hey help me sort an arguement guys. ???
My friend says that all films are made for men and they all like certain types of film. he says that women cannot enjoy films like men do and some genres only men like!
i think hes wrong, but i'm only one person so cant judge others views.
the question:
could you say what your favourite genre is along with if your male or female?
could you tell me why you like the genre?
thanks guys ;D ???
Women are unusually picky about what movies they like. I, on the other hand, usually enjoy any movie I watch to some extent. It's not that films are made for men, it's that men are more open-minded than women when it comes to the artistic quality of a film.
Assuming that the differences between genres are smaller everyday, we can't talk of films for "girls" or "boys"...
If you want another argument, tell him Hollywood wants to earn money (As the rest of us) and it can't avoid 50% of the population, so, not ALL the films are going to be oriented to men.
You win... ;D
I think your friend has only seen movies that fit his own prejudices already...
Tell him to watch "Thomas and the Magic Railroad" and then ask him if that was made for "Men" and if he enjoyed it. ;)
but I'll tell you one thing for sure. People who make stupid generalisations like this guy and then tell you that "you're only one person so can't judge other's views" are always WRONG.
My favourite genre is Romantic Comedy and my wife's favourite genre is Trashy Gore movies. :-*
That has got to be one of the strangest ideas I've ever heard of. There are very few kinds of movies I don't like, and last time I checked I was still a girl.
I like special effects action movies, spy movies, romantic comedies, regular comedies, indie movies, silent movies, French movies, horror movies, mysteries, art cinema, book adaptations, animated movies, children's movies, historical movies, musicals... about the only kind of movie that I can think of that I don't like are Soviet Propaganda films (The Red and the White and Mother... soooooo bad).
Absolute favourite would have to go to the special effects action movies though. Things like Spider-Man, Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Carribean, Dragonheart and such forth.
Hollywood, the biggest "factory" for movies, manufacture films tailored to their audience requirements.
For example, they tailor action movies to males, romances to women, anything with Ashton Kutcher to teens, etc, etc
So, yes women can enjoy movies as much as men do -- But certain types of movies are promoted to such audiences.
It's rare that a male will prefer a romance movies, while by the same token, a female is less likely to go to a pumped-up guns-blasting movie.
To say "all films are made for men" is stupid, because if Hollywood made all films for men, they'd loose a significant amount of money from women movie-goers.
That takes care of the financial aspects.
As for "films (as opposed to "movies") and technical aspects (subtext, mise-en-scene, lighting and colour, etc, etc), while it's true most of the influential directors are male, women can appreciate a film's visual style as much as a man can because all art is subjective.
Although the interpretation is different, they still gain pleasure and insight in their own way.
I've known some women who analyse films to the nth degree and I've known women who watch film on a very superficial level.
But I've also known men who are the same in that regard.
Your friend obviously hasn't the slightest idea how the film industry works, nor about the subjectivity of art.
He clearly is an idiot and you shouldn't waste your time arguing with him -- In fact, I suggest punching him in the face or kicking his balls.
And to answer your question, I like all genres (animated, comedy, romance, war, drama, thriller, noir, classic, etc).
I only hate crap movies.
Why do I have such a rationale? Because I'm prepared to give any movie a chance.
Just because a film is a romance doesn't mean I'm going to go, "Romances are for sissies!"
Quite the contrary, I've seen some romances that'd make any man's heart crumble.
My favourite, for example, is Leaving Las Vegas -- Here's a film that really stretches the bounds of love.
I also liked subtle romances, like the recent Lost In Translation.
I wasn't impressed with Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge, but that didn't have anything to do with it being a romance -- More so, it was a pompus load of wank from an over-the-top director who can't keep his camera still.
On the other hand, I like Huston's version of Moulin Rouge.
But like I said, it's all subjective.
Gemmalah
Hehe, tell him you can prove him wrong. Tell him from now on you will choose the movies that he watches. Then always choose a touchy-feely chick flick over the action-adventure ones. Be sure to pretend you love the movie even if you didn't. He will figure it out soon enough that he is wrong :).
Cheers
I usually like more dramatic, heartfelt movies more than I do stuff with explosions and naked women, and I'm a male. I'm not saying I hate action movies or "guy movies", its just that I think they're not quite as deep.
I think that there are some movies that are made just for men, yet there are also movies made just for women. But there are alot of movies made for everybody.
