The Bechdel Test

[wiredferret]

When Wall-E came out, I asked silmarian why the robot was gendered at all, and even if it had to be, why it couldn't be a girl. And he explained that they get taught in school that making a female character an object of laughter is dangerous, and way less funny than making the man bumbling. And I thought about it, and he's right. I am frequently offended by

Comments

[fayde]

One of my favorite movies, The Women (the old version - the remake is coming out in September and I'm not really sure what to think about that until I see it), is a movie with an all female cast, but I don't know if it passes or not. What do you determine "a discussion involving a man" is? The movie is about a woman who's husband leaves her for another woman and most of the conversations in the movie are discussing that or some other relationship. Even when the women are talking to each other about another woman, it still is somehow about a man.

Do discussions about how clothes/hair/make-up look count? Because I'm sure we are talking about dressing to impress someone. I assume work counts, but that really isn't a deep discussion. I have hopes for the Mummy 3 because if 2 women are talking, they are probably discussing how to kill a monster. But really, that seems superficial too

[slammerkinbabe]

Awww, Wall-E's not really so bumbling! He is occasionally, but it doesn't define his character the way it does sitcom dads. Instead, his character-defining traits are basically his sweetness and his longing for connection.

I figure he's a boy because Pixar wasn't going to put a gay relationship at the center of a kids' movie (I'm gay and even I don't object to that unwillingness, because, I don't know, it's just the way society is, and there's nothing *wrong* with heterosexual relationships, so whatever), and it's nice to see the boy being the sweet one and the girl kicking some ass.

[chebutykin]

Cajones and I have spent many hours discussing the genius of the Justice League cartoon series, which bent comics continuity by having these characters be the main Justice League team:

Superman
Batman
Flash
Wonder Woman
Hawkgirl
Green Lantern (John Stewart)
Martian Manhunter

By including the John Stewart GL, the main lineup had a non-white character that wasn't shoehorned in for his ethnicity's sake (see: Apache Chief and Samurai on Superfriends). By including both Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl, the writers were able to completely ditch the "lone woman" syndrome, and create separate and contrasting personalities for each. The writing on the show became incredibly sharp in the later years. Surprising for a cartoon that was birthed mostly to sell toys!

While I also lament the fact that most films fail the Bechdel Test (including most of my favorites), I'm also of the opinion that it is wrong to shoehorn a character into the story simply to give it a token female character or a non-white character. I mean, seriously... does Lawrence

[marykaykare]

Mr. and Mrs. Smith is the feel good movie of choice around our house. We find it both funny and cathartic. And I *loooove* the sex/death stuff. It makes we want to write papers. Well, not really, but you know what I mean.

MKK

[porcinea]

Transformers was feminist, but, alas, racist.