Hypothesis...plan for essay

THE HUNGER GAMES AND SNOWHITE AND THE HUNTSMEN << THRILLER GENRE << REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN AS STRONG AND INDEPENDENT

THE HUNGER GAMES - PRODUCED BY LIONSGATE PRODUCTIONS >> INDEPENDENT

SNOWHITE AND THE HUNTSMEN - PRODUCED BY UNIVERSAL PICTURES >> HOLLYWOOD

THE HUNGER GAMES = SHE FIGHTS FOR FREEDOM AND HER LIFE - CAPITOL

SNOWHITE AND THE HUNTSMEN = SHE FIGHTS FOR FREEDOM AND HER LIFE - THE EVIL QUEEN

The representation of women in the thriller genre.

"Independent films represent women as strong and independent where hollywood films do this but have to reinforce the fact that women need a man to protect them."

The hunger games is set in a dystopian world where there are 12 districts that are governed by the capitol and every year 2 tributes are chosen from each district to compete in the hunger games. Katniss is introduced as a woman that looks after her family by illegally hunting so that they can eat. when her sister is chosen she volunteers as tribute to protect her sister. she is capable, strong and brave as she protects herself throughout the games and helps her partner through recovery.

Snowhite and the huntsmen is a modern twist on the traditional fairytale 'snowhite and the seven dwarves'. Snowhite is presented as strong and independent which goes against the original stereotype of the princess where she was sweet and vulnerable, where this one is more of a warrior; she leads the rebellion against the evil queen and plots to kill her.

 

Point 1:





In 'The Hunger Games' scene, it shows the motherly side of how Katniss looks after Peter, and gets him through recovery. However, both these scenes show how eventually during a film, a kiss is shared between the main two stock characters in this type of fantasy thriller. In 'The Hunger Games', it was a political movement on Katniss' part, so that the Capitol would have more of a story on their district and support them, which meant more of a chance of them surviving; in one way this reinforces the fact that Katniss is strong and always plotting on how to keep herself alive, whereas in 'Snowhite and the Huntsmen', it is the inclusion of a scene from the traditional fairytale, where true love's kiss brings her back to life; this emphasises how Hollywood has to always reinstate the importance of a man and make Snowhite weak to the power of poison and love- having to rely upon a man to stay alive. The camera shots in these scenes are contradicting, as in 'The Hunger Games', Katniss is dominant as she is on top and the camera looks down on peter, whereas in 'Snowhite and the Huntsmen', the man is dominant as he is on top and the camera looks down on Snowhite.

Point 2:




These scenes show the beginning of the rebellious attitude that Katniss and Snowhite possess and gain through their journeys. In 'The Hunger Games', this scene shows her independence and strength against the Capitol, and how she takes risks to achieve the best result; it almost foreshadows the rebellion she will lead- this is where it starts. She is capable on her own and she does not need a man to help her through it. In 'Snowhite and the Huntsmen', it shows how she does not trust anyone and she is already wielding a knife against the Huntsmen- she is strong and brave and won't be used and manipulated by anyone- she can stand up for herself; this is a contradiction to the fairytale. The use of camera angles on these women protagonists is eye line, medium shot- as if for the female audience to relate to them, they also are not made to be seen through a 'male gaze' which adds to their strength and independence that is portrayed.

Point 3:




Even though majority of this film shows katniss' bravery, independence and strength, there is always a scene where a man intervenes and 'saves the day'. its almost as if the director is saying 'yes women are strong but at the end of the day they need men to protect them'. In snowhite and the huntsmen this scene shows how she has an army of men to fight the evil queen's deciples so that she can focus on the queen herself; this shows she os a good leader and is brave to be able to put herr plan into action. The fact that she kills the evil queen herself immediately shows how this has strayed from the stereotypical 'princess' representation that Hollywood usually uses. However the fact that she has a man fighting half her battle for her illustrates how it is still portrayed that women need a man's help to be able to succeed.

Narrative summary with support from clips included above: 
In both these films the lead woman (action chick) leaves a man back home that they were close friends with and then go on a journey; in 'The Hunger Games' it is to compete and in 'Snowhite and the Huntsmen', it is to plot a rebellion against the Evil Queen. But whilst they are both on their journeys they meet another man that happens to be their hero and they share a kiss. Then they come out alive after winning their own fight. The sequence of events is roughly the same, however the storyline and how it happened is different.

Conclusion

Independent films allow more of a scope for women to be presented as strong and independent as they do not reinforce the fact that women ALWAYS needs a man to look after them and then use the traditional kiss as a way of showing her manipulation and clever thinking as to getting the result she needs. Also, women are presented more masculine as there are no dresses, frills or ruffles and are in jeans, covered in dirt with no makeup- as a normal everyday girl and not some impossibly good looking, well known actress that might as well be a god. Hollywood films show that even when there is an odd film where the women is 'supposedly' independent and strong etc there is always the establishment of the male stock character looking after her and showing that women always need a man even if they think they can survive without them. Even though they allow the women to be de-feminised in some scenes such as dirty, armoured clothing, there are still the occasions with the dresses, makeup and feminism reinforced and are usually well known actresses.