Like "Shaft In Africa"!
heres an arguement, now this is a true achedemic theory. I read it in a book.
the male gaze: man get turned on manly by sound and sight whilst in women many more factors are involved such as what the person says and their actions (non sexual). Therefore men respond better than women to movies because they respond generally better to sight and sound because women think of many other things.
not sure of this
another theory is that because most movie makers are male (true, can you name a female director?) so they makeit for male audiences.
and yes my friend is an idiot, yet this is an intersting arguement likely to last all weeek ort as long as it takes to beat him to a pulp.
Quotehe male gaze: man get turned on manly by sound and sight whilst in women many more factors are involved such as what the person says and their actions (non sexual). Therefore men respond better than women to movies because they respond generally better to sight and sound because women think of many other things.
not sure of this
Yes, this is a well-known theory.
But it's just a theory.
Keep in mind that films are not just sight and sound -- they are also dialogue, plot, constructed meaning, relationships, etc.
So, if we take such a theory on-board, then films do have appeal to women.
Quoteanother theory is that because most movie makers are male (true, can you name a female director?) so they makeit for male audiences.
Here are a few female directors, and their films are appreciated by both audiences:
Jane Campion
Julie Taymor
Nancy Meyers
Penny Marshall
Audrey Wells
Sofia Coppola
Patty Jenkins
Niki Caro
Catherine Hardwicke
Shari Springer Berman
(a lot of the above names had films that were nominated for several oscars in the last two ceremonies)
Also, several well-known male directors make female-oriented films:
Mike Newell - Mona Lisa Smile
Stephen Daldry - The Hours
Richard Eyre - Iris
Anthony Minghella -- Jeez, take your pick...
Baz Luhrmann -- Likewise...
Even martin Scorsese, probably the most masculine of filmmakers, made a very feminist film "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore".
So, who knows? It's all mixed-up together in a big gender soupbowl.
All I know is, your friend is full of shit.
QuoteLike "Shaft In Africa"!
SHAFTICA!
and migs... i REALLY hope you're messing around.
but anyway yes your friend is foolish x 10.
just the other weekend Jess and I rented Russian Ark and Down With Love, Down With Love was great and so was Russian Ark. RA was a little bit slow and we both kinda talked through parts of it but we still enjoyed it the same.
Jess' favourite movie ever is more than likely Rocky Horror Picture show. "It's a musical of course she loves it! Women like music." but it has sex in it and it's pretty raunchy, don't women [by a fool's rationale] hate sex? "Yea but... Music...Shut up..."
Gemmelah, what movies do you like? if you say anything that crosses over into his realm [a movie "made for men"] then he is automatically wrong and his arguement holds no water
You're right, he's wrong.
Hollywood is still evolving ...
Most directors are men, which is probably why your buddy feels the way he does, but the studios know that a good portion of their audience is women. They aren't going to exclude them!
When the film industry got it start woman weren't allowed to speak their minds, vote, get jobs, etc. So Hollywood was dominated by men. It would be years and years before woman could make their mark. It's been 100 years and Hollywood is still dominated (at least in the director's chair) by men. But it's coming around.
Deep Impact (better than Armageddon in my opinion) was directed by a woman (Mimi Leder). I loved it.
Penny Marshall has made some great movies, A League of Their Own and Big come to mind! (Go Laverne!)
Now Sofia Coppola has won an Oscar!
It's evolving.
But I think your friend's argument would certainly have been valid 80 years ago, just not so much anymore.
Plus, now that being a homosexual is sooooo cool and hip (think Queer Eye for the Straight Guy - then puke), really emotional and ifeminent (sp?) men can make movies that are basically, directed by women.
~ d
QuoteJust because a film is a romance doesn't mean I'm going to go, "Romances are for sissies!"
One that comes to mind that is kinda romance that totally rocks is the Princess Bride... not only does it have a romantic portion to the story, but it has action, adventure, fantasy, drama... and last but not least, Andre the Giant... what more could you ask for? ;D
And with that, I've technically answered the topics question. I know many people who absolutely love this movie, many of them female... actually, I don't know anyone that has seen it, that doesn't like it. ;)
Quote from: Dragonrose on Fri 05/03/2004 14:53:59about the only kind of movie that I can think of that I don't like are Soviet Propaganda films (The Red and the White and Mother... soooooo bad).
it's beyond me how anyone could dislike Alexander Nevsky, though.
"what are you doing ?"
