthey

havethepowertochallengegenderstereotypeswithoutalienatingtheiraudience. Theycanbeacompellingforcetoconfrontissuesofgender,andbycomplicating theirmotivesviafeminizationtheycancriticizenormswhileavoidingcastration anxiety.Violenceconfusesandcomplicatestherelationshipsbetweencharacterson screenandbetweenthemovieanditsaudience.Whilethesetoolscanleadto treacherouswaters,itisreadilyapparentthattheyremainpowerfulwaysto criticizetheculturesurroundingthem.

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CHAPTERFIVE Conclusion TheStatusQuo Girlswithgunshavegrownfrombeingsimpleplotpointstoasignificantpart

ofpopularmedia.Ifonechoosestodenythis,onemustonlyturnonthetelevision tobeprovenwrong.ItislikelythatonewillfindRizzoli&Isles(2010),TheCloser (2005),LawandOrderSVU(1999)oranynumberofothercurrentshoesthatare applicable.Hollywoodisproducinggirlswithgunsandaudiences,specifically Americanaudiences,areconsumingthem. SinceAlien(1979)therehasbeenasteady,andincreasing,tendencytowards

incorporatingthesetypesofviolentwomenintopopularmovies.Whilethese charactersdidexistbeforethisera(CharliesAngels[19761981]etc)itis undeniablethattheyaremostprevalentnow.Thebestwaytounderstandthese charactersistoaskWhyaretheyherenow?andHowdotheyaffectus?By understandingtheanswerstothesequestions,itiseasiertodistinguishbetween regressiveandpositivecharactersandtodiscoverandcelebratetheirstrengths. WhyHereandNow? Violenceisoftencriticizedbyfeministcriticsasbeingregressiveand

representativeofpatriarchalpower.SusanDouglasstatedthatCharliesAngels celebratestheobjectificationofwomenandpatriarchyformanyofthereasonsI havediscussedthroughoutthisthesis(Douglas212).Forinstance,theAngelswork 62

forCharlie(JohnForsythe),avoiceoverthephoneandafatherfigure.Indeed,these criticismsareechoedbybothmenandwomenacrosstheboard.AboutColombiana (2011),MikeHaleofTheNewYorkTimeswrotethatMr.Bessoncanclaimtohave createdandcontinuallyperfectedthelethalwomaninherunderweargenre (Hale).Whilethedegreetowhicheachcharacterissexualizedand/orfeminized variesfromstorytostory,itisaconsistenttraitofthesefilms. Thefilmsare,however,growinginpopularity.Towhatcanoneattributethis

proliferationandwidespreadacceptancewhilecriticscontinuetosuggestthatthese moviesareregressive?Onepossibilityisthatthesemoviesaremadebecause audienceslikethem,andfilmmakersrespondtotheirsuccessbycreatingmorefilms inthesamevein.GenretheoristThomasSchatzobserves: Thereisasense,then,inwhichafilmgenreisbothastaticand dynamicsystem.Ontheonehand,itisafamiliarformulaof interrelatednarrativeandcinematiccomponentsthatservesto continuallyreexaminesomebasicculturalconflictOntheother hand,changesinculturalattitudes,newinfluentialgenrefilms,the economicsoftheindustry,andsoforth,continuallyrefineanyfilm genre.(691) Schatzsobservationrecognizesthefactthatmoviesreflectourculture,and cultureischangedbythemovies.Inthissamevein,Woodstates,agenres evolutionisstronglyinfluencedbyculturalpoliticalevolutionatleastas muchasbythegenresinternalevolution(xiii).Afilmgenre,orinthiscase subgenre,continuallyrefinesitself.Moviesareaffectedbyeconomicand culturalfactors,aswellthemoviesthatprecedethem.Inresponsetothe culturalimpactthatthesefilmshaveandthevastandquicklygrowinglibrary

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oftexts,thissubgenreisquicklybeingrefinedandtheindustrywilllikely continuetodevelopthesecharacters. MariaRicapitopostulates,perhapsAmericansfeelpowerlessinaneraof

gushingoil,ongoingwarsandaslipperyeconomy,andwanttobelievethatthelittle peoplecanvanquishthebigbadguys(Ricapito).Whentakeninthecontextofa strainedAmericaandexhaustedpopulation,thismakessense.Partofthepleasure wederivefromcinemacomesfrombeingabletowatchsomethingwewould normallybeunabletoseeorexperience.Seeingsomethingthatcouldnever realisticallyhappenan11yearoldgirldestroyinganentirecriminalempire,for exampleresonateswithmanypeoplewhofeeldisenfranchisedbythecurrent political/economicsituation. Themostrecentphenomenonisthatofthesmallviolentgirl.Inrecentyears,

