The Bechdel Test for Women in Movies
Posted on July 15, 2010 in Filmmaking 360, General Screenwriting | 5 Comments
The Bechdel Test is a simple way to gauge the active presence of female characters in Hollywood films and just how well rounded and complete those roles are. It was created by Allison Bechdel in her comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For in 1985. It is astonishing the number of popular movies that can’t pass this simple test.
1. Does the film have two women with names in it?
2. Do these two women talk to each other?
3. Do they talk to each other about something other than a man?
5 Comments
Anyone that thinks mainstream Hollywood movies are about anything other than “What will make money?” then they are pretty naive. If women talking to each other would make money then the theaters would be full of chick flicks. I am not a male chauvinist pig! Life is what it is and there are those people that feel compelled to solve problems that may not really exist.
Sometimes a good story just doesn’t call for more than two women talking about a man, or at all. Lol
Just because a movie doesn’t pass the test, doesn’t mean it’s a horrible, sexist movie. After all, a lot of the movies on her list are my favorites. I do agree with her on some points.
I would like to see more realistic women (and people in general) in movies talking about sex, women/men, politics, religion, school, etc. You know, things everybody talks about.
Hollywood is a giant money making machine. It doesn’t care about the plight of women, gays, blacks, asians, hispanics, or even intelligent white men. It’s a machine that jacks off the moronic and, often times, teenage boys.
On a more optimistic note, there are more female filmmakers emerging.
Gotta love movies like THE THING and TWELVE ANGRY MEN which just do away with women entirely!