"Don't worry, a naked woman is not going to get out of this complex"
This is not a review, because I didn't finish the film. Not because of what I'm about to tell you (I don't necessarily think turning off stupid movies is a political action) but because it was boring-bad and not entertaining-bad.
Lifeforce.
Where women are either:
-Naked models in glass cases found by astronauts, one of whom feels closer to her than anyone else EVER (she is also so irresistible--without talking, I guess it's just her lack of clothes--that she can suck the lifeforce out of people with no resistance: "She... was the most overwhelmingly feminine presence I have ever encountered.")
-Masochists who, when questioned by authorities, want the information beaten out of them (because that's totally how masochism works)
-Not there at all
The movie's about "space vampires" who get taken back to Earth and give rise to lots of gross special effects. I was just bemused by the unapologetic misogyny, which is so very blatant that it's hard to understand how it happened unintentionally, unless the makers were incredibly stupid. Either that, or it's a very telling testament to someone's vision of audience desires in 1985. (Not that this sort of thing is isolated to this time period, but I'm talking about whatever decisions went into making this one film.)
Most movies like this--bad scifi/horror movies with sexy female villains--are set up for male pleasure in a forumla that includes unattainable/dangerous sex objects, ciphers to pin desire on, sexual obviousness, explosions, gross-outs, male supremacy. I've just seldom seen it so obvious. Too bad it wasn't worse. Then it might at least have been fun.
Though this exchange comes close:
Colonel Tom Carlsen: She's resisting. I'm going to have to force her to tell me. Despite appearances, this women is a masochist. An extreme masochist. She wants me to force the name out of her. She wants me to hurt her. I can see the images in her mind. You want to stay? Otherwise wait outside!
Colonel Colin Caine: Not at all. I'm a natural voyeur.
Lifeforce.
Where women are either:
-Naked models in glass cases found by astronauts, one of whom feels closer to her than anyone else EVER (she is also so irresistible--without talking, I guess it's just her lack of clothes--that she can suck the lifeforce out of people with no resistance: "She... was the most overwhelmingly feminine presence I have ever encountered.")
-Masochists who, when questioned by authorities, want the information beaten out of them (because that's totally how masochism works)
-Not there at all
The movie's about "space vampires" who get taken back to Earth and give rise to lots of gross special effects. I was just bemused by the unapologetic misogyny, which is so very blatant that it's hard to understand how it happened unintentionally, unless the makers were incredibly stupid. Either that, or it's a very telling testament to someone's vision of audience desires in 1985. (Not that this sort of thing is isolated to this time period, but I'm talking about whatever decisions went into making this one film.)
Most movies like this--bad scifi/horror movies with sexy female villains--are set up for male pleasure in a forumla that includes unattainable/dangerous sex objects, ciphers to pin desire on, sexual obviousness, explosions, gross-outs, male supremacy. I've just seldom seen it so obvious. Too bad it wasn't worse. Then it might at least have been fun.
Though this exchange comes close:
Colonel Tom Carlsen: She's resisting. I'm going to have to force her to tell me. Despite appearances, this women is a masochist. An extreme masochist. She wants me to force the name out of her. She wants me to hurt her. I can see the images in her mind. You want to stay? Otherwise wait outside!
Colonel Colin Caine: Not at all. I'm a natural voyeur.