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Ella es el Matador (Gemma Cubero and Celeste Carrasco, 2009)

Year:
Country of Origin: ,
Running Time: 62 min

Format: Color, DVD

Ella es el Matador (She is the Matador), as the title indicates, is a documentary film about two female bullfighters and their career in Spain and Latin America. The film features the life of a celebrated, professional female matador, Maripaz Vega, and of a novice, Eva Florencia. By depicting both the life within the bullfighting society and the process to enter the professional world, the movie rigorously captures the inequalities and obstacles that exist in the rigidly gendered – extremely masculine – bullfighting society.

In terms of narrative elements, Ella es el Matador consists of two big parts and these parts are blended into the flow of narration throughout the movie: individual lives of Maripaz and Eva and historical path of female bullfighters in Spain and Latin America. The lives of two female bullfighters are told mostly via the interviews of their family members and themselves; in an interview, Maripaz’s father proudly expresses his amazement toward his daughter’s achievement, mentioning that none of Maripaz’s brothers could attain the matador status. Eva’s run-away story from Italy to Spain for her passionate love of bullfighting when she was only sixteen is quite dramatic and impressive, too. The interviews of male matadors and audience also convey how deeply the gendered notion of bullfighting is ingrained in Spanish society. Along with these aspects, the movie provides historical background of women’s participation in bullfighting, “Franco’s Law,” which banned women from partaking in bullfighting, and unstated prohibition that still exists these days.

However, despite the discouraging attitude of the society that is shown in the interviews and history, two women’s passion and fascination of bull and bullfighting can never be missed in the movie; especially, the visuals vividly conveys the emotions. There are many close-up shots of Maripaz and Eva when they talk or are in practice; their fierce eyes talk more about their passion and love about bullfighting. Moreover, camera’s focus on their gestures – movements even in the tips of the hands and toes – and the rhythmical line that flows throughout their bodies when they are in the ring demonstrates the beauty and sensation of bullfighting and helps audience understand the meaning of being a matador.

Although Ella es el Matador does not suggest any particular solution to the gendered bullfighting society in Spain, it does describe well the realities of women matadors through the inclusion of different paths that Maripaz and Eva have ended up taking in the end of the movie. Especially, if one compares Ella es el Matador with Pedro Almodóvar’s movie on a female matador, Hable con Ella (Talk to Her) (2002), he/she can easily find the different attitudes in depicting women bullfighters of two movies.

Maripaz Vega

 

For further information:

Ella es el Matador page on Women Make Movies website:

http://www.wmm.com/filmcatalog/pages/c755.shtml

Talcual films website (in French):

http://www.talcualfilms.com/estudio/ella-es-el-matador/

P.O.V. Ella es el Matador trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdVyItKqnTM

Maripaz Vega on Bullfighting News:

http://www.bullfightingnews.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=209

Article about Maripaz Vega’s recent activity:

http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2011/03/23/ole-female-bullfighter-fights-to-return-to-malaga/

Art work of Eva Florencia:

http://www.pbs.org/pov/matador/photo_gallery_paintings.php

Trailer of Hable con Ella:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fl8tyEIXXI

Soomin Kim 2013.

Sa-I-Gu (Dai Sil Kim-Gibson, 1993)

Year:
Country of Origin:
Running Time: 36 min

Format: Color, DVD (NTSC)

Distributor: Center for Asian American Media

Sa-I-Gu, literally translated in Korean as April 29 is the day of the 1992 Los Angeles riot following the trial of Rodney King. Three months after Sa-I-Gu, the documentary explores the experience of the Korean American women who was “caught” in the LA crisis. The documentary tells the story of the mother of Edward Jae Song Lee, the only Korean who died during the riot, along with interviews of Korean American women. These accounts portray the financial, psychological, and personal losses of the community, and their American dreams turned upside down.

Women express their mistrust, frustration, confusion, and disappointment towards African-Americans and the U.S. government in the aftermath of Sa-I-Gu. The documentary attend to what Korean women interpret as the cause of Sa-I-Gu: the media’s biased focus on Black and Korean conflict, gap between the rich and the poor, and the failure of the LA police and the government to react. The documentary also portrays how these women are coping with the lingering battle against the government for compensation, providing a ground for a reexamination of the real content of the American dream.

