Cinema, Ideology And Criticism In Film

Everything is political. Even when looking at a light hearted comedy, there are political elements that engulf the film. “Cinema/Ideology/Criticism” by Cornolli and Narboni explains this. An example is women’s representation in the film. If a director and writer follow the norms of female characters, it shows that they agree with the status quo of how a pop culture sees women. They did not make a political statement, but it is shown in their actions. A political theme across our films and televisions shows woman against woman. Women are repeatedly depicted as competition, even when it is a strong independent character, deepening the idea of women are catty creatures.
Before one can fully grasp women's repetition in modern film, they must understand the history. In George Lipsitz’s “Popular Culture: This Ain’t No Sideshow,” it illustrates the way the entertainment industry began. The theater was a way for women to escape from the Victorian Societal norms (9). Being an actress gave women the opportunity to have a profession. As show business grew, women began to be sexualized as a way to fulfill the wishes of the viewers (9). Choice feminism would argue that if a women decided to be sexualized than it is a …show more content…
Although the media promotes girl power and unity, the women being represented as competition has not decreased. Susan Douglas in “Enlightened Sexism” explains the rivalry as a form of false power in society; “They pitted us against each other, especially around the issues of sexual display and rampant consumerism as alleged sources of power and control” (8). By having women go against each other, it shows strong women giving a false sense of power. An example of this is the television show UnReal. The show depicts the way women are placed against each other through rumors, side comments, and racially to gain more viewers. Reality show settings are not the only way television makes women