In films, people question the roles women play. Women have evolved over the years to achieve equality within industries. In Hitchcock's films women are the center of mistreatment. In the movie The Birds, it features a cute young woman who is trying to play a harmless prank on handsome Mitch, but slowly it takes an unexpected turn. Melanie, the protagonist, brings Mitch's sister a gift of lovebirds to their house. Subsequently, Bodega Bay is repeatedly attacked by a swarm of birds. During each scene where the birds attack Melanie, she is put in these cramped, claustrophobic places, the phone booth and then the attic where she has nowhere to get out because of the attacking birds. The effect of these scenes certainly gives the impression that these (predominantly male) filmmakers actively want to see Melanie/Tippi fighting for their lives.” But after every time she gets attacked, Mitch is always there to take her to safety. Hitchcock is implying that a woman will always need a man to help her out of a situation and is incapable of getting out of difficult situations. Today there are fewer films about female characters who need to be saved by a man and more about women who save themselves and become independent. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Throughout this film, Hitchcock tries to get the audience to question whether "the inexplicable ferocity of birds or the idea that the dubious role The concept of 'woman' in Hollywood is inextricably rooted in sexually charged imagery." He does this by focusing on certain parts of Melanie's body in the attic scene when the birds attack her. He chooses to show “the shaved sleeve of an arm that cuts through the air; open, dangling palm being bitten by a beak.” Hitchcock uses close-up shots to sexualize her and create a sense of perversion. It begs the question of whether or not Hitchcock wanted to sexualize the female character or show the audience that the only thing one woman is good is her appearance and body characteristics. Not only in this film, but in many others, Hitchcock produced the mistreatment of female characters Either they died or they are tortured in a way that affects them mentally. In this film, Hitchcock does both, he causes Melanie to be physically attacked by the bird and mentally affects her while doing so. The torture she received in the attic left her scared and afraid, fearful that the birds would attack her again. Hitchcock's work does not accept the feminist path because it makes his female character helpless and in need of a man's help. Another film that embodies this notion: that women are to be used by a man, is Vertigo. Vertigo is about a former detective, Scottie Ferguson, who after the death of his love, or so he thinks, searches for a replacement for Madeline. In the first half of the film we see Madeline as a beauty that cannot be recreated for Scottie. In one of the scenes with Midge, she recreates herself as Carlotta's painting. Once Scottie sees this, he is speechless and, based on her facial expression, says that Midge isn't good enough to be compared to Madeline/Carlotta. From this scene, the audience can understand that Hitchcock is conveying that not all women are equally beautiful and could satisfy a man's needs. As the film progresses we discover that Madeline is actually Judy. Once Judy is introduced, the audience sees Scottie following her just to talk to her, as she resembles Madeleine. During Scottie interactions.
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