The documentary fills in a void in the media coverage that neglected to present an accurate representation of the experience of the Korean community. Dai Sil Kim-Gibson says that they produced the documentary “to give voice to the voiceless victims i.e. Korean American shopkeepers and shop owners who lost everything during the Los Angeles upheaval.” By portraying their experience in human terms with great honesty, the documentary provides a more complete picture of the LA crisis.

The documentary was showcased as P.O.V series on National PBS Broadcast at the time of its release. It received the Bronze Plaque Award at the Columbus International Film and Video Festival as well as the Bronze Award at the Houston International Film Festival and the Rosebud Award from Washington, DC.

Descriptors: Korean American, race relations, Los Angeles Riot, Immigration

For further information:

On the Film:

On the L.A. Riot and its impact on Korean American:

  • Abelmann, Nancy. Lie, John. Blue Dreams: Korean Americans and the Los Angeles Riots. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 1997

On the Director:

Arresting Ana (Dir. Lucie Schwartz, 2009)

Filmmaker:
Year:
Country of Origin: ,
Running Time: 26 min

Format: Color, DVD

Arresting Ana is a film that, despite its short running time, grapples with a number of serious and troubling issues concerning the intersections of body image, free speech, and the Internet. The film centers around the pro-anorexia cyber movement, and follows Sarah, an 18 year-old college student with a “pro-Ana” blog called “In Search of Perfection, ” and Valerie Boyer, a legislator seeking to making websites like Sarah’s, illegal. The film describes “Ana” as a way for those struggling with the illness to personify the disease. In the film, Sarah describes “Ana” as a supportive and motivating force and even, a friend. The film depicts both the political and personal sides of this struggle, posing questions concerning free speech, along with the danger and efficacy of such websites. It considers both how these websites function for those suffering from the disease, and also what the impact of the Boyer Law might have on young women like Sarah.

The film, which takes place in France, also deals with how women living in a society so obsessed with food and thinness, might grapple with such opposing pressures. The film is interspersed with images of Paris—of it’s restaurants and markets alongside the advertisements of super-thin fashion models that permeate the country’s visual culture. The film, which focuses on Sarah’s perspective, shows how these websites, whose message can easily be construed as “morbid and perverse,” also serve as communities and outlets for those suffering with eating disorders to connect with others facing similar struggles. However, the film also includes screen shots of these blogs and sites, revealing the troubling imagery and ideology they often seem to promote.

Although the film focuses on the French legislation trying to ban “pro-Ana” websites, which would include up to two-years in prison and a 30,000 Euro fine, it also addresses the universal pervasiveness of this growing trend. As stated in the film, such websites exist in every language and every culture, a fact that underscores the disturbing growth and omnipresence of this disease. By providing the viewer with Sarah’s perspective, the film conveys a more complete sense of how these individuals view themselves, and how these online communities function for individuals struggling with eating disorders and body image.

For further information:

Film’s official website: http://arrestingana.com/

Overbeke, Grace (2008), “Pro-Anorexia Websites: Content, Impact, and
Explanations of Popularity”, The Wesleyan Journal of Psychology 3: 49–62

Norris, Mark L; Boydell, Katherine M; Pinhas, Leora; Katzman, Debra K (2006), “Ana and the internet: A review of pro-anorexia websites”, The International journal of eating disorders 39 (6): 443–447

Morris, Bonnie Rothman (2002-06-23), “A Disturbing Growth Industry: Web Sites That Espouse Anorexia”, New York Times, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F00E4DB123CF930A15755C0A9649C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all

Harris, Misty (2007-09-15), “Online anorexia videos prompt call for website restrictions”, Edmonton Journal, http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=8e8d21e0-c8da-4af1-b05c-01422ab6136d

(in French) Proposition de loi visant à lutter contre les incitations à la recherche d’une maigreur extrême ou à l’anorexie, Assemblée nationale, 2008-07-02, http://www.senat.fr/rap/l07-439/l07-439_mono.html

