Feminist Film Theory >> The Incredibles

This week’s movie is meant to relive my childhood! The Incredibles! The theory that will apply on this movie is Feminist Film Theory.

Feminist Film Theory

            Started in 1920s, the theory looks at women’s expression of her own subjectivity. The theory gets matured in the late 1960s, after the radicalized feminist movement (regarding sexual liberation and political debate of female representation).

            Talk about feminism, it is a set of political practices which can be seen through the analyses of the social or historical position of women as subordinated, oppressed or exploited in dominant modes of production (such as capitalism) and/or by social relations of patriarchy or male domination.

Films is viewed as a reflection of the society, hence, we tend out seek the ideological and social construction of women in films. The themes explored in this theory include discrimination, stereotyping, objectification, oppression and patriarchy.

          Film theorist Christian Metz argues that viewing film is only possible through scopophilia. Laura Mulvey who is also a film theorist, joined the discussion of visual pleasure of females on screen, which is known as ‘the gaze’. She expanded on the concept of scopophilia to introduce visual pleasure and identification with the on screen male actors. She mentioned female actresses on screen can be seen as exhibitionist (enjoy the pleasure of being looked at). They are the symbol of eroticism and visual pleasure. Thus, holds the tendency of “to-be-looked-at-ness” and “bearer of meaning”.

            Mulvey said cinema is a medium of voyeurism where visual pleasure is derived with the perspectives of looking. And so, there are 3 perspectives:

i) Male character looking at the female character in the film.

ii) Audience in cinema looking at the female character in the film.

iii) Audience in cinema looking through the eyes of the male character who is looking

     at the female character.

          Other than that, melodrama is a prominent element in female representation films. Women’s films (films that adressess at female audience) allows the female protagonist and female spectator to relook at genres, studying the aesthetic and political consequences of gender difference.

            There are several ways to look at feminism in films.

i) Assumed predetermined sexual identity to expose the misrepresentation of women in films. This refers to the female repression by a patriarchal society.

ii) Look at the various female representations in the film and compare them, the ‘preferred’ female representation will present in the end of the film.

iii) Look at the female representations of the film from the female spectator’s point of view.

            There are more ways to interprete feminism in films. As what mentioned above, films is viewed as the reflection of the society, elements like race, social class can also be included for the discussion.

            Example films that applied the theory are such as The Hours (2002), Erin Brockovich (2000) and I Shot Andy Warhol (1996).

Synopsis

            A family that consist of Mr Incredible and Elastigirl were forced to live their civilian lives after facing the public against over humans with superpower. Bob who is long for his Mr Incredible glory days is dissatisfied with the white-collar job and decided to go for with the mysterious mission that he received. While trying to hide their identities to live their suburban life, the family has no choice but back to save the world again.

Analysis

            Since it’s a Feminist Film Theory, let’s break down the female characters.

i) Helen / Elastigirl

A woman with the superpower being elastic and flexible. A responsible mother, housewife and family-oriented person, as she is protective for her children and family always comes first. She is strong as she thinks a woman is just strong like a man and she proves her statement. For instance, she got the thief before Mr Incredible did. Somehow she controls her husband (because Mr Incredible wants to relive his glory days), and she makes sure the family stay in low profile due to the incident happened before. As a mother and Elastigirl, she is dominant and independent. She strategises to get things work. Speaking from her superpower, it makes her a flexible housewife as she can handle the kids, husband and kitchen.

           

ii) Violet

Daughter of Mr Incredible and Elastigirl, has the superpower of being invisible and ability to make force field. She is shy and lack to confident, hence, she always cover her face with the long fringe. Due to her low self-confidence, she tends to hide herself behind the wall and go invisible when peeping the guy she likes. Not only that, she is obedient as she always listen to her mother. Even though Elastigirl tells her to use her superpower, she questions her. In the end, she uses her superpower to save her family. She changed her hairstyle as soon as she regains her confidence, and her crush notices her.

iii) Edna Mode

Although she is short, she is very confident because she is proud of her own talent. For her, supermodels? So what? She doesn’t give a damn. She is the elitist because she thinks that she designs for God. A very detailed fashion designer as she puts The Incredibles’s superpower in consideration when she designs the suit for them.

iv) Mirage

A femme fatale. She is pretty, sexy and curvy. A dangerous woman indeed as she delivered the mysterious mission to convince Mr Incredible to help Syndrome and indirectly kill them. But she changed in the end, she choose to betray Syndrome and help Mr Incredible to step out from the trap.

v) Kari

The babysitter of Jack-Jack while The Incredibles are out. She is talkative, nerdy, impatient and easily trust people (How can she let the stranger Syndrome takes away the baby?!).

vi) Frozen’s wife

She is a dominating wife as she won’t listen to his husband. She even shouted “I’m the greatest good you ever gonna get!”

Conclusion

            As a child who doesn’t grow up watching films, I enjoyed watching The Incredibles and yeah, my first superheroes movie. That’s purely an entertainment but not until I realise there are so many female representations I can study from the film! Somemore, their superpowers are related to their characteristics! Anyway, it’s good to learn the theory by watching one of my childhood favorite movie. And now, wait for the release of The Incredibles 2!

Reference

1- Film Studies lecture notes