"i'm fishing !"
Plasticman: The problem is I don't like being preached at. The movies I mentioned were illogical in their patriotism, especially Mother.
Guy is Communist, Father is Capitalist
Guy kills father.
Guy is beaten and arrested.
Mother becomes a communist to avenge her son.
Mother gets trampled to death by Imperial Cavalry in a communist rally.
And this is presented as a feel-good movie. I'm so confused.
Quote
the male gaze: man get turned on manly by sound and sight whilst in women many more factors are involved such as what the person says and their actions (non sexual). Therefore men respond better than women to movies because they respond generally better to sight and sound because women think of many other things.
Gemmalah: This sounds just as silly to me as your friend's theory. Do you have an example of such an intellectually deep movie? Just use some common sense eh!
Different people have different interests at different times in their lives. Some things inerest me more than they do other people. I think I can safely assume the same is pretty much true for everyone else. It's just that the things in which I am interested may not appeal to everyone else as much (and vise versa of course). I think people don't enjoy movies about things in which they have no or little interest.
To the extent that it's possible to make generalizations about the difference between men's and women's interests one could extrapolate (sp?) that to movies to predict which ones are likely to be percieved as "male", "female", or "both".
I like movies... they are good. 8)
Everyone loves porn ;D
CASE CLOSED!
Quote from: RickJ on Sat 06/03/2004 03:06:48
Gemmalah: This sounds just as silly to me as your friend's theory. Do you have an example of such an intellectually deep movie? Just use some common sense eh!
Different people have different interests at different times in their lives. Some things inerest me more than they do other people. I think I can safely assume the same is pretty much true for everyone else. It's just that the things in which I am interested may not appeal to everyone else as much (and vise versa of course). I think people don't enjoy movies about things in which they have no or little interest.
To the extent that it's possible to make generalizations about the difference between men's and women's interests one could extrapolate (sp?) that to movies to predict which ones are likely to be percieved as "male", "female", or "both".
I think Gemmalah example of the "male gaze" is more of a psyhcologial perception that men have -- Like I said, it's just a theory (though, a well-documented theory).
And even though different movies can appeal to certain individuals, one cannot ignore the collective genders of movie-goers to certain movies -- Sure, it's a generalisation, but generalisations do prove true most of the time.
For example, the amount of males going at their own accord (i.e. not being dragged along by their girlfriends) to Mona Lisa Smile would be low compared to the number of females seeing the films.
Or as another example, the number of people above 60 going to something like Jackass would also be low.
Yes, they're generalisations -- But they're generalisation because in most cases it's true.
DG I pretty much agree with your observations. However, I would attribute this, as I said, to the collective interests of one demographic group vs another rather than this therory that men aren't as intellectually involved (or capable of it) in movies as women are.
If the subject matter of a given film is of no or little interest to someone or some group, it is highly unlikely that person or group would want to view the film or enjoy it.
Quote from: Migs on Fri 05/03/2004 14:28:59
Women are unusually picky about what movies they like. I, on the other hand, usually enjoy any movie I watch to some extent. It's not that films are made for men, it's that men are more open-minded than women when it comes to the artistic quality of a film.
Just so you all know, I don't really believe what I said. I just knew it would spark a delightful controversy.
I don't think anyone besides me even mentioned it, so it seems there would have been enough discussion without it
With new technology they can put TV's in kitchens now, so they'd be foolish not to cash in on the newly available woman market.
Quote from: Las Naranjas on Tue 09/03/2004 02:36:28
With new technology they can put TV's in kitchens now, so they'd be foolish not to cash in on the newly available woman market.
Oprah has contaminated an entire generation of women with misguided theories of female supremacy. It's getting out of hand. We should start removing TVs from the kitchens, and boycott the Oxygen and Lifetime networks, just in case.
Quote from: RickJ on Sun 07/03/2004 17:35:28
DG I pretty much agree with your observations. However, I would attribute this, as I said, to the collective interests of one demographic group vs another rather than this therory that men aren't as intellectually involved (or capable of it) in movies as women are.
But the interests of the male demographic might be separated from the female demographic due to male not being intellectually involved.
But I'll leave the debate on male versus female psychology for another day, cause we're mainly talking on film enjoyment.
Me Man.
Me like big stick.
Me hit big stick on head fall down bang!
Ha ha!
Good good.
Do man like film? *grunt* *grunt*
I must agree with Alynn. Porn is great!