Genders in 90s Films - Waleed Malik

The 1990s was the golden age of film. Hollywood took a step away from the usual, action packed blockbusters and stepped into the realm of art. During this decade, films had much more complex narratives and deeper themes about the human condition. Movies such as these had been made for decades previously by independent and foreign film makers but never achieved popularity due to low budgets and extremely limited releases. Now, with the backing of major producers, unknown and unconventional directors such as Quentin Tarantino, The Coen Brothers and Christopher Nolan were able to bring their ideas to the big screen. The depiction of woman in film also took a major turn during the 90s. They were no longer the seductive femme fatales of the 50s, or the masculine heroes of the 80s. Instead female characters had unique traits and followed no particular stereotypes. Filmmakers began to show that woman were much more complex than previously depicted. Each female character was as unique as her male counterparts. In the sinister thriller The Silence of the Lambs, the main character is FBI agent Clarice Sterling, played by Jodie Foster. She seems shy and inverted, but as the movie progresses and she becomes more confident and realizes the nature of her responsibilities. Jenny Curan, the female lead of Forrest Gump, is shown as a caring and passionate woman who is not afraid to live on whims. The Matrix’s Trinity is a cold and ruthless warrior who will carry out her missions without question; however, she is not without her softer side as she deeply cares for her comrades. There is no clear label or pattern to these characters, which shows a shift towards more equality in Hollywood. Actresses were no longer given the same roles over and over again, instead they were expected to play much more diverse characters.