killerwomenhavebecomesmallerinstature.SmallwomenlikeAngelinaJolieand MillaJovovichareboxofficesuperstarsbecauseoftheirabilitiestohurtmenmore thantwicetheirsize.TelevisionisfilledwithshowslikeBurnNotice(2007 current),whichfeaturesthecharacterFionaGlenanne(GabrielleAnwar),aformer IRAdemolitionsexpertwhoalwaysbringsoverkilltoherfirefights.Infact,two filmsinthelastyear,Hanna(2011)andKickAss(2010),featuredchildactresses whocouldtakeoutendlessarmiesofwellarmedmen. ReceivingThemWithOpenArms Whatmanycriticsmissisthat,whilethesewomenarentbyanymeans

perfectheroines,thefilmsredeemingfactoristhattheyareaboutescaping, howeverfantastically,theagonizingconstraintsofgender,class,time,andplace 64

(Lipsitz).Ratherthanfocusingonwhatrealormanufacturedwaysonecandiscount thesewomen,viewersshouldenjoythebreakingdownofperceivedbinaries. CharacterslikeRipley,SarahConnor,Nikita,andHitGirlcanbeoffputtingto

some.Theyviolatemanyofoursocietysestablishednorms.But,thisis,broadly speaking,whatfeministcultureseeks.Byattributingmasculinetraitstothese charactersandthenfeminizingthem,filmmakersare,ineffect,feminizing,oratleast neutralizing,thosetraits.Forinstance,whenHitGirlusesthewordcunt,critics argueditwasdistastefulanddisgusting.Infact,shewas,inaway,criticizingthe patriarchaluseofbadlanguage.Thiswordhastakenonatabooequaltomany racialslurs.CatharineMacKinnonsaysthatthiswordreduceswomentoabody part(MacKinnon199),thusreflectingwhatmenthinkofwomen.Theyaregood onlyforsex.HitGirl,an11yearold,usesthewordcomicallyagainstmen.When shesaysitsheisinnowayasexualobject,nordoesheruseofthewordsexualize meninanyway.Shedeploysthewordinanefforttoneutralizeit.Likethegenre triestodowithviolence,HitGirltakessomethingthatwouldnormallybedirected towardherbythepatriarchyandthrowsitrightbackatthem. Inthiscase,asinmanyothers,thecharacterisdeployedasatool.Theyoung

girlcaneffectivelychangethemeaningofthewordsimplybydirectingitataman. Whilecriticsgotcaughtuponhowviolentandfoulsheactedoronhowshewas motivatedbyherfather,theymissedhoweffectivelyHitGirldidherjob. ThroughoutthisthesisIhavediscussedmanywaysinwhichthesewomen

arecriticizedwithouttakingintoaccounttheeffectofthatcharacter.Inmanycases,

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thecriticizedtraitsaretheverymechanismsthefilmmakersusetomakethe charactersignifysomethingprogressive. ThePhallicWoman Ifaphallicobjectisonethatrepresentsthemalesexualorgan,thenagunis

mostcertainlyaphallicobject(withveryfewexceptions).Agunresemblesapenis, bothphysicallyandbyitsaction(itshootsandpiercesflesh).InFreudianterms, gunsrepresentthepowerofmen.Awomanwieldingthissymbolofpower,then,is problematic.Sheisessentiallyusingthismasculinepowerinordertosubjugate others,oftentimesmen. Therearetwowaystolookatthissymbolicuse.One,afemalecouldbe

holdingaphallicweaponinherhandasanobjectofsexuality.Thisisanoftenused andperhapsmoreoftenparodiedact.Forinstance,inthebeginningofArthur PennsBonnieandClyde(1967),BonniestrokesClydesflaccidgunthatheholdsby hiscrotch.AsfilmtheoristMichaelRennettsoaccuratelynotes,Theshot representsthemetaphoriccopulationbetweenthecouple(Rennett).Bonnieis alluredbythepowerthegunrepresents.Inthisscene,Clyde(WarrenBeatty) awkwardlywieldsthisphallicpowerinordertotrytosubjugateBonnie(Faye Dunaway)bytakingadvantageofherfeminineattraction. Thesecondwayawomanholdingaphallicobjectcanbeunderstoodisthat

sheassumesthepowerthatthephallusrepresents.Intheseinstances,awoman takesagunandusesitagainstothers.Herabilitytouseviolenceisthekeyfactor. CharacterslikeLaraCroft(AngelinaJolie)fromLaraCroft:TombRaider(2001),

