Gender in 21st Century American Film: Gender Messages and Types of Artistic Success
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Date
2014-06
Authors
Rojc, Ellen
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
This research is a content analysis comparing the gender messages displayed in
financially successful and critically acclaimed American films in the years 2008, 2010
and 2012. The analysis focused on three aspects of gender messages: the percentage of
female and male characters present as lead characters in each film, gendered social
character relationships, and gendered patterns involving sexuality. In financially
successful films, only 25% of lead characters were female, compared to 14% in
critically acclaimed films. Findings showed that there was a trade-off between realistic
depictions of gender and the significance of the character role. Overall, the critically
acclaimed films showcased less sexual objectification, and contained less distinctive
roles for female characters, while the female characters in the financially successful
films featured more prominently in the central plotline, but were portrayed less
realistically, and appeared as objects of the male gaze.
Description
44 pages. A thesis presented to the Department of Sociology and the Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Arts, Spring 2014.
Keywords
Gender, Film, Sexuality, Media, Critical acclaim, Financial success