Schwartz, Lucie (2009-12-22), Outlawing Ana: French lawmakers battle eating disorders (http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/rough/2009/12/france.html), PBS Frontline

Born in Flames

Filmmaker:
Country of Origin:
Running Time: 90 min

Born in Flames cover

Born in Flames takes place in a slightly different version of New York City than we know today. The movie takes place in a New York City supposedly under a new socialist government, where all the problems that a diverse population usually faces have supposedly been eradicated. The government says that racism is gone, sexism is gone, and inequality is gone… or (when government officials are pressed on the subject) at least much better than they were before the socialist revolution.

However, as one would expect, the truth is a different matter. And as women, (more so in the cases of women of color and alternative sexuality) are harassed in the street, lose their jobs, and are denied promotions that they justly deserve, two women found a revolutionary woman’s organization called the Woman’s Army. These women are Adelaide Norris and her older mentor, Flo Kennedy.

Born in Flames is a movie about the Woman’s Army told through the voices of women who were observers at first, and later, participants in the organization. It is interesting to note that the more the movie progresses, the less the viewer sees of Norris and Kennedy. Born in Flames concentrates more on the discussions and landslide of repercussions induced by these two women, as opposed to the two women themselves. Throughout the movie, the most prominent camera shots involve two pirate radio stations, “Radio Ragazza” and “Phoenix Radio”, as their leaders speak out about the Women’s Army. Also featured in semi important roles are four women magazine editors/journalists, as well as two FBI agents who monitor and later take action against the Women’s Army.

The climax of the movie occurs when Norris returns from Africa where she was attempting to procure arms for the Women’s Army. She is arrested at the airport by the FBI, and imprisoned. In a highly suspicious set of circumstances, Norris is discovered the following morning to have committed suicide. The public is enraged. Besides high jacking a number of local and national television broadcast stations, the Women’s Army places a bomb on the top of the World Trade Center. The movie closes first by showing a reel of Kennedy proclaiming that the Army will not rest until equality is established, and finally with the bomb detonating.

In my opinion, Born in Flames is a classic feminist film, not just because it is about women fighting for equality, but because it does an amazing job simply filming those women. The women the viewer sees on screen are from many different races, economic classes, and various political beliefs, yet none of them are filmed in a more favorable light than the others. The camera is almost perfectly neutral in its gaze, with no special close ups or fragmented shots to alert the audience to certain physical features of a character.

Instead of this neutrality making the movie emotionally or visually dull, it gives the film a striking sense of authenticity. I believe that this authenticity is what leads some to call Born in Flames a mocumentary, for this fictitious film somehow makes itself feels like documented reality. Thus, though the ending of the film is ambiguous and inconclusive, the film’s characters are real, and in the end the viewer can leave the theater believing in their tenacity and hope.

For more information:
New York Times Review
http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/6744/Born-in-Flames/overview

New York Times Biography of Lizzie Borden
http://movies.nytimes.com/person/82463/Lizzie-Borden/biography

An all around Lizzie Borden reference site, complete with details about various articles written by Borden, and the titles of various books/articles about Borden. http://www.filmreference.com/Directors-Be-Bu/Borden-Lizzie.html

Born in Flames movie cover

The Education of Shelby Knox: Sex, Lies & Education (Dir: Marion Lipschutz and Rose Rosenblatt, 2005)

