Katherine Kingsle

I’ve been hearing about NightVale a lot recently. Usually I can’t really deal with podcasts because I need to be visually occupied, because I have the attention span of a goldfish. But I think your article may have convinced me.

Really interesting. But I do think there is an important distinction between Venus and Helen, and Eguchi Aimi- that the former are paintings, and the latter was meant to considered a human. Both Venus and Helen were idealisms of beauty, Venus was the very goddess of it, so I guess I understand why the artists may have chosen to have multiple women sit for their paintings, and chosen the most aesthetic features from each of them. These were women (goddess) who were unsurpassed in beauty, something to admire, but not aspire to be. They were really clearly unattainable, and the problem for Eguchi Aimi, is that she isn’t constructed that way. She was presented as an actual person, so I do agree that she sets up a standard unattainable for girls, who are encouraged to meet that standard. That being said, I do agree that in some part scientists, or at least graphic professionals are directing ‘beauty’, the same way classical artists once were.

I actually really loved Alexander, but probably because I did classical studies, and it didn’t do that bad a job of following historical events, unlike most films based on classic heroes/myths (Clash of the Titans, Troy). But I totally agree, it was so well scored.

Jaime Lannister was so well developed this season, absolutely agree. Bit disappointed that no men of colour made the list, but there are hardly any playing lead in shows of their own or written dynamically even as side characters, so I guess that makes sense.

I watched the pilot and it didn’t really feel like anything special. Maybe that’ll change, but I dunno, I felt as if they used the tropes you listed, without being subversive or clever about it. Also there’s that weird thing happening with the use of the word ‘gypsy’, when a lot of Romani people have explained that they find the word offensive. Great article though!

I totally agree! Thank you so much for your comment Josephine.

I totally forgot about Django Unchained when I was writing this, but you are absolutely right. Django’s entire journey has to be validated by a white person, and even then his freedom from slavery still depends on this white person. As engaging a character as Django is, Tarantino used many of the characteristics of the White Saviour trope in his film.

Yes! And it’s an incredibly ethnocentric approach to filmmaking. Thank you for commenting.