Joseph Elkins 4-8-14 Film Class

Gender Equality In The Work Place...Alien?

Viewing the film Alien in our film class was the first time I'd seen the mo ie! I had seen some images" short segements from the fil" and spoofs in some comed# mo ies using specific scenes" Spaceballs is one e$ample using the scene where the alien pops out of the mans stomach! %# e$pectations of what the film would &e a&out was strongl# influenced &# that scene and poster like pictures of the alien creature! I imagined an alien attack or in asion 'multiple aliens(" on a human spaceship in the future! From the farthest perspecti e I was not far off from m# e$pectations" until our discussion after we watched the film! )he imager# and now not so hidden metaphors on gender e*ualit#" gender stereot#pes" and feminism were *uite mind &lowing! Considering the #ears in a&out when this film was produced" it &ecame easier for me to understand wh# the film portra#ed gender roles" and feminism in the manner that it did" as well as seeing possi&le perspecti es from a male and female standpoint on gender e*ualit# in the work place &eing implemented! )he film mainl# portra#s this through feminism" male dominance" and elimination of gender roles! +i en some articles as research material and for reference" though er# usefull and well written" I en,o#ed the discussion in class after the iewing much more" pro&a&l# due to the shock and awe of the amount of hidden meaning and metaphors I'd missed! In one of the articles" written &# Jordan -oast in June of ./1." she e$plains how Alien esta&lishes feminism in three wa#s! 1!( 0e eloping a female protagonist instead of a male1 .!( -re ailing o er antagonists that s#m&oli2e conser ati e or other conceptions '&oth male and female(1 3!( )he shift of identification as the hero and con*ouring the t#pical se$ual dominance of males! )hese are

paraphrased in m# own words! I admire the insight in this article" &ut ha e m# own opinions and thoughts to share! 0e eloping Ripley into our strong female protagonist is *uite uni*ue! Jordan tells a &it of histor# a&out what 4oll#wood was like then Alien was released! -rotagonists in films were men" the manl# hero" whereas females were t#picall# damsels in distress! From the &egining of the film it is unclear who our hero is" though *uickl# our e$pectations are placed on 0allas" the ships ruggedl# handsome Captain! 5 pro&lem arises in the film where a crew mem&er is attacked &# an unkown life form" stuck to his face! 6iple#" follows protocol and is not letting them on the ship" E en with the command from 0allas to let them a&oard! )his decreases 0allas' leadership and male dominance &# undermining his athorit#! 7kipping forward" the alien is loose and in the air duct s#stem! )he crew tries to decide who will go into the air ducts" and like in most films 6iple# 'a female( olenteers" &ut with a suprising twist" 0allas sa#s no" and goes himself which leads to his death! 6iple# )akes charge showing intellect and courage and is the onl# sur i or with the e$ception of the cat! I think this is such a uni*ue wa# of indroducing the hero! E en in films toda#" the hero is almost immediatl# identified! )his is one of the coolest twist I' e seen in an# film to date! )he crew mem&ers" the imager# and the alien monster" portra# characteristics of the t#pical male or female" either headstrong males '&lack gu#(" the girl who is negati e and free2es when confronted &# the non gender #et unise$ alien" or the pre elant se$ual dominance of males o er female o&,ectified roles! 6iple# through compitance o ercomes these characteristics e en when creed tries to force her &ack into her place! 5ll of the se$ual immager# used 'ship" alien" maga2ine( reall# &lew me awa#! It ama2es me how e$plicit and how much content I missed" which meant I missed metaphors" and the meaning of the mo ie entirel#! )hough in tr#ing to portra# t#pical stereot#pes" I feel the chose a er# worldl#" media streamed depiction of males and females!

%# final opinion to note is that this film ma# ha e &een rele ent to the tme it was released" I feel toda# that feminism has &een pushed to hard! It seems that a remake of the mo ie &ut depicting the re erse would now more effecti l# show re elance toda#! In the articles" the# ridicule the scene where 6iple# performs a little strip tease at the end of the film! )he# note that it ser es nothing for the film and onl# o&,ectifies women once again! I disagree I feel that along with &ecoming a female champion and o ercoming all the protagonist oppression" &# 6iple# undressing " she is redefined as a female which connects her &ack to her iewers as well as making a statement of her se$ualit# e$pressed" female gender" strengthen her success! 89es im se$#" #es im female" #es I can &e the ass kicking hero:8 I didn't ha e time to sa# all I ma# ha e liked to in this paper compared to m# lost initial paper" ;ut o er all I was suprised and still am! I feel like the# went o er &oard with the se$ual content" and don't full# understand wh# the# de-gender 6iple# as well as e er#one else" and #et still enforce gender &ased protagonistic o&sticles" ie shes genderless" creed who is also genderless'5!I! 6o&ot( se$uall# assults 6iple# as a male would a female! I feel it kind of &ack peddles a &it &# tr#ing to pedal too much!