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Running Time: 76 min

November 24, 2008 by abensim1@swarthmore.edu 76 minutes. Color. Released on June 21, 2005 on the Point of View series on PBS.Lubbock, Texas, USA. Incite Pictures.Subject headings: Christianity, activism, sex education, leadership, family relations, community, queer rights, sexuality Synopsis: Lipschutz and Rosenblatt’s documentary follows feisty fifteen-year-old Shelby Knox in her struggle for sex education in the public schools in Lubbock, Texas.  Even though her county’s high schools instruct abstinence as the only safe sex, Lubbock has some of the highest rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases in the nation.  Although Knox identifies as a devout Baptist who has taken the True Love Waits pledge to her parents and God promising to abstain from sexual relations until marriage, she takes on her parents, pastor, and peers in her unrelenting quest for a more comprehensive and informative sex education in public schools and eventually even goes on to support the gay-straight alliance.  This film demonstrates the cultural wars within a religion that advocates abstinence, and how one fiery, compassionate woman can influence social change.  Even when she takes a seat on the Lubbock Youth Commission and butts heads with her rival, town officials, and religious leaders, Knox remains consistent in her fervor.  This documentary shows the efforts of a young woman who fights for the rights of others. Further Information: Film’s official website, http://www.incite-pictures.com/shelbyknox/index.htmlWWM review, http://www.wmm.com/filmcatalog/pages/c726.shtmlNew York Times review, http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/21/arts/television/21heff.html?_r=2&oref=sloginAwards:Best Cinematography, Sundance Film FestivalJury Prize, Sonoma Valley Film Festival

Searching for Go-Hyang (dir. Tammy Tolle)

Filmmaker:
Year:
Country of Origin:
Running Time: 32 min

Color.
Distributor: Women Make Movies
Original Format: Video

Searching for Go-Hyang follows Tolle and her twin sister as they return to Korea (called “Go-Hyang” in Korean) to meet their estranged family. When the family business failed, their father became an alcoholic. Faced with serious financial burden, their mother put the two girls up for adoption to the United States at the age of eight. The mother was told that she would be able to contact her daughters, but after her children had been sent away, she was denied that right. Upon reaching America, the girls were subjected to physical and emotional abuse from their adoptive American parents. At sixteen, the two girls decided to move out of the house of their adoptive parents, and worked to support themselves through high school. After fourteen years of absence, the film documents the moment in which they reunite with their father and mother, and the conversations that they have with their biological family, through the assistance of a translator.

The film begins with explanatory words on the screen, describing the historical background of the Korean Civil War (1951-1953) that preceded the creation of the adoption agencies involved. These written commentaries continue throughout the film, either translating the Korean of the parents, or giving additional statements from the voice of the narrator. Tolle also utilizes a voice-over narration technique, criticizing the adoption agency, and the frustrations of identity that she experiences between her early life in Korea and her later life in America. Tolle also uses footage of herself and her sister describing their experiences in America to their parents (through the translator).

One noticeable absence from the text is footage or developed discussion of their American experience. The audience learns only that the mother’s name was “Cheri,” and that she tried to erase their cultural identities. All of the descriptions of abuse are told by Tolle and her sister in a very general way, without reference to specific instances, either through the descriptions they give to their biological parents upon reuniting, or through the written commentary on the bottom of the screen. As Tolle’s sister tells their parents that they did not speak English upon their arrival, the written commentary states, “We were forbidden to speak Korean.” When Tolle describes how their adoptive mother changed their names and cut their hair, the written commentaries reads “They told us we were ugly.” There is never any statement from the American parents, nor do the women describe specific instances in which they were abused; they simply mention that they were beaten and physically abused.

Presumably, the girls would not have any resources, or at least did not know of any resources, that might have helped them. There is no evidence that the girls entered the foster care system, nor that they pursued legal action against their American parents, and any evidence of the abuse would have disappeared long ago. It is also likely that the women had not spoken to their adoptive family since they left, six years prior to their return to Korea. Thus, the film focuses on the sentiments of the women upon reuniting with their family. The women meet their long lost brothers, begin to relearn Korean, and share a cheerful, at times poignantly funny, meal with their Korean family, as their mother reintroduces them to their favorite foods, squid and kimchi. Finally, the film is much more a portrayal of the emotional history of the two women, having endured abuse, and looking towards a rediscovered sense of identity, than a chronicle of the abuses of their past. The film ends in self-reflection, showing pictures of the women in high school with their friends, as Tolle tells us “There was no one to be proud of me.” She comes to terms with her Korean and American identities: “I do not wish I had stayed in Korea, nor do I regret or embrace that I was adopted…” appears as written commentary, before Tolle tells the audience “I have come to find peace with it. This homeland I will always search for is neither Korean nor the US but will always be parts of both.”

