Ruin your favourite books/films with a spot of feminist analysis

[ElephantsAndMiasmas]

Got thinking about this on another thread where I was wittering talking cleverly about the problems I have with Bridget Jones's Diary (the book, the problem with the film is that stuffy faced plonker Firth).

One of her boyfriends is a total cheating dickhead, obviously. But the "nice" one, Mark Darcy, is incredibly patronising towards her, repeatedly "rescuing" her because he wants to fuck her. Which is all well and good, but whereas in Pride and Prejudice (the origin of BJD) Darcy has a lot of respect for the female protagonist, which she earns by being smart, witty, standing up for herself etc, BJD removes that whole side of her. When she stands up for herself it is something she later apologises for.

Anyway - anyone else want to join me?

By the way,

Am alternative to Barbie are the Japanese 'Studio Ghibli' films which offer feature a strong little girl as main character. Kiki's Delivery Service and Ponyo are a couple that mine really enjoy. Spirited Away is a little more scarey but they managed to get through to the happy ending.

Dirty Dancing and Pretty Woman are two of seediest, most dishonest storylines ever produced.

Elphants - yes, x post. My 'no' was to Violet.

Raiders of the Lost Ark?

Ditto Crocodile Dundee.

Juno is refreshing though. I really enjoyed that.

She was a wisecracking worldly teen and then you see underneath the vulnerability and naivety of a 16 year old girl.

Love Studio Ghibli, DP introduced them to me because he loves them (and how feminist they are) and couldn't believe a feminist like me hadn't watched them.

I always like to imagine that Rizzo grew up to be Abbie Bartlett. They are not dissimilar :)

Snow White - prince falls in love with dead, passive, white girl. How do you reckon it worked out when they were married and she started talking back?

I made a very definate choice not to notice when edward over stepped the mark and became just a bit too controling of bella in twilight. Also when he hurt her during sex bit. I LOVE twilight but felt a tiny bit uncomfortale with it. I preferred jacob.

My only bugbear is that she has to be 'punished' by losing her doctor's license whilst Jed is in the White House. But at least there was a long running storyline there about MS which I can actually imagine happening if you were a doctor married to a powerful person with a sensitive health issue.

Love the idea that Rizzo grew up to be Abbie. Not sure Rizzo's academics would have cut the mustard though!

I've just read this thread and really, really wish that you were the hosts of Film 2010.

And wrote the film blurbs for Empire.

Do you think the next Mumsnet Guide should take on Halliwell's Film Guide? The Hitchcock section would be shorter, at any rate...

Not a film, but the book of Ballet Shoes. Bloody drippy Sylvia. God, woman, go and get a job yourself instead of letting a couple of small girls fret desperately about earning enough money to keep you all till GUM comes home!

ilikemrclooney - haven't read twilight (because of the creepiness). He hurts her during sex??

Ribena - I know that pissed me off too. But at least she was a practising doctor for the first few series, and moonlighted afterwards IIRC.

Lancelottie - but I lurve Ballet Shoes! Ok. yes she is a big drip isn't she. But on the plus side all the girls get jobs.

You've Got Mail (another I hate) - woman gives up her own business - and, I would strongly argue, self-respect - when she falls in love with a total wankpot from a chainstore. A touching allegory of capitalism. But it's ok! Because he gives her a job in his chain bookshop! Hoorah!

Saturday Night Fever - love the music, hate the way Tony and his friends talk about and treat women, and the women still go off with them. The scene where one of them is practically raping the girl in the back of the car???

Oh YES tlp, I knew there was something vile.

Same thing happens with Polly in Nancy Mitford's book doesn't it? Marries her mother's boyfriend who's been (it is heavily suggested) abusing her as a child).

The thing that really annoyed 'me about Pretty Woman was that it was her 'first night' on the game thus she wasn't soiled goods when Richard Gere picked her up.

Totally fucking dishonest.

And Dirty Dancing? If I was 'bsby's' father I would have been pretty pissed off at her behaviour too.

Was it - doesn't she tell a story about how the first time was horrid and she cried the whole time, but after that she got some regulars and it was ok? (Obviously, still not accurate, but you know, better than 'ooh, I've never done this before). Also, when she displays all the condoms she does a whole 'routine' which I think you're meant to assume she knows by heart.

Yup, found it (sorry, can't seem to fix formatting)

My mom called me a bum magnet.
If there was a bum within a -mile radius, I was completely attracted to him.
That's how I ended up here. I followed bum number three.
Oh.
So here I was: no money, no friends, no bum.
[ Chuckles ] And you chose this as your profession ?
I worked at a couple fast food places,
parked cars at wrestling.
And I couldn't make the rent. I was too ashamed to go home.
That's when I met Kit.
She was a hooker and made it sound so great.
So one day I did it.
I cried the whole time.
But then I got some regulars and, you know--
It's not like anybody plans this; it's not your childhood dream.
You could be so much more.
People put you down enough, you start to believe it.
I think you are a very bright, very special woman.
The bad stuff is easier to believe.

Ooh, it fixed itself when I posted.

No
It's set up at ghe beginning that this is her first night - her pal is the experienced one.

We did the stageplay of grease at school and Rizzo is actually singing to sandy, having a go at her for being a prick tease. In the play Sandy isn't supportive like in the film, she giggles with the other girls originally. If you reread the lyrics posted earlier you will see they make so much more sense that way. don't know why they changed it...prob to make Sandy appear nicer.

Definitely not her first time in Pretty Woman.

Edgar Allen Poe loved a bit of wilting and dying women didn't he? Would have loved to have been more into him like my arty chums but it put me off.

I think he had ishoos.

Love the Rizzo/Pretty Woman based bickering.

You're right Port - it is like that in the show. But then, it's interesting to wonder why they did change it in the film. She could have sung it in front of some of the other, less nice girls, or a teacher, or someone. But no - it's him.

Much younger, nubile woman (with a good line in Loud Parenting and many good-childbearing years left in her) insinuates herself into a large and vulnerable family super-nanny stylee and seduces the widowed husband, thereby ruining a perfectly good long term relationship between the husband and his much more suitable DP.

God, I love the Sound of Music. But I've always felt sorry for the Baroness.