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 Post subject: The Bechdel Test
PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 2:50 pm 
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[youtube]bLF6sAAMb4s[/youtube]

Feminist critics are generally annoying, but this is actually a pretty amazing phenomenon. The test is incredibly simple:

1. Are there at least two women in the movie...
2. who talk to each other...
3. about something other than a man?

It's shocking how many big-release movies fail this test. It really is a man's world, baby!


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PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 2:58 pm 
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How about this test.

1. How many of these movies have male writers?

2. How many women in real life have a friendship with each other that don't talk about their man all of the time?

3. I'd like to see a list of movies that do pass the test. Then I can decide if they're actually worth watching.

4. They have the right to vote already, shouldn't that be enough?

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PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 3:04 pm 
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This page includes lists of movies that pass:

http://bechdeltest.com/


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PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 3:08 pm 
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The Müs test for Movies:

1. Are there 'splosions?
2.

Yeah, that's about it.

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 Post subject: Re: The Bechdel Test
PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 3:12 pm 
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I'm actually amazed at how many movies on that page pass the test.


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PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 3:14 pm 
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Screw women.

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 Post subject: Re: The Bechdel Test
PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 3:14 pm 
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Let's look at box office success

Avatar: Features multiple women, with names, and I am 60/40 on whether they talk to each other about something non-male.
Titanic: Features Rose, but I don't recall any other women, especially whom she talks to
LotR: On the list
PotC 2: On the list
The Dark Knight: On the list
HP 1: Yeah, girls in it talk to each other about non-Harry things at times (not much)
Alice in Wonderland: Yes
PotC 3: On the list
HP 5: Pretty sure this passes
HP 6: Pretty sure this passes
Jurassic Park (More fail)
… (Does any version of Star Wars pass? Does any HP fail? Skipping ahead)
Finding Nemo (Not sure this counts since we are talking about fish)
Spider-Man 3 (Do MJ & Gwen talk about non-Peter things? What about Aunt May & MJ?)

I don't know what it says that the only clear passes in the top 30 were either written 1) by a woman or 2) by a rumored pederast who liked little girls… and the HP books are tough to say for certain pass the test in all cases!

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PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 3:17 pm 
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Quote:
2) by a rumored pederast who liked little girls


George Lucas?

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PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 3:23 pm 
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I'm not sure I get the point of that test...


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 Post subject: Re:
PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 3:29 pm 
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Ladas wrote:
I'm not sure I get the point of that test...


Basically to point out how few movies include female characters that have significance beyond their interactions/concerns with men. In other words, if a woman has something to say that doesn't involve a man in some way, does anyone care? Hollywood seems to think the answer is no most of the time.


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 Post subject: Re: Re:
PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 3:45 pm 
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RangerDave wrote:
Ladas wrote:
I'm not sure I get the point of that test...
Basically to point out how few movies include female characters that have significance beyond their interactions/concerns with men. In other words, if a woman has something to say that doesn't involve a man in some way, does anyone care? Hollywood seems to think the answer is no most of the time.
As evidenced by the gender disparity in watchers of Sex in the City, neither do women.

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 Post subject: Re: Re:
PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 3:46 pm 
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RangerDave wrote:
Ladas wrote:
I'm not sure I get the point of that test...


Basically to point out how few movies include female characters that have significance beyond their interactions/concerns with men. In other words, if a woman has something to say that doesn't involve a man in some way, does anyone care? Hollywood seems to think the answer is no most of the time.

No... its "does a woman have something to say to another woman that doesn't involve a man?"

I'm sure there are tons of movies have one woman who talk about plenty besides men.

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 Post subject: Re: Re:
PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 3:46 pm 
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Khross wrote:
RangerDave wrote:
Ladas wrote:
I'm not sure I get the point of that test...
Basically to point out how few movies include female characters that have significance beyond their interactions/concerns with men. In other words, if a woman has something to say that doesn't involve a man in some way, does anyone care? Hollywood seems to think the answer is no most of the time.
As evidenced by the gender disparity in watchers of Sex in the City, neither do women.


And did the world really need a sex in the city: the movie: 2?

I mean... really?

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 Post subject: Re: Re:
PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 3:54 pm 
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Screeling wrote:
RangerDave wrote:
In other words, if a woman has something to say that doesn't involve a man in some way, does anyone care? Hollywood seems to think the answer is no most of the time.

No... its "does a woman have something to say to another woman that doesn't involve a man?"

I'm sure there are tons of movies have one woman who talk about plenty besides men.


Sorry, I wasn't very clear there. When I said "that doesn't involve a man in some way," I meant either as the subject of her statements or as the person she's saying them to in the scene.


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 Post subject: Re: Re:
PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 3:55 pm 
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RangerDave wrote:
Ladas wrote:
I'm not sure I get the point of that test...


Basically to point out how few movies include female characters that have significance beyond their interactions/concerns with men. In other words, if a woman has something to say that doesn't involve a man in some way, does anyone care? Hollywood seems to think the answer is no most of the time.

Well, except the "test" doesn't do that either... I mean seriously, Transformers 2 passed the "test", but there is nothing in that movie that isn't stereotypical roles for females.. did at some point 2 women talk about something other than men.. sure... were they still either ditsy, over protective moms or physically hot, but mentally questionable sex symbols that only know how to use their wiles to get what they want? Yeah.

I seriously doubt that most 'action' movies that place the female in the dominate role/heroine would pass that test either, but those probably have more to do with changing stereotypes of women than something as condescending to females as "Sex in the City"


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PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 4:19 pm 
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Sure, but as the video says, the test isn't about showing whether or not a specific movie is feminist or stereotype-breaking. It's about pointing out how male-centric women's roles in movies tend to be. So male-centric, in fact, that many/most major movies don't even manage to include a single scene in which two female characters converse on a subject other than men. It's not an end-all-be-all test; it's just intended to make people go, "Jeez, that's crazy. I never realized how unusual it is for movies to show women actually interacting with each other on a subject other than men."


Last edited by RangerDave on Thu May 27, 2010 4:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: The Bechdel Test
PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 4:21 pm 
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RangerDave:

This includes movies that poll extremely well with women. That ought to tell you something ...

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PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 4:30 pm 
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Oh absolutely, Khross. I think it's a reflection of societal perceptions, not discrimination. Women have pretty thoroughly internalized the "male gaze." (God, I hate that I just used that phrase.)


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PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 4:32 pm 
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Feminazis.

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PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 6:42 pm 
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As khross suggests we should pick the top 10 or 20 "Girl Movies" and see if they pass this test.

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PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 7:18 pm 
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I'd like to add the movie "zombie strippers" to the list... you need to be on something to truely enjoy it, but it was funny.


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PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2010 7:19 pm 
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Lydiaa wrote:
I'd like to add the movie "zombie strippers" to the list... you need to be on something to truely enjoy it, but it was funny.


Also, the 2 main strippers converse about something besides men! They pass the test!


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