The Women in Footloose (1984) vs. The Women in Footloose (2011)
Adaptation- There is an obvious difference when you compare
these two films regarding the amount of respect women had in 1984 compared to
today. The remake made a point to give the female characters a stronger voice
and also made a point to show that women’s safety and well-being was important.
Ideology- In 1984 women were stilling struggling to be heard
and seen as strong heads of the household. This is shown several times in the
original version of Footloose. For example, Ren’s own mother is not responsible
for the decisions being made regarding her own son. Ren’s uncle immediately becomes
the superior authority when they move in with them and is confronted by him
several times regarding his behavior in school and some trouble he found
himself in. Another example of this is when Arial is assaulted by her
ex-boyfriend causing her to have a black eye and bloody lip and no one seems to
react in the way we would expect them to react today. When Ren meets Arial
after the beating, he seems unconcerned with her well-being, does not seem
angry with the man who did this to her and does not make any statements about
calling the police of her parents. Arial simple asks Ren how she looks, because
that was the most important thing, and he responds with a nonchalant “you’ll
live”. Both of these examples are completely changed in the 2011 version of the
movie. Not only does Ren speak highly of his mother and sleep with a picture of
her in his room, but she is completely missing from the movie due to cancer.
She passed away before Ren moved in with his aunt and uncle but not only did
Ren speak about her strength but he defends her to the principal when he makes
a rude comment about her integrity. When
Arial is assaulted in the 2011 version it is not made into a small thing the
way that the 1984 version did. Ren is furious and immediately starts talking
about kicking his ass and calling the police. Her parents are involved and
furious that someone would do this to their daughter. This is short lived because
it is immediately followed by her father also slapping her in the face but
there seemed to be genuine care and concern for her safety before that moment. Arial’s
appearance is not the main concern. Women are respected more today than they
were in 1984.
Social History- In the 1984 movie, the preacher’s wife
appears to be the typical stay at home mom who is quiet and still and doesn’t cause
a fuss. There is not much of a difference in the behavior of the preacher’s
wife in the 2011 remake but you get a feeling from her that she has more say
and more of a voice. The way that she speaks to her husband is more direct and with
more power behind her words. This shows the transition over time how the place
of women in the home has changed and evolved in so many ways.
Semiotics- Although there are many differences in the
content of these movies, many things remain the same. Arial wears her red boots
symbolizing her rebellion against her father and the rules of their town.
So the transition in how gender in general is seen in the two time periods is clear, but the "why" of it isn't. Could you maybe find some historical events or time periods in the gap between the old and new movie that helped to shape the latter?
ReplyDeleteI think that these two movies make for a fantastic comparison, especially when it comes to respecting women. I do think that there are a few improvements that can be made. For instance, I think that the social history category is supposed to be about how society actually behaved during the time that each text was made and what patterns of belief shaped each era and consequently the texts themselves. Your ideological analysis is spot on, but I think that you could attached this to a larger argument about how women ought to be treated better in films, and how the newer version fought for the same ideal. As it stands, it sounds more like a description of what each one did and did not do, without much significance placed on either set of actions. You've got everything you need for a really spectacular case; I just think it needs more emphasis.
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