The developing role of The developing role of women women withinwithin the Science the Science

Fiction GenreFiction Genre

The role of women in science fiction films The role of women in science fiction films has developed to reflect the dominant has developed to reflect the dominant ideologyideology and and hegemonyhegemony of the society of the society at the time and it is easy to trace this at the time and it is easy to trace this development through a range of film texts development through a range of film texts chronologically.chronologically.

StartingStarting with the inception of the film with the inception of the film genre and a film such as Metropolis 1926 genre and a film such as Metropolis 1926 the the ideologyideology of the day dictated that of the day dictated that women were women were

the fairer and very much the weaker sex. the fairer and very much the weaker sex. The maternal home makers The maternal home makers and respectful wives. and respectful wives.

Any deviation from this was met with Any deviation from this was met with suspicionsuspicion and and derision.derision.

The The dominant hegemony being dominant hegemony being patriarchalpatriarchal in structure these ideals in structure these ideals ‘rules’ were enforced mainly by men ‘rules’ were enforced mainly by men who dominated positions of authority who dominated positions of authority both in society and naturally within both in society and naturally within the film making industry.the film making industry.

In In Metropolis 1926Metropolis 1926 we see the we see the creation of a female robot / machine. creation of a female robot / machine.

On one hand she On one hand she fulfils the ideologyfulfils the ideology of the day with her glamorous of the day with her glamorous appearance appearance

But she is established as a version of But she is established as a version of womanhood to be treated with womanhood to be treated with suspicion due to her position of power suspicion due to her position of power and influence over the down trodden and influence over the down trodden male characters trapped in the world male characters trapped in the world below. below.

Women who used their sexuality to control Women who used their sexuality to control and dominate men were both feared and and dominate men were both feared and spurned by society and seen as something spurned by society and seen as something insidious and threatening; in keeping with insidious and threatening; in keeping with the the narrative conventions of the genrenarrative conventions of the genre where the greatest threat to humanity where the greatest threat to humanity often comes from within. often comes from within.

It is no surprise therefore given the It is no surprise therefore given the hegemonyhegemony of the film industry that whilst of the film industry that whilst the female character is sexually attractive the female character is sexually attractive intelligent and powerful she is something intelligent and powerful she is something to be feared and looked upon almost as an to be feared and looked upon almost as an ‘alien’ creature outside of societies ‘alien’ creature outside of societies expected norms.expected norms.

If we then move forward to films such as If we then move forward to films such as The War of the Worlds 1954The War of the Worlds 1954 it is not only it is not only the film industry and genre that have the film industry and genre that have continued to evolve and develop but the continued to evolve and develop but the role of women in society has also changed. role of women in society has also changed.

Post warPost war women had had a taste of women had had a taste of freedom and independence freedom and independence

They had assumed male roles in industry They had assumed male roles in industry and society whilst the men were away at and society whilst the men were away at war. war.

Returning men found a strange new breed Returning men found a strange new breed of women who could actually be quite self of women who could actually be quite self sufficient and found them selves out of role. sufficient and found them selves out of role.

this reversal of roles needed this reversal of roles needed addressing. addressing.

It is therefore not surprising in It is therefore not surprising in The The War of the WorldsWar of the Worlds that, come the that, come the alien invasion, the female characters alien invasion, the female characters are represented as being totally are represented as being totally reliant on the might of the men, the reliant on the might of the men, the army and their weaponry to save and army and their weaponry to save and protect them; protect them;

they once again are represented as they once again are represented as being defenseless and in need of being defenseless and in need of protection.protection.

This is the role that the society of the This is the role that the society of the day day ideologically ideologically wanted its women wanted its women to re assume. to re assume.

It could almost be seen as a form of It could almost be seen as a form of propagandapropaganda sending messages to sending messages to women through this mass media women through this mass media form of what an acceptable role for form of what an acceptable role for women was.women was.

Something very interesting then happened Something very interesting then happened within the Media industry within the Media industry

The gradual relaxing of censorship within The gradual relaxing of censorship within the film industry the film industry

The beginnings of the end of the The beginnings of the end of the Hollywood studio system which had so Hollywood studio system which had so dominated film production. dominated film production.

