An ideological analysis of the construction of the young female action hero as feminist hero in The Hunger Games film franchise
- Authors: Mathurine, Kim Elizabeth
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Everdeen, Katniss (Fictitious character) , Women superheroes in motion pictures , Hunger Games films , Feminist film criticism , Feminism and motion pictures , Women in motion pictures
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/142900 , vital:38174
- Description: Young female action heroes have recently stepped into the limelight as commercial celebrations of Girl Power in Hollywood action-adventure films. Feminist films studies however have shown that these independent, tough female heroes claimed as feminist, are still constrained in various ways through stereotypical gender roles within the action-adventure genre. This thesis examines these claims through the ideological analysis of the young female action hero Katniss in The Hunger Games film franchise. Building on existing research on female action heroes, the research asks: ‘to what degree can the claim of Katniss as boundary-breaking, feminist hero be validated’? This question is addressed through a textual analysis of the four films of The Hunger Games film franchise, employing conventions of action-adventure genre, narrative analysis, mise-en-scène and cinematography to unmask the characterisation of the female hero. The discussion of the findings, utilising the themes of Love, Violence and Power, reveal both progressive and regressive elements present in the characterisation of Katniss. The findings indicate that while female action heroes can be celebrated for displaying progressive moments of liberated action, they remain constrained within dominant heteronormative gender roles in commercial Hollywood films, undergoing various acts of transformation and recuperation as a means of containing the threat of their transgressive behaviour.
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- Date Issued: 2020
Between hotel mama and petrol station manager: the represatations of women's realities in a selection of African films
- Authors: O'Reilly, Kevin Joseph
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Motion pictures -- Africa , Women in motion pictures
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8404 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/789 , Motion pictures -- Africa , Women in motion pictures
- Description: The roles that women perform as depicted in African films are often dictated to by the type of society they find themselves in. At first glance traditional societies can be seen as oppressive because of the presence of certain cultural practices. Alternatively modern urban settings appear to offer women authority and empowerment through employment. However, with a closer examination one sees that the situation is not so simplistic. Such is the case when certain traditional practices that are deemed oppressive through a Western perspective, are still found in urban societies. Films on the subject of African women have to be cautious not place their characters in stereotypical roles. Therefore, it is not enough to merely portray African women as ‘oppressed’. African films that engage in a feminist critique need to present ‘realistic’ portrayals of African women. Such characters are layered and complex. The film Faat Kine (2000) depicts such a character in the authoritative protagonist Kine. The film La Vie est Belle (1987) examines the issue of polygamous marriages and patriarchy from the point of view of two African women living in France. Touki Bouki (1973) examines two young characters living in Senegal and questions the possibility of escape from ones circumstances. Traditional practices such as polygamous marriages are explored in Xala (1975), and Finzan (1989) explores cultural practices such as forced marriages and female circumcision. This treatise will consider women and work in both traditional society and urban settings. African feminism will also be investigated for the purpose of exploring common social perceptions of women in Africa.
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- Date Issued: 2008