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Mamma Mia! may not be a great movie, but like Sex and the City, it's going to score with older women all over the world. (And younger ones too. It's cutting a wide swath with female audiences.) God forbid, but given enough undeniable evidence that the femme demo is starving for decent product aimed at them, maybe the studios will step up. Still to come, The Women and The Duchess and Revolutionary Road and at least three movies in the next year starring the admirable Helen Mirren, who is still a sexpot after all these years. For evidence, check her out in a bikini, no less.
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Heaven forbid "Mamma Mia!" tanks ... then Hollywood will go back to its 'men's only' rule regarding summer blockbusters.
That said, "Mammia Mia!" is a bit of a mess.
Posted by: Christian Toto | July 17, 2008 at 11:09 AM
But here's the question. Why can't a picture with a female lead or aimed towards women can also attact a male audience? I think about "women" films of the past like Mildred Pierce, Gone with the Wind, Love is a Many Splendored Thing or you could even say a film like Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? I've never heard guys dismiss those films and others like them as "chick flicks" and refuse to see them, though they were considered that in their day.
Now we've got 27 Dresses, Sex and the City and now Mama Mia? Films that no (straight) guy would be caught dead at. And don't tell me because it's about empowerment or friendship between women. I think the problem is that nowadays films geared towards women mainly tend to be shallow and superficial films about shallow and superifical women usually all centered around the main character getting married to some bland, charisma-challenged hunk as if it's the ONLY important thing in her life. Really, in this day and age? What guy would want to spend two (or in the case of Sex/City two and half) hours of his life watching a film about someone like that? Guys are attacted to strong independent women, confident in themselves like Helen Merrin, which is why men are crazy about her (and looking damn real good in a bikini sure as hell don't hurt either...) If there were more "chick flicks" with women such as her instead of the susual fare now passing itself off as women films you'll start seeing more men at the ticket line, and dare I say, women would love those films even more.
Posted by: Sergio | July 17, 2008 at 12:04 PM
i think 'mamma mia' will do okay. the real test this year is 'the women'. this one, more than any other, will be the litmus test for femme movies for the next few years
'he's just not that into you' will also be an important one for female actors. how jennifer aniston is perceived as a box office draw is pivotal
ultimately, we'll break out of this boy's club thing. (every screenwriter knows female characters are more complex than male characters). it's just a matter of time. it's a painful process, though
that pic of mirren requires critical examination. there's just something about it...i can't put my finger on, but i know it's there. excuse me a moment while i take a closer look
Posted by: Alan | July 17, 2008 at 12:18 PM
Wait...what? Women actually go to movies? You're kidding, right?
I mean, look, these men commenting on your blog are poo-pooing the idea. So I guess it must be a rumor. Idle gossip between out-of-touch old hags.
Right?
:P
Posted by: ProgGrrl | July 17, 2008 at 12:45 PM
For a moment I thought you were running a still from AGE OF CONSENT!
Posted by: Clark Perry | July 17, 2008 at 01:19 PM
So the film's not so great, huh? Too bad. I've been considering suffering through the ABBA songs just to see Meryl Streep in Greece. I love Meryl and I love Greece - but ABBA? Not so much.
A postor above brought up good points about women-led films of the past not being considered "chick flicks" (ugh! I hate that term). And I agree, the recent lack of good, non-shallow films (movies not involving designer shoes, wedding dresses and trendy cocktails) starring women is a factor.
Everytime I watch previews for films and all the actors running above me on the screen are male (with a sexy chick in the background), I threaten to write my own interesting script for female characters.
Unfortunately, I haven't thought of an idea worthy enough yet. But I'll keep thinking.
Posted by: Michele | July 17, 2008 at 03:17 PM
So the film's not so great, huh? Too bad. I've been considering suffering through the ABBA songs just to see Meryl Streep in Greece. I love Meryl and I love Greece - but ABBA? Not so much.
A postor above brought up good points about women-led films of the past not being considered "chick flicks" (ugh! I hate that term). And I agree, the recent lack of good, non-shallow films (movies not involving designer shoes, wedding dresses and trendy cocktails) starring women is a factor.
Everytime I watch previews for films and all the actors running above me on the screen are male (with a sexy chick in the background), I threaten to write my own interesting script for female characters.
Unfortunately, I haven't thought of an idea worthy enough yet. But I'll keep thinking.
Posted by: Michele | July 17, 2008 at 03:18 PM
Whatever happened to the idea of just making good movies that people will want to see, without worrying about gender stereotypes?
I guess I like "guy movies" like Iron Man, Hellboy, etc...but I am definitely not the only girl who does. I think high quality, exciting, and compelling movies have a wider audience than some people might imagine. Thanks, but us girls don't need a genre to appeal specifically to us.
Posted by: Liz | July 17, 2008 at 05:41 PM
Sexpot? Surely that's a gender specific term,
Wonder if James bond was a sexpot...or a sex humming bird....into his sixties...
Posted by: Ramesh | July 18, 2008 at 07:03 AM
You're absolutely right, Anne -- about Helen Merrin's physical grandeur.
-- And, of course, about all your points. Men go for strong, sexy and mature women -- in material which plays to those strengths. "Chick flicks" comprise a genre (usually romantic comedy), and are merely fluff pieces even to women. I hope your call to the industry is answered by better minds. Incidentally, the poster who claims that female characters are more complicated is someone who suffers from the attitude that helps ghetto-ize the "men" films versus "women" films. Male characters could and should be as complex as women. Willie Loman and Stanley Kowalski are not in action films. As another poster pointed out, when shallow men are the objects of love for women, the women are shallow.
Posted by: Jim Uhls | July 18, 2008 at 07:25 AM
Or we could have complex layered men characters with deep dark moods that are in love with shallow sexpots for the way they look...and act...
What's not to like about that?
Posted by: Ramesh | July 18, 2008 at 10:19 AM
Sergio: Amen! And what about the powerful women of the screwball comedies of the 30's: Irene Dunne, Katharine Hepburn, et al? Give me one of these wonderful ladies, please, and forget Sarah Jessica Parker. Let me ask you (and Anne's, of course) the permission of using your comment in my blog.
Posted by: Ernesto Diezmartinez | July 19, 2008 at 07:21 PM
fine
Posted by: anne Thompson | July 19, 2008 at 08:47 PM
Why can't today's actresses be cast in film noir type movies with strong central female characters? Think back to PHANTOM LADY (1944) with Ella Raines, based on a Cornell Woolrich novel, or any number of movies with Gloria Grahame, Lizabeth Scott, Jane Greer, Marie Windsor, etc. I have a friend who insists that Scarlett Johansson should be doing Gloria Grahame's old roles.
Also, just check out Hong Kong and Japanese films with strong women in central roles. Look at SO CLOSE (2002), an action/crime thriller with a trio of remarkable female stars at the center (Shu Qi, Vicki Zhao Wei, Karen Mok). Why can't Hollywood make films like that? It did once, 12 years ago, with THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT, starring Geena Davis. I'd love to see Angelina Jolie in something like this.
Posted by: Brian | July 21, 2008 at 07:18 AM