With this new development came a new With this new development came a new role for women in films and where better role for women in films and where better to exploit this than within the fantasy to exploit this than within the fantasy realm of science fiction? realm of science fiction?

This new role was of course the This new role was of course the male male gaze object. gaze object.

The The objectification of womenobjectification of women as as objects of gaze began to be objects of gaze began to be noticeable within the mass media at noticeable within the mass media at about this time. about this time.

What the science fiction genre What the science fiction genre allowed directors and producers to allowed directors and producers to do was to push boundaries a little do was to push boundaries a little further as by casting women in these further as by casting women in these fantasy roles they were able to break fantasy roles they were able to break yet further away from yet further away from accepted accepted society representationssociety representations of of women.women.

If we take an early example such as If we take an early example such as Planet of The Apes 1968Planet of The Apes 1968 the fantasy the fantasy aspect of the film allowed the director to aspect of the film allowed the director to have scantily clad mute women as part of have scantily clad mute women as part of the narrative which fulfilled the function of the narrative which fulfilled the function of male gazemale gaze whilst fulfilling what was whilst fulfilling what was becoming the becoming the conventional roleconventional role of of women in science fiction that of a women in science fiction that of a non non protagonistprotagonist. .

This was of course still a reflection of the This was of course still a reflection of the dominant hegemonydominant hegemony within the film within the film industry of the timeindustry of the time

Whilst it could be argued that there are Whilst it could be argued that there are many contemporary science fiction films many contemporary science fiction films that still contain elements of these earlier that still contain elements of these earlier female roles within science fiction female roles within science fiction

Sexual predators and threats; Sexual predators and threats; “Species” “Species” 1995,1995,

Helpless female needing male protection; Helpless female needing male protection; “Independence Day” 1996“Independence Day” 1996 etc etc

And of course objects of the male gaze: And of course objects of the male gaze: Halle Berry in skin tight cat suit in Halle Berry in skin tight cat suit in “X-Men” “X-Men” 20002000

There has however been an evident shift in There has however been an evident shift in both both societies ideology and the societies ideology and the hegemonyhegemony of the film industry that has had of the film industry that has had an impact on the female role within science an impact on the female role within science fiction films.fiction films.

The most obvious of these is of course The most obvious of these is of course Aliens 1986Aliens 1986 which cast Sigourney Weaver which cast Sigourney Weaver as not only the main protagonist but as not only the main protagonist but protector of the human race and pseudo protector of the human race and pseudo action hero all rolled into one, a role usually action hero all rolled into one, a role usually reserved for male characters within this reserved for male characters within this genre. genre.

This of course reflects the shift in society This of course reflects the shift in society and the and the empowerment of women in the empowerment of women in the 80’s80’s which led to role reversal in both the which led to role reversal in both the work place and home with women pursuing work place and home with women pursuing careers before family and the emergence of careers before family and the emergence of the fist generation of ‘house husbands’. the fist generation of ‘house husbands’.

It is therefore not surprising that this change It is therefore not surprising that this change in society is reflected in the change within in society is reflected in the change within the genre. the genre.

Weaver’s character is strong, independent Weaver’s character is strong, independent and courageous though ultimately the and courageous though ultimately the industry hegemony still dictates that she industry hegemony still dictates that she display feminine attributes such as display feminine attributes such as maternalismmaternalism and even as action hero and even as action hero there are still there are still elements of gaze.elements of gaze.

Weaver’s character can trace her Weaver’s character can trace her independence back to other female independence back to other female characters within the genre. characters within the genre.

Princess Leia in Princess Leia in Star Wars Episode 4 Star Wars Episode 4 19771977

Leia still fulfils the role of gaze, who can Leia still fulfils the role of gaze, who can forget the gold bikini scene in forget the gold bikini scene in The Empire The Empire Strikes Back 1980Strikes Back 1980,and she is always ,and she is always beautifully turned out but..beautifully turned out but..

she is allowed a certain amount of she is allowed a certain amount of independence and courage though she independence and courage though she never quite reaches the action hero of never quite reaches the action hero of Weaver’s character. Weaver’s character.