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Alice(MillaJovovich)fromtheResidentEvilSeries(20022010),orEllen(Sharon Stone)fromTheQuickandTheDead(1995)areallexamplesofwomenwhouse theirgunsasweaponsofpower.Oftentimesthenarrativesofthesefilmsdealwith thewomansgradualmasteryof(phallic)power(Brown,IfLooksCouldKill66). Idiscussedthissecondinstanceinthesecondchapter.Becausethese

characterswieldagun,theyareoftenviewedideologicallyasmen.Theycantalk likemen,actlikemen,andoftentimesevendressasmen.Thistransplantingof historicallymasculinetraitstothefemininethreatensmaleviewers(castration anxiety).Thismisappropriationofpowermustbemitigatedinsomeway,usually byeithersexualizationorfeminization. Sexualization Inmanycasesmoviesusesexualizationtoalleviatecastrationanxiety.Every

timethecharacterseemstoopowerful,thefilmmakerwillputthewomaninsome kindofsexuallycompromisingsituation.Forinstance,inRambo:FirstBloodPartII (1985),CoBao(JuliaNickson)isJohnRambos(SylvesterStallone)sidekickandin manywayshisequal.Butrightbeforesheiskilled,Ramboconquersherbykissing herandgivingherachancetoreciprocatethefeelings.Cospoweriseffectively neutralizedbyherromanticfeelingsforRambo.Shemaybepowerful,but ultimatelysheissubjecttothedominantmalecharacter. Whilethismethodisoftencriticized,itisnotnecessarilyregressive.For

instance,inBarbWire(1996),Barbs(PamelaAnderson)violenceisusedtocriticize theaudiencesattractiontoher.MarloEdwardsstates,therearetoomany momentsinthefilmduringwhichBarbseemstoovertlythreaten,oratleastmock, 67

heroffscreenviewers(45).Everytimesomebody(includingthemaleviewer)is encouragedtosexualizeBarb,sherespondswithagruesomelyviolentactinorder topunishhim. Theimportantthingtonoteaboutsexualizationisthatitisnotinevitably

regressive.Therearemanyexampleswheresexualizedwomenareusedexpressly tocriticizesocietysattitudestowardwomen. Feminization Anotherwaythatfilmmakersassuagecastrationanxietyisbyrestrainingthe

charactersmotive.Therearemanywaystodothis,buttworecurringarchetypes arethemotherandthedaughter.Intheseinstances,progressiveorviolentwomen aregivenafemininemotivation. Forinstance,inTheSilenceoftheLambs(1991),smart,resilient,andeven

violent(atleastattheendofthemovie)ClariceStarling(JodieFoster)isgivenno lessthanthreefatherfigures.ShehasbecomeanFBIagentbecauseofherbiological father,whodiedinthelineofdutyasapoliceofficer.Herboss,JackCrawford(Scott Glenn),takesherunderhiswing.AndDr.HannibalLecter(AnthonyHopkins) guidesherthroughherprofilingofthenotoriousserialkillerBuffaloBill(Ted Levine).ThoughStarlingisoftenpraisedasastrongwoman,threemensubjugate herinvariousways. GivingStarlingthreefatherfiguresmakesheradaughter.Sheisfeminized

andisthereforenolongerathreattomaleviewers.WhileStarlingdoesprotect thosewhoareweakerthanshe,BuffaloBillsvictimisawoman.Claricecouldnot possiblydefendamalefromdangerbecausehewouldalreadyhavehismasculine 68

powerintact.Infact,thecriminalshedefeatsis,anaspiringtransvestitewhose masculinityisinquestion.Withinthemovie,thefemaleherospowerisshowcased butsimultaneouslycontained(Dole87). Inthesameway,acharactermaybesubjugatedtotheroleofmother.In

