Women in Film: Femme Fatale vs. Manic Pixie Dream Girl

[blackwayfarers]

these stereotypes are so annoying

[TheDarkSatirist]

great analysis, but I found that Kate Winslet's role as Clementine in Eternal Sunshine is something of an anti-MPDG.

[mildmayyour]

@TheDarkSatirist

Agreed. In fact, Clementine explicitly states how she isn't a MPDG. I found the quote: "Too many guys think I'm a concept, or I complete them, or I'm gonna make them alive. But I'm just a fucked-up girl who's lookin' for my own peace of mind; don't assign me yours." Definitely not a MPDG. If you're looking for a real MPDG, take a look at Zooey Deschanel's career.

[ZiggyStardust2329]

So in these films, the underdeveloped, socially repressed, or insecure male is taught the ways of life by a daring, free-spirited, and thoughtful woman --- and this is somehow a slight to women? If there was a film in which an intelligent, confident man taught a naive, thoughtless woman the ways of the world, the feminists would still be screaming bias even though this is a complete replica of the aforementioned scenario with the roles reversed.

[lasofia13]

@ZiggyStardust2329 If such movie existed, it'd focus on the male character teaching this girl how to live, instead of a woman being taught how to live by some dude. The point of the MPDG is that she's an accessory and has no story, no nothing unless it's relevant to the male's self growth.

[toyinoluwa]

Amazing video. I hoped there would be some more contemporary film feature paradigms for the FEMME FATALE argument, however, I like the juxtaposition of cases reagardless.

[Ingretto]

great! sorry what is the test called?

[alrune8]

@Ingretto the bechdel test. A conversation between two named women about something other than men.

[lues]

great!