Backwards and in Heels: The Past, Present and Future of Women Working in Film
296
Backwards and in Heels: The Past, Present and Future of Women Working in Film
296eBook
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Overview
Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels . . .
One of the first people to ever pick up a motion picture camera was a woman—as was the first screenwriter to win two Academy Awards, the inventor of the boom microphone, and the first person to be credited with the title Film Editor. From Hollywood’s earliest days, women have been revolutionizing, innovating, and shaping how we make movies. Yet their stories are rarely shared.
In Backwards and in Heels, film reporter and author of The Female Gaze Alicia Malone tells the history of women in film through stories about incredible ladies who made their mark throughout each era of Hollywood, from the first women directors, to the iconic movie stars, to present-day activists. These inspiring stories also highlight the specific obstacles women have had to face. Backwards and in Heels combines research and exclusive interviews with influential women and men working in Hollywood today, such as Geena Davis, J.J. Abrams, Ava DuVernay, Octavia Spencer, America Ferrera, Paul Feig, Todd Fisher, and many more, as well as film professors, historians, and experts.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781633536180 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Mango Media |
| Publication date: | 05/24/2024 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 296 |
| Sales rank: | 742,769 |
| File size: | 2 MB |
About the Author
Table of Contents
Introduction 13
Part 1 The Past 17
The First Pioneers (1890s - 1920s) 18
The First Female Filmmaker Alice Guy Blaché 21
Social Issues on Film Lois Weber 24
The Movie Star Businesswoman Mary Pickford 27
The First Film Editor Margaret Booth 34
The Award-Winning Writer Frances Marion 37
The Action Hero Helen Holmes 41
Struggling in the System (1930s) 44
The Only Female Filmmaker Dorothy Arzner 46
Mae West: The Sex Symbol vs the Code 50
The Oscar Winner Hattie McDaniel 54
Erasure and Exoticism Anna May Wong 58
The Woman's Picture 64
Waging Their Own War (1940s) 66
The Pin-Up with the Patent Hedy Lamarr 69
The Lawmaker Olivia de Havilland 74
The Illusion Rita Hayworth 78
The Femme Fatales 84
The Dream Factory (1950s) 87
Fighting Against Stereotype Dorothy Dandridge 90
The Myth Marilyn Monroe 95
Mother of Us All Ida Lupino 98
New Hollywood (1960s & 1970s) 103
The Famous Feud Joan Crawford Bette Davis 110
New Hollywood Icon Jane Fonda 114
Female Filmmakers, Finally 120
The Blaxploitation Hero Pam Grier 125
Modern Hollywood (1980s - 2000s) 129
The Female Executives 136
The Firsts: Female Filmmakers of Color 141
Oscar Queen Meryl Streep 143
Part 2 The Present 153
Filmmakers Fight Back 154
Information Is Power Dr. Stacy L. Smith 157
History Maker Ava DuVernay 160
Men Who Help Women J.J. Abrams Paul Feig 166
ReFraming The Issue Keri Putnam 173
Taking Action Maria Giese 176
Acting Up 180
See It, Be It Geena Davis 181
America Ferrera: Facing Fear 187
Transforming Hollywood Mya Taylor 191
Scene Stealer Octavia Spencer 196
Using Her Voice Jennifer Siebel Newsom 199
Mother-Daughter Icons Debbie Reynolds Carrie Fisher 205
Below the Line 210
The Risk Taker Amy Powell 213
From Producer To Director Denise di Novi 216
Writing Her Own Script Nicole Perlman 219
Editing History Joi McMillon 223
Striking Images Rachel Morrison 226
Part 3 The Future 233
The Future is Female 234
Select Bibliography 236
Acknowledgements 239
Author Bio 241
What People are Saying About This
"Starting in the very early days of film, Backwards & in Heels covers women holding all different positions throughout the film industry. From editors, to directors, to producers, to actresses, women have done it all. The problem is, in many areas, the number of women who have held these positions is few and with very little recognition. It is a battle for women that is still being fought today." –My Current Interests
“Alicia Malone is one of the most inspiring voices in media today. Her book is a painful eye-opener that everyone with an interest in film should read.” –Chris Stuckmann, Film Critic
“Alicia is a wonderful human whose voracious appetite for, and knowledge of, cinema and its history is immense and passionate. I can't think of anyone more suited to dig into this very important part of the story of film.” –Elijah Wood
“Alicia Malone has opened my eyes to stories and stats about Women in Film, making me recognize the constant prejudices and imbalances that occur in the film industry even today, but also the ways in which women have been and continue to be celebrated. Proud to be a fellow feminist for film!” –Maude Garrett, Founder of GeekBomb.com
“Alicia Malone gives me hope for the future of film appreciation. Her knowledge and curiosity are matched only by her enthusiasm for all things cinematic." –Leonard Maltin