Being a much early prototype cast in the Being a much early prototype cast in the 70’s it is also hardly surprising that the 70’s it is also hardly surprising that the industry industry hegemonyhegemony is even more apparent is even more apparent in the fact that ultimately Leia is tamed and in the fact that ultimately Leia is tamed and of course rescued by a male protagonist.of course rescued by a male protagonist.

If we then take a film such as If we then take a film such as Blade Blade Runner 1982Runner 1982 we can see yet another we can see yet another development in the female role. development in the female role.

Whilst the two aggressive female Whilst the two aggressive female replicants are faintly reminiscent of those replicants are faintly reminiscent of those created first in created first in MetropolisMetropolis they they filmatically have more in common with the filmatically have more in common with the action hero Weaver. action hero Weaver.

Whilst clearly used as objects of gaze both Whilst clearly used as objects of gaze both the pleasure replicants are intelligent, the pleasure replicants are intelligent, independent, though of course ultimately independent, though of course ultimately a threat which must be destroyed, but a threat which must be destroyed, but capable of looking after themselves and capable of looking after themselves and engage in fight and chase sequences engage in fight and chase sequences usually reserved for the male role.usually reserved for the male role.

The hegemony is still evident in The hegemony is still evident in Rachel’s ultimate rescue by Harrison Rachel’s ultimate rescue by Harrison Ford’s Deckard but there is an Ford’s Deckard but there is an equality evident in the portrayal of equality evident in the portrayal of Rachel’s character that whilst Rachel’s character that whilst fulfilling the fantasy aspect of fulfilling the fantasy aspect of science fiction i.e. the creation of a science fiction i.e. the creation of a perfect female for men’s pleasure perfect female for men’s pleasure she is an equal to Deckard’s she is an equal to Deckard’s intelligence which again reflects intelligence which again reflects changes in the ideology of the daychanges in the ideology of the day..

Later films such as Later films such as Gattica 1997Gattica 1997 and and Minority Report 2002Minority Report 2002 Have allowed for much more diversity Have allowed for much more diversity

in the female role within the genre in the female role within the genre which contrasts starkly to the earliest which contrasts starkly to the earliest female roles and this diversity is a female roles and this diversity is a direct reflection of shift in direct reflection of shift in modern modern ideologiesideologies regarding women in regarding women in society and their role within the society and their role within the media. media.

Whilst aspects of representation within the Whilst aspects of representation within the genre remain consistent i.e. genre remain consistent i.e.

the use of female characters as objects of the use of female characters as objects of gaze gaze

developments are allowed and there is an developments are allowed and there is an equality more evident in the worlds of equality more evident in the worlds of Gattica and Minority ReportGattica and Minority Report where where male and female characters fight, think male and female characters fight, think and discover side by side and occasionally and discover side by side and occasionally as in the case of as in the case of Weaver in AliensWeaver in Aliens play a play a more direct role in saving the world.more direct role in saving the world.

Ultimately however there is still no Ultimately however there is still no escaping aspects of the escaping aspects of the hegemonyhegemony which which dictate whilst Tom Cruise’s wife in dictate whilst Tom Cruise’s wife in Minority ReportMinority Report can can

solve the mystery, solve the mystery, break her husband out of jail break her husband out of jail orchestrate the down fall of the villain and orchestrate the down fall of the villain and

the technology that ultimately threatens the technology that ultimately threatens the fabric of human society the fabric of human society

she ultimately must return to John as his she ultimately must return to John as his wife and assume her wife and assume her maternal rolematernal role and and we are left with the final shot of her we are left with the final shot of her contented, pregnant and barefoot.contented, pregnant and barefoot.

It is clear to see that within the genre It is clear to see that within the genre of science fiction the development of of science fiction the development of the female role has been given more the female role has been given more freedom due to the fantasy aspect of freedom due to the fantasy aspect of the conventions of the genre but the conventions of the genre but ultimately is a reflection of society as ultimately is a reflection of society as a whole and a whole and the role media plays the role media plays in re enforcing dominant in re enforcing dominant ideologies and hegemony.ideologies and hegemony.