1. What is the Guardian 100 and who are the panellists that create it?
Media Guardian 100 is an annual guide to the most powerful people in television, radio, newspapers, magazines, digital media, media business, advertising, marketing and PR.
2. How many women are in the top 100?
There are 16 women in the top 100
3. What companies do these women work for and in what roles?
Controller for BBC1
Chief Executive for News International
Chairman and Chief Executive of Shine Group
Director of BBC News
Chief Executive of Pearson
Controller of film and drama on Channel 4
Chairman and Chief Executive of Random House
Corporate Marketing Director and Head of Marketing of Procter & Gamble UK and Ireland
Director of Vision of BBC
Chairman and Chief Executive of AMV Group
Chairman and Chief Executive of Channel Five
4. What percentage of the 100 are women?
16%
5. How would you assess the balance of power in this list and why do you think it is this way?
There is an almost obvious correlation between the number of men vs women in the Top 100. Living in a patriarchal society, we may not realise that this is a case of inequality. Yet the women who are in the 100 have clearly conformed to their positions and have been sucked into this male gaze, unaware that they are being treated unfairly. The list shows that we still live in a male dominated environment where women continue to be prone to subordination.
Wednesday 29 September 2010
Sunday 26 September 2010
Femme Fatales
Gilda from Gilda (1947)
One very popular Femme Fatale character of the 20th Century was the film Gilda (1947). Gilda is played by Rita Hayworth who is known, not only as one of her era's top stars, but also as a great sex symbol. She was a top glamour girl in the 1940s and later became a pin-up girl for military servicemen and a beauty icon for women.
Gilda resembled classic Femme Fatale characteristics. Most memorably, in the first scene of the film, where she is introduced to the audience by her husband as she is getting dressed. Here is the scene found on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA2AsJ_GneI&feature=related
It is quite obvious, even from the moment we see Gilda fling her hair back, that she is a very confident character. Gilda is introduced to her husband's friend (Johnny) and then proceeds to light a cigarette, which reflects her masculinity. Stereotypically, smoking indicates a sense of ruggedness, roughness and is primarily associated with the male sex. Therefore, when a female character is observed smoking in a film, she is automatically classed by the viewer as a controlling persona. Even though Gilda is of a film noir genre, it is obvious by the mise-en-scene that the room is dim-lit and colourful, creating a romantic atmosphere which allows this Femme Fatale to act out her manipulative motives. It is also clear by the way she moves and speaks to Johnny, that she is extremely flirtatious, which does not seem to be, in any way, strange to her husband. Even though her husband is constantly trying to gain control by subordinating her, her facial expression seems to indicate that she is not happy, and soon regains her control by making as little eye-contact with her husband as possible.
Rose Loomis from Niagara (1953)
One of the most famous Femme Fatales in history would have to be Marilyn Monroe, whose charm and sex appeal created great controversy in the 1950s. She is known for her dominating role in the dramatic thriller and film noir "Niagara", as a manipulative and unfaithful wife.
Her character, Rose Loomis, resembles a stereotypical Femme Fatale. In the plot, she has an affair with another man and plans to have her current husband murdered by her lover. However, in a bizzare twist, her lover ends up murdered and thrown into the Niagara Falls. In the following scene, her husband takes control after she triggers his jealousy with a song containing sexual connotations:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X5X0JNiPPw
The first words spoken in the scene are from her cabin neighbour saying "get out the firehose". This already connotes that she is seen, by the male sex, as being hot, sexy and 'on fire'. The fact that the man later compares her dress sense to that of his wife, also shows that he is most probably sexually aroused by her figure. The scarf around Rose's arms gives an indication of elegance and delicacy, conforming with her bright pink dress, which represents passion. Her movements are observed as slow and careful and her eye-contact seems to indicate arousement. Her voice and speech is soft and quiet, which is also observed by her singing. One of Marilyn Monroe's most popular qualities was her flawless singing voice, often associated with her 1962 Happy Birthday performance for President JF Kennedy. Furthermore, her golden hooped earings could also be stereotypically associated with whore-like qualities. As her husband begins breaking the record, one shot shows her smiling, connoting total control over her husband's emotional welfare. It is clear by the sly look on her face that she is aware that she can manipulate his anger and frustration at any time. Again, similar to Gilda, she makes as little eye-contact with her husband as possible, showing that she is his superior.
One very popular Femme Fatale character of the 20th Century was the film Gilda (1947). Gilda is played by Rita Hayworth who is known, not only as one of her era's top stars, but also as a great sex symbol. She was a top glamour girl in the 1940s and later became a pin-up girl for military servicemen and a beauty icon for women.
Gilda resembled classic Femme Fatale characteristics. Most memorably, in the first scene of the film, where she is introduced to the audience by her husband as she is getting dressed. Here is the scene found on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA2AsJ_GneI&feature=related
It is quite obvious, even from the moment we see Gilda fling her hair back, that she is a very confident character. Gilda is introduced to her husband's friend (Johnny) and then proceeds to light a cigarette, which reflects her masculinity. Stereotypically, smoking indicates a sense of ruggedness, roughness and is primarily associated with the male sex. Therefore, when a female character is observed smoking in a film, she is automatically classed by the viewer as a controlling persona. Even though Gilda is of a film noir genre, it is obvious by the mise-en-scene that the room is dim-lit and colourful, creating a romantic atmosphere which allows this Femme Fatale to act out her manipulative motives. It is also clear by the way she moves and speaks to Johnny, that she is extremely flirtatious, which does not seem to be, in any way, strange to her husband. Even though her husband is constantly trying to gain control by subordinating her, her facial expression seems to indicate that she is not happy, and soon regains her control by making as little eye-contact with her husband as possible.
Rose Loomis from Niagara (1953)
One of the most famous Femme Fatales in history would have to be Marilyn Monroe, whose charm and sex appeal created great controversy in the 1950s. She is known for her dominating role in the dramatic thriller and film noir "Niagara", as a manipulative and unfaithful wife.
Her character, Rose Loomis, resembles a stereotypical Femme Fatale. In the plot, she has an affair with another man and plans to have her current husband murdered by her lover. However, in a bizzare twist, her lover ends up murdered and thrown into the Niagara Falls. In the following scene, her husband takes control after she triggers his jealousy with a song containing sexual connotations:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X5X0JNiPPw
The first words spoken in the scene are from her cabin neighbour saying "get out the firehose". This already connotes that she is seen, by the male sex, as being hot, sexy and 'on fire'. The fact that the man later compares her dress sense to that of his wife, also shows that he is most probably sexually aroused by her figure. The scarf around Rose's arms gives an indication of elegance and delicacy, conforming with her bright pink dress, which represents passion. Her movements are observed as slow and careful and her eye-contact seems to indicate arousement. Her voice and speech is soft and quiet, which is also observed by her singing. One of Marilyn Monroe's most popular qualities was her flawless singing voice, often associated with her 1962 Happy Birthday performance for President JF Kennedy. Furthermore, her golden hooped earings could also be stereotypically associated with whore-like qualities. As her husband begins breaking the record, one shot shows her smiling, connoting total control over her husband's emotional welfare. It is clear by the sly look on her face that she is aware that she can manipulate his anger and frustration at any time. Again, similar to Gilda, she makes as little eye-contact with her husband as possible, showing that she is his superior.
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