WOMEN IN, ON AND AROUND FILM

Over at the Bitch Blog, they were talking about female movie directors, so I had to make sure psychotronic faves like Stephanie Rothman and Doris Wishman were given their due. I hadn't known that one of my favorite female badasses, the Kill-Bill-influencing Dag from Bury Me An Angel (introduced to me by Dr. S ), was also a woman director's creation (should've known).

Then I put in a word for the woman who started me on my movie-obsessed path, the fabulous Pauline Kael. She taught me to own my loves and hates and call 'em as I see 'em. Maybe some people wouldn't consider her a feminist icon because she didn't always like the "right" movies, but read her review of Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore for some keen feminist insight. She totally terrified those guys in the movie boys' club. I mean, George Lucas named the villain in Willow after her! Here's Kael on the New Testament:

Pasolini's The Gospel According To St. Mathew was so static that I could hardly wait for that loathsome prissy young man to get crucified. Why do movie-makers think that's such a good story, anyway? The only thing that gives it plausibility is, psychologically, not very attractive.

--Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Now that's a pair of ovaries!

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Now playing: Blancmange - God's Kitchen
via FoxyTunes

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