The Bechdel test

[mudskipper]

The Bechdel test rating is for gender bias in a film

To get an A, there needs to be two named female characters who have a conversation about something other than a man.

"The entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, all Star Wars movies, The Social Network, Pulp Fiction and all but one of the Harry Potter movies fail this test," said Ellen Tejle, the director of Bio Rio, an art-house cinema in Stockholm's trendy Södermalm district.

(One hopes that there are also two male characters who talk to each other about something other than women, but I guess that's largely a given, except perhaps in real 'chick flicks' like Sex in the City)

So which recent movies do pass this test?

Swedish cinemas take aim at gender bias with Bechdel test rating | World news | theguardian.com

[vetran]

"If they want different kind of movies they should produce some themselves and not just point fingers at other people," said Tanja Bergkvist, a physicist who writes a blog about Sweden's "gender madness".

"Apparently Hollywood thinks that films with male characters will do better at the box office. It is also the case that most of the aspects of movie-making – writing, production, direction, and so on – are dominated by men, and so it is not a surprise that the stories we see are those that tend to revolve around men," Amy Bleakley, the study's lead author, said in an email.

[Scruff]

Thelma & Louise
Even Cowgirls the Blues

[mudskipper]

This particular 'test' seems a crude instrument to highlight an old issue (if indeed you believe that women aren't represented fairly in cinema and that they should be).

Laura Mulvey had a lot to say on the subject, and her idea of "the male gaze" has been applied to other disciplines too.

[DaveB]

The Bechdel test rating is for gender bias in a film

To get an A, there needs to be two named female characters who have a conversation about something other than a man.

"The entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, all Star Wars movies, The Social Network, Pulp Fiction and all but one of the Harry Potter movies fail this test," said Ellen Tejle, the director of Bio Rio, an art-house cinema in Stockholm's trendy Södermalm district.

(One hopes that there are also two male characters who talk to each other about something other than women, but I guess that's largely a given, except perhaps in real 'chick flicks' like Sex in the City)

So which recent movies do pass this test?

Swedish cinemas take aim at gender bias with Bechdel test rating | World news | theguardian.com

Well this site has a list of every film they think passes the test. Not that it's much use, it still no guarantee it will be worth watching.

http://bechdeltest.com/sort/rating?page=0

On the plus side I have an excuse to watch that bastion of feminist cinematography that is the entire series of Resident Evil movies, again

[russell]

But that's all women do talk about in reality so it's fairly accurate.

[SimonMac]

Luscious Latina Lesbians 1, 3 and 4

[vetran]

But that's all women do talk about in reality so it's fairly accurate.

Add in Babies, Clothes, cuddly / sweet presents, other women they don't like and you wouldn't be far wrong for many.

[jmo21]

But that's all women do talk about in reality so it's fairly accurate.

Also shopping and makeup.

And as they get older, kids.

[DaveB]

Add in Babies, Clothes, cuddly / sweet presents, other women they don't like and you wouldn't be far wrong for many.

And Zombies. Don't forget the Zombies, they're important!