>Mail*Link(r) SMTP RE>>American >>>Subject: re: American > >>>Sandy D. says that we (Americans) want our women in films to act like >>>ladies. More than that, I think we want out women (speaking from the male >>>perspective) to be weak so that men can come to their rescue. As much as I >>>can recall at the moment, most films allow women to be tough--they can hold >>>their own in an argument, don't take crap, are resourceful--and smart, but >>>just physical enough to whack the bad guy with a vase or frying pan to save >>>the good guy in a critical moment. Or to beat up another woman. >>>The only mainstream American film with a physical female lead that comes to >>>mind is _Point of no return_ (or the poor man's _Femme Nikita_). Then >>>again, she is not so much physical as she is good with a gun. _The hand >>>that rocks the cradle_ and _Total recall_ have a scene or two where the >>>women mix it up and it looks convincing. And Sharon Stone beats the crap >>>out of Schwarzenneger (sp?) a couple of times. > >>>Stephen Hart >>>HARTS2@firnvx > >The problem with this discussion is that it only applies to a subset of well >publicized, mainstream films. There are a lot of films out there that depict >strong physical women AND in a positive light. These films may not be well >known or very popular, but they do exist in large numbers. Unfortunately, >films of this kind have a stigma associated with them and are considered >"sexploitation" (AIP and New World have always specialized in these kinds of >movies). THey are available, even at Blockbuster in the action and martial >arts sections. They star actresses like Rachael Hunter, Rae Hollett, Pam >Grier, Sybil Danning, Corey Everson, etc. The Picasso Trigger series is >anexample of strong physical female characters, though I will admit that the >sex scenes do reduce them to bimbo status at times. > >Guy Rosefelt Cartoon Law of Physics IX: >Chanon Services Everything falls faster than an anvil. >Los Angeles, CA And as my daughter, who I do not yet let watch such films, also points out, let's not forget Cynthia Rothrock! Rene Russo's character in _Lethal Weapon 3_ also brings a bit of the old macho attitudue to a mainstream film. And it is not true that Bridget Fonda as the American "femme Nikita" is just good with a gun. She does a nice little number, so to speak, with a #2 pencil early on, along with other non-technological actions. And there was Kathleen Turner and Dennis Quaid as action/mom-and-pop spies in the recent (failed) _Undercover Blues-. Etc. DD _____________________________________ David Desser, Cinema Studies 2109 FLB 244-2705