Ms. Movie Ms. Movie Madness

Written by Leigh Chamberlain

By Leigh Chamberlain

The female protagonist’s last nerve finally gets hit. She storms off, tunnel vision surrounding her, as she slams the bathroom door and leans over the sink. She picks her head up, looks in the mirror and sees it. You see it, too. The look in her eyes, the heavy breathing — she’s not just pissed, angry or upset — she’s enraged. Directors have been trying to nail a variation of this emotional scene for decades and whether or not it is done correctly, the audience watches along every time.

The female protagonist’s last nerve finally gets hit. She storms off, tunnel vision surrounding her, as she slams the bathroom door and leans over the sink. She picks her head up, looks in the mirror and sees it. You see it, too. The look in her eyes, the heavy breathing — she’s not just pissed, angry or upset — she’s enraged.

We as a society are obsessed with these scenes of female rage and pain, but why?

Directors have been trying to nail a variation of this emotional scene for decades and whether or not it is done correctly, the audience watches along every time. We as a society are obsessed with these scenes of female rage and pain, but why?

“Euphoria” is the hit HBO show that includes very heavy, vastly femaleorientated issues like abortion, sexual assault and slut-shaming. The director, Sam Levinson, has intentionally made his female characters go through traumas — one of the reasons why the show is so popular. Due to this, many people, including the actresses of the show, have noted oversexualization or sexism within the plotlines. So, if the audience picks up on these subliminal sexist characterizations, why does the show continue to rank well? Society’s obsession with female pain is not only one that is evident in fictional plotlines, it exists in real time as well. Amy Winehouse, Britney Spears and Princess Diana all were loved because they had this vulnerability.

“Euphoria” is the hit HBO show that includes very heavy, vastly femaleorientated issues like abortion, sexual assault and slut-shaming. The director, Sam Levinson, has intentionally made his female characters go through traumas — one of the reasons why the show is so popular. Due to this, many people, including the actresses of the show, have noted oversexualization or sexism within the plotlines.

So, if the audience picks up on these subliminal sexist characterizations, why does the show continue to rank well? Society’s obsession with female pain is not only one that is evident in fictional plotlines, it exists in real time as well. Amy Winehouse, Britney Spears and Princess Diana all were loved because they had this vulnerability. Maybe this obsession comes from wanting to protect them, maybe it’s because you see yourself in them or maybe there’s an underlying attraction to the idea of a pained woman.

Film student Jamilynn Brady, a third-year at Penn State, used Cassie’s character as a means of explaining this “I can’t look away” phenomenon. “Cassie dealt with an abortion in season one, and [Levinson] got her there by sexualizing her character. He used the sexualization of her to bring in this very hard topic to discuss, and then after that, they switched her character and made her obsessive in the next season. It’s the epitome of what a male does to a woman in film.”

Film student Jamilynn Brady, a third-year at Penn State, used Cassie’s character as a means of explaining this “I can’t look away” phenomenon. “Cassie dealt with an abortion in season one, and [Levinson] got her there by sexualizing her character. He used the sexualization of her to bring in this very hard topic to discuss, and then after that, they switched her character and made her obsessive in the next season. It’s the epitome of what a male does to a woman in film.” Having your female characters go through these painful experiences, while simultaneously exploiting them sexually, adds to this curated allure of female pain. The audience sees the angry characters or the tormented singers being sexualized, and they start to internalize that. It is as simple as taking a snap on Snapchat every time you’re crying in your bedroom. You don’t know why you do it, but you do.

The audience sees the angry characters or the tormented singers being sexualized, and they start to internalize that. It is as simple as taking a snap on Snapchat every time you’re crying in your bedroom. You don’t know why you do it, but you do.

The portrayal of female rage in the media can be executed truthfully when the writer’s room includes women who have experienced it firsthand. “The moment that you include an emotional scene in a show or film, you’re trying to relate to the audience,” explains Brady. This relatability begins with the ones writing it. When creating these characters that are representative of complex females, the behindthe-scenes needs to encompass personal experiences in order to do it truthfully. the power of the big screen; you see other people experiencing the exact emotions that you thought were so isolating. It inherently forms a connection beyond the fourth wall.

The portrayal of female rage in the media can be executed truthfully when the writer’s room includes women who have experienced it firsthand. “The moment that you include an emotional scene in a show or film, you’re trying to relate to the audience,” explains Brady.

This relatability begins with the ones writing it. When creating these characters representative of complex females, the behind-the-scenes needs to encompass personal experiences in order to do it truthfully.

An actress that seems to nail the execution of female rage every time is Florence Pugh. You can see her face now, when her eyes get bigger and chin becomes scrunched. There is a reason why the “Florence Pugh Pout” is so widely recognizable — because it’s genuine. In movies like “Midsommar” and “Don’t Worry Darling,” she can be seen experiencing these emotions, and while it’s likely that the majority of the audience has not gone through what her character did in these movies, they feel connected to her regardless. That’s the power of the big screen; you see other people experiencing the exact emotions that you thought were so isolating. It inherently forms a connection beyond the fourth wall.

An actress that seems to nail the execution of female rage every time is Florence Pugh. You can see her face now, when her eyes get bigger and chin becomes scrunched. There is a reason why the “Florence Pugh Pout” is so widely recognizable — because it’s genuine. In movies like “Midsommar” and “Don’t Worry Darling,” she can be seen experiencing these emotions, and while it’s likely that the majority of the audience has not gone through what her character did in these movies, they feel connected to her regardless.

A director who uses female rage to add to his films is Ari Aster, who worked with Florence Pugh in “Midsommar” and directed “Heredity.” The mother in “Heredity” has a scene where she is screaming at the dinner table over the death of her daughter. From a film student’s perspective, “it’s perfect.” Female rage does not always have to stem from a situation revolving around the male character, something Aster proves. He depicts real life situations, like losing a child, to showcase that anger is a primal emotion, a natural response to a true tragedy. Yet, women still feel as though they cannot express this without being deemed overly emotional or irrational, and this begins with the media.

A director who uses female rage to add to his films is Ari Aster, who worked with Florence Pugh in “Midsommar” and directed “Heredity.” The mother in “Heredity” has a scene where she is screaming at the dinner table over the death of her daughter. From a film student’s perspective, “it’s perfect.” Female rage does not always have to stem from a situation revolving around the male character, something Aster proves. He depicts real life situations, like losing a child, to showcase that anger is a primal emotion, a natural response to a true tragedy. Yet, women still feel as though they cannot express this without being deemed overly emotional or irrational, and this begins with the media.

The media is a very powerful tool that feeds into people’s perceptions. When done irresponsibly, it can validate harmful stereotypes or create false illusions. When done correctly, you will feel seen. You will know that your experiences and emotions are not something that you need to go through alone. Someone felt these complex feelings, just like you have, and was empowered to make something creative out of it — that is what embracing your femininity is.

The media is a very powerful tool that feeds into people’s perceptions. When done irresponsibly, it can validate harmful stereotypes or create false illusions. When done correctly, you will feel seen. You will know that your experiences and emotions are not something that you need to go through alone. Someone felt these complex feelings, just like you have, and was empowered to make something creative out of it — that is what embracing femininity is.