On the Eighth Day: Making Perfect Babies (dir:Gwynne Basen, 1992)

Filmmaker:
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Country of Origin:
Running Time: 102 min

Written by Erna Buffie
Color

Subject headings: reproductive rights, in vitro fertilization, documentary, eugenics, biotechnology

Synopsis:
Gwynne Basen’s documentary On the Eighth Day offers a look into the world of artificial insemination through a close examination of the methods of in vitro fertilization (IFV) as well as the social and ethical consequences further development of these methods would have. The film opens with a case study of a woman who chose to have children knowing that her genetic disorder would most likely be passed on to her offspring. With this personal perspective, the film immediately dives into the question of whether it is morally right to control which children are born by pre-selecting which fetuses are fertilized. The film gives the history of the development of the study of genetics and how IVF was developed. Consequences of new technological advances in the field of genetics are explored through the voices of several researchers as well as non-medical personnel such as patients suffering from genetic disabilities and women who have used IVF. Although much of the film is dedicated to informing the public about these biotechnological advances, the viewpoints used of the researchers clearly shows the film’s intent to show the negative consequences of these techniques that may occur in the future. Reproductive services available at the time this film was made already were significant outside of providing alternative means of contraception. The availability of pre-implantation diagnostics raises ethical questions about whether it is right to choose only certain kinds of fetuses to carry to term or to abort fetuses with genetic disorders.
Throughout the film, Basen attempts to fairly present the debate over the moral line between researching genetics for the pursuit of knowledge and researching it in search of methods to genetically engineer a more perfect baby, as the name of the film implies. The most moving arguments were those discussing the most extreme case to date of an attempt to use genetics to perfect the human race: the Nazis. Basen makes this point emotionally as well as intellectually. Not only do the researchers draw strong parallels between recently developed reproductive technologies and the possibility of these methods being used for a racially determined genocide, but also makes the argument emotionally powerful by inter-cutting the researchers on screen testimonies with images illustrating the destructive toll of the Holocaust. Here Basen demonstrates her ability to incorporate several mediums of representation and perspectives from unique sources of information. Her pursuit of covering every angle of the discussion over biotechnology is clear in the film and enhances its appeal as an educational and academic tool. Her film manages to go in-depth into the topic while still offering explanations for the basics of genetics for viewers who do not have backgrounds in science.
Through the emotional exploration of the implications of genetic research and biotechnology, Basen presents the facts of the science as well as an argument for why it is important for women to know the facts she presents. Her emphasis on the very real possibilities that can come from these technological advances, both positive and negative, and their future effects on women make watching this film a truly eye-opening experience.

Further Information:
Women Make Movies listing — http://www.wmm.com/filmcatalog/pages/c145.shtml
American Society for Bioethics and Humanities — http://www.asbh.org/
National Center for Biotechnology Information — http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
Gomez, Adriana, Meacham, Deborah. “Bioethics and Biotechnology: Marking the Boundaries in a Brave New World.” Women’s Health Journal n.2 (1997).

Girls Like Us (Dir: Jane C. Wagner and Tina DiFeliciantonio, 1997)

