Gender representation in the adventure genre: female

Female gender representations:

Women are normally featured in action/adventure film as the passive characters as they aren't involved in the conflict of the film. Women are also seen as the ‘prize’ for the protagonist to win by defeating the antagonist. Women are also usually the sidekicks of the protagonist and normally provide problems for the main character to solve. It is one theory (by Laura Mulvey) that female characters are only included in adventure movies for the male gaze.  

The main stereotypes of women in movie are: The Dumb Blonde, The Bitch, The Mother, The Tart, The Housewife, The Femme Fatale and The Cougar

The Glamorous Ideal theory by Germaine Greer can also be applied to the representation of women in action/adventure films as she says that the media uphold an ‘ideal’ image of beauty in its representations and that women aspire to conform to these standards. She claims that the emphasis that is put on women to be ‘sexy’ and beautiful by the media makes women believe that they need to be ‘beautiful’ in order to be successful.

however the post feminist theory could suggest that women can assert their right to be sexually attractive and can show their confidence. 

Kill Bill (2003):  

One movie that challenges these theories is Kill Bill, this is because there is a female protagonist, antagonist and side kicks, who are all shown as being independent, and don't rely on men to save them or help them fight. This could have been done to try and break down gender roles that have been established in the action genre. However, even though most of the women are all represented as strong women it could be argued that the audience sides with the main character because she has masculine traits, which would counter the feminist theories that can be applied to this film. The Glamorous Ideal theory can also be applied to this film as all of the women align with social beauty standards and could make other women want to look like them.

Miss Congeniality (2000) 

This movie features an independent female lead who is a self proclaimed ‘tomboy’ who has to conform to the  beauty standard to go undercover. This movie contains many female stereotypes, including ‘the Dumb Blonde’, ‘the Bitch’ and ‘the Tart’. Women are also shown with the male gaze in mind, as many of the costumes are revealing. The Glamorous Ideal Theory can also be applied to this film as most of the women featured in it are conventionally beautiful which would make other women want to conform to the standards as well. However the film also contrasts with the stereotypical representation of women in action movies as the main character works (mainly) by herself and rejects (at first) the stereotypical beauty standards of women. 

The independence of the protagonist is paralleled by the sidekicks innocence, this is also conforms to the stereotypes of women as this character could be seen as the Dumb Blonde archetype in films. This character can also support the ‘Final Girl’ theory as the character is the one who stays the ‘purest’ and eventually wins the competition. However this character doesn't conform to the idea that women don’t help the protagonist or provide any information as she helps to move the narrative foreword and help the investigation.

This will help me to create my production as I am now more familiar with the stereotypes of the female gender in the adventure genre, therefore I can more easily avoid or conform to them.