Wanted(2008),Fox(AngelinaJolie)isarguablythemosteffectivekillerinanentire groupofsuperassassins.ButsheconstantlyhastotakecareofWesley(James McAvoy).Whilenotabiologicalmother,hermotivationsaresufficiently underminedbyherneedtotakecareoftheineptnewassassin,ajobthatnoneof themencouldbebotheredtodo. Inthecaseofeachofthesearchetypes,theobjectiveofthefilmmakeristo

compromisethecharactersmotivation.Thissaysthatawomanmaybeviolentif sheisprotectingherfeminineinterests.Alittlegirl(Hanna[SaoirseRonan],HitGirl [ChloGraceMoretz]orMathilda[NataliePortman]fromTheProfessional[1994]) mustacttohonorherfatherorfatherfigure.Inthesamemanner,amother(Ripley [SigourneyWeaver]orSarahConnor[LindaHamilton])mustactintheinterestof herchild. ThePower Therearecharacterswhoarestrongwomen,withoutgender.Theydonot

takeonatransgenderedpersona,theyarenotsexualized,andtheyarenot feminized.Whileitisadmirablethattherearefilmmakerswhostrivetotakeon thesethreeissues,itisequallyimportanttorecognizethatacharacterdoesnot necessarilyhavetoavoidthesecharacteristicsinordertobeaprogressive character. 69

Thesewomenoftenchallengetheideaoffemaletraits.Ifafilmmakercan

implementacharacterwhosegenderismorelikeCloverspermeablemembrane, thetraitsthatoneassociateswiththatcharacterarelikelytobeneutralizedbyher genderconfusion(HerBody,Himself208). Idonotarguethatsexualizationandfeminizationalwayspromotepositive

viewsofwomenwithincinema;rather,Iarguethat,theycanbeeffectivewaysto criticizegendernorms. Forthetimebeing,girlswithgunsisagrowingtrend.Womenarefeatured

inallkindsofmediacarryingalldifferentkindsoffirearms.Towriteoffsuchalarge sectionofourcurrentmediaoutputwouldbetoignoreanimportantpartofour culture.Thewomeninthesefilmsaremorethanjustfuntowatch;theyare effectivesymbols,thatcriticizeoursocietyandwomensplacewithinit.

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APPENDIX GirlsWithGunsMovies Thislistisapartialcollectionofmoviesthatarecrucialtothedevelopment

ofthegirlswithgunssubgenre.Whilethemoviesonthislistareallimportant,this doesnotrepresenttheentirecollectionofgirlswithgunsmovies: DawnoftheDead(1978)GeorgeA.Romero Aliens(1979)RidleyScott Mrs.45(1981)AbelFerrara DayoftheDead(1984)GeorgeA.Romero TheTerminator(1984)JamesCameron Aliens(1986)JamesCameron BlueSteel(1989)KathrynBigelow LicensetoKill(1989)JohnGlen LaFemmeNikita(1989)LucBesson NightoftheLivingDead(1990)TomSavini TheSilenceoftheLambs(19(1991)JonathanDemme Terminator2:JudgmentDay(1991)JamesCameron ThelmaandLouise(1991)RidleyScott Alien3(1992)DavidFincher GunCrazy(1992)TamraDavis LethalWeaponIII(1992)RichardDonner TheRiverWild(1994)CurtisHanson Copycat(1995)JonAmiel TheQuickandtheDead(1995)SamRaimi TankGirl(1995)RachelTalalay BarbWire(1996)DavidHogan CourageUnderFire(1996)EdwardZwick Fargo(1996)TheCoenBrothers TheLongKissGoodnight(1996)RennyHarlin G.I.Jane(1997)RidleyScott TheMatrix(1999)TheWachowskiBrothers CharliesAngels(2000)McG TombRaider(2001)SimonWest ResidentEvil(2002)PaulW.S.Anderson KillBill(2003)QuentinTarantino TombRaiderCradleofLife(2003)JandeBont Underworld(2003)LenWiseman 71

TheMatrixReloaded(2003)TheWachowskiBrothers TheMatrixRevolutions(2003)TheWachowskiBrothers Terminator3:RiseoftheMachines(2003)JonathanMostow Blade:Trinity(2004)DavidS.Goyer DawnoftheDead(2004)ZackSnyder ResidentEvil:Apocalypse(2004)AlexanderWitt AeonFlux(2005)KarynKusama Mr.andMrs.Smith(2005)DougLiman Serenity(2005)JossWhedon UnderworldEvolution(2006)LenWiseman TheBraveOne(2007)NeilJordan TheKingdom(2007)PeterBerg PlanetTerror(2007)RobertRodriguez ResidentEvil:Extinction(2007)RussellMulcahy WallE(2008)AndrewStanton TerminatorSalvation(2009)McG WhiteOut(2009)DominicSena KnightandDay(2010)JamesMangold ResidentEvil:Afterlife(2010) SuckerPunch(2010)ZackSnyder KickAss(2010)MatthewVaughn Hanna(2011)JoeWright

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