List by Sam Powell
The Bechdel Test
The Bechdel Test is simple. It contains 3 simple rules for a movie to pass;
1. It has to have at least two [named] women in it.
2. Who talk to each other.
3. About something besides a man.
Simple enough. So anything less than a perfect score is a fail. I'm going to, for a year (starting 5th August 2012), record every film (classic and contemporary) that I watch on here. The fails will go on the list, the passes with an honorary mention here in the description.
Fails: 14/15
Passes: The Five-Year Engagement.
Note: If you disagree with my scoring of a film, please contest it and it'll be reviewed.
Note 2: A fail doesn't mean it's a bad film, it's just kind of sexist.
-
The Believer 2001
1. It has more than two named female characters.
2. The most notable conversation between them is Lina telling her daughter Curtis to shut up when talking to Danny.
3. FAIL: It's with and/or regarding Danny every time. -
All Good Things 2010
1. It has four named female characters.
2. They do talk.
3. FAIL - Nearly a pass, but all conversations eventually come round to talk about David. -
The Slaughter Rule 2002
1. FAIL - One named female.
-
Beyond the Black Rainbow 2011
1. FAIL - Has a single named female character.
-
The Dictator 2012
1. FAIL - Misogyny at its finest.
-
Remember the Titans 2000
1. One female, she was 9 and a half. FAIL
-
The Man from Earth 2007
1. Pass
2. Pass
3. FAIL -
American History X 1998
1. Pass
2. Fail -
Murder by Numbers 2002
1. Pass
2. Fail -
After Hours 1985
1. Pass
2. Fail -
Bonnie and Clyde 1967
1. Pass
2. Fail -
The Elephant Man 1980
1. Fail
-
Interstate 60: Episodes of the Road 2002
1. Pass
2. Fail
Showgirls. The centerpiece of the film has Elizabeth Berkley and Gina Gershwin talking about eating dog food. I guess using a test that was developed by a webcomic artist and has no credibility with academic circles, film critics and real feminists (people who have been published and peer reviewed) will not always provide the intended results.
I've not seen Showgirls, though I am aware of it's legendary awfulness. This by no means a perfect test - nor am I trying to take any feminist stand here. The fact it's created by a webcomic artist best known for a comic strip "Dykes to Watch Out For" I think it's clearly a bit of fun, but also the results do reveal a misogynistic side to cinema.
Or at least I believe that's what the results shall show, we are yet to know from my personal recordings yet.
I'm very interested in seeing how this goes! Good idea.
Cheers Dan. I just hope I have the patience to keep this up for a year!
I wish I had made a similar list. Not too long ago I had seen about 5+ in a row that failed the test and I was quite sad. I remember now: it was watching all Oscar nominated shorts (animated and live action). I think every single one of the bunch failed the test.
It's a shame I failed at keeping this going, but as you can see, even though done for a short period of time, 14/15 failed the test! It's not conclusive that cinema is sexist, it's an interesting stat though. Can I ask where you managed to see the live action shorts? I've been trying to find them for ages! :-P
Sam, they are available for purchase on itunes, $2.99 HD and $1.99 SD. All of them except for Documentary shorts.
That's epic! Cheers for the heads up Lise. Hadn't even thought to check iTunes! :-)