Year:
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Running Time: 57 min

Color, Video

Synopsis: Girls Like Us is an observational documentary that explores the ideologies young girls develop about their sexuality and how gender norms imposed by their family and/ or society shape their experiences. The film documents four years in the lives of four working-class teenage girls from diverse ethnic backgrounds residing in South Philadelphia. By following the girls between the ages 14 and 18, the film depicts the transitions that take place during each girl’s journey to womanhood. The documentary provide a multi-faceted view of teenage sexuality and presents themes such as coping with teen pregnancy, adhering to religious ideals, being treated differently than the males in their families, and either achieving or failing to reach educational goals.
First, we are introduced to Raelene (European/ American Indian descent) through a series of interviews and candid footage. Raelene’s story is the saddest of them all. During the four years, Raelene becomes pregnant twice starting at 14 years old and has numerous boyfriends, some of whom abusive. After giving birth to her first child, Raelene drops out of school at 15. Between the ages of 16 and 17, while getting a check-up during her second pregnancy, she explains that she has never experienced an orgasm. This statement was interesting because it made me question Raelene’s incentive for sleeping with many different men and paying the consequences by getting pregnant if she did not enjoy the experience? By 18 years old, a tired and weathered Raelene, moves to live the Pocono Mountains with her fiancé, her two children by two different men, and his children.
Anna (Vietnamese-American), a good student who hopes to one day attend medical school, is between with her parents’ traditional ideas of how she should use her sexuality and the desire to fit in with the more promiscuous American cultural expressions of sexuality. Although some of her friends are not so lucky, she achieves her goal of attending college by the end of the film. Lisa (Italian-American) is also a dedicated student who starts romantically experimenting with boys at the tender age of 12. She soon learns that some men can be unfaithful. By18 years old, Lisa also attends college. De’yona (African-American) attends a performing arts school and is a gifted singer who aspires to have a profession in music. But after De-yona’s closest cousin dies, her grades decline. She unexpectedly becomes pregnant and her dreams are derailed.
Girls Like Us provides a realistic snapshot of sexuality through the eyes of adolescents. Although it explores many important themes, the film allows the viewers to make their own conclusions.

References:
IMDB listing
McRobbie, Angela. Top Girls? “Young Women and the post-feminist sexual contract” Cultural Studies 21, no. 4/5 (Jul, 2007).
Official Website, Women Make Movies, “Girls Like Us” Review.
Sweeney, Kathleen. “Maiden USA: representing teenage girls in the ’90s”. Afterimage (United States) 26 Jan/Feb (1999): 10-13
The Austin Chronicle Website, “Girls Like Us” Review.

Iron Jawed Angels

Year:
Country of Origin:
Running Time: 123 min

Iron Jawed Angels

Color

Synopsis

Based on historical figures and events, Iron Jawed Angels tells the story of Alice Paul (Hilary Swank) and Lucy Burns (Frances O’Connor), two defiant young activist leaders in the American women’s suffrage movement. The two women break with the traditional suffragist movement and form a more radical faction which uses marches, civil disobedience, and eventually a hunger strike to pursue the ultimate goal of getting Congress to pass a constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote. The film begins as Alice Paul and Lucy Burns meet with the leaders of National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), including Carrie Chapman Catt (Anjelica Huston), to discuss tactics. NAWSA’s strategy is to focus on obtaining suffrage on a state-by-state basis, whereas the two younger women believe that they should be pushing for the more radical national amendment. While Alice Paul and Lucy Burns are initially allied with NAWSA, their failure to resolve the issue of tactics eventually results in their group’s breaking off from the national organization to form their own party – the National Women’s Party (NWP). Unlike NAWSA, the NWP engages in “radical” tactics that the more conservative NAWSA considers uncivilized and counterproductive to the cause. They endure harsh criticism from NAWSA and the public at large, the peak of which comes when members of the NWP decide to continue an ongoing picket of the White House after the United States declares war. This decision ultimately leads to the arrest of the suffragists on bogus charges of “obstructing traffic.” In jail, the suffragists endure harsh conditions and inhumane treatment. Inspired by Alice Paul, they begin a hunger strike in protest. Afraid of martyring Alice Paul, the jail brutally force feeds her and, after the women manage to leak this news outside of the jail, momentum builds for their movement. Ultimately, the women are successful in convincing President Woodrow Wilson to endorse women’s suffrage as a “war measure.” Thus, Congress passes the19th Amendment, allowing women to vote. Throughout the film, Alice’s ability to inspire women to act and join in the movement is highlighted. She is portrayed as a strong, commanding woman who perseveres in the face of tremendous adversity and gives up everything in pursuit of her cause. She only falters once, when her friend and fellow suffragist Inez Mulholland (Julia Ormond) dies. Believing she pushed Inez too hard, Alice blames herself and almost loses hope. At this point, Lucy Burns is able to restore her determination, and the two women fight on.A great strength of the film is its focus on the personal connections between characters and the inner struggles of Alice Paul. Thus, it turns what is usually portrayed as dry history into an engaging story. Rather than using a more traditional documentary form, von Garnier uses a compelling narrative, well-known actors, and modern music to capture the viewer’s interest. The net effect is a truly engaging film that brings the energy and excitement of a past movement to modern viewers.

Further Information

Official Website: http://www.hbo.com/films/ironjawedangels/

Links to Reviews: http://iron-jawed-angels.com/reviews.htm

IMDB Listing: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338139/

Swarthmore Connection: http://www.swarthmore.edu/news/history/1975.html

Books:

Adams, Katherine H, and Michael L Keene. Alice Paul and the American Suffrage Campaign. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2007.Irwin, Inez Haynes. Story of Alice Paul and the National Women’s Party. Fairfax: Denlingers Publishers Ltd, 1977Lunardini, Christine A.. From Equal Suffrage to Equal Rights: Alice Paul and the National Woman’s Party, 1910-1928 (American Social Experience). New York: iUniverse, 1986.

Notorious Bettie Page, The (Dir: Mary Harron, 2006)

Filmmaker:
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Running Time: 90 min

Written by Guinevere Turner
Producted by Christine Vachon, Pam Koeffler, Katie Roumel (Killer Films)
Color/B/W

Subject headings: pornography; body image; censorship; biography; sexuality; Christianity; costume drama; period drama

Synopsis: “The Notorious Bettie Page” is costume drama that aims to tell the story of the life of postwar pin-up Bettie Page, charting her evolution from Southern salutatorian to salacious star to evangelical Christian. The film opens in a New York City smut store in 1955, as an undercover agent tries (and succeeds) in coaxing the store owner into offering him fetish shots. These shots are the first glimpse we have of Page. The film cuts to Senate hearings on pornography, then to a shot of Page in the lobby, then to Page in church as a young girl. Most of the film is constructed in the form of flashbacks, alternating between Page in the courtroom and Page’s earlier lived experiences. Page is above all a survivor: the film walks us quickly through her childhood and early adulthood: the incestuous relationship between her and her father, her abusive marriage, her flight, a scene in which she is effectively kidnapped and forced to orally service several men, and her subsequent arrival in New York City.

Page’s early life is documented within the first 15 minutes of the film, using a combination of short scenes and montages. The remaining time is devoted to her career as a model. Posing for freelancers, she is portrayed as initiating the move into nude posing—and thoroughly enjoying it. Spending much of her time attending acting class in hopes of a career on stage, Page earns a living on the side by working as a model for fetish photographer Irving Klaw, posing for photos ordered by private customers. As the movie progresses, Page’s poses become increasingly scandalous; meanwhile Irving Klaw comes under increasing legal pressure and finds himself the target of a Senate investigation into pornography. When Klaw’s business is shut down, Page’s work as a model comes to an abrupt halt. A mediocre actress at best, Page is lost—and rediscovers herself at an evening service, born again in Christ. In the last shot featuring Page, we see her fully clothed and preaching scripture in a public park.

Biographically speaking, Harron chooses to focus primarily on the way in which Page comes to understand and perform her sexuality as a woman, both on camera and through her acting. Page’s story is a difficult one, and Harron ably constructs a sympathetic but believable narrative. Page is not presented as an exploited sexual victim nor as a whore; her career as model is treated lightly, even nostalgically—she is portrayed as playfully hamming up the roles. The mood of the film takes its cue from this spirit; political messages (the strongest addressing issues of exploitation, censorship, and feminine identity) are for the most part delivered with subtle humor. And laudably, Harron tries to avoid deviating from Page’s own views when using her character as a mouthpiece for third wave feminist thought—an effort that demonstrates a certain amount of, well, restraint.

Further information:

Official website, “The Notorious Bettie Page.”.

Official website, Bettie Page.

Mary Harron on “The Notorious Bettie Page.”

Salon.com Review (must watch a brief advertisement to access)

IMDB Listing.

title. The Notorious Bettie Page (Dir. Mary Harron, 2006)
name/date. Gwen Snyder, 31 May 2007
http://acad.swarthmore.edu/wp/femfilm

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