This document discusses the progression and evolution of the action genre and masculinity in action films over time. It begins by outlining the development of key action film styles and icons from the 1920s through the 2000s. It then examines how masculinity has been portrayed in action films, from the hypermasculine heroes of the 1980s as a reaction to feminism, to the newer acceptance of emotion and feminization seen today. The crisis and changing definitions of masculinity are analyzed in relation to societal shifts and how action films both reflect and shape concepts of gender.

1. ACTION MOVIES
Defining the Genre

2. PROGRESSION IN GENRE
• The Thief of Bagdad (1924), Captain Blood (1935) Setting/
period based
• James Bond (1960 – 1970) Quick cutting/ car chases &
elaborate action sequences
• Bullitt (1968), Dirty Harry (1971), French Connection
(1971) Early films present a car chase as a action set
piece
• The Terminator (1984), Die Hard (1988), Cliffhanger
(1993) Popularised by Arnold, Bruce Willis & Stallone
• The Transporter (2002) More elaborate fight scenes
influenced by the success of Hong Kong cinema

3. • “Genre analysis also includes understanding the
evolution of a genre over time. Genres change and
develop because of changes in the culture or
historical period in which the genre is being
produced.” http://www.tc.umn.edu/~rbeach/teachingmedia/module7/5.htm
• 1940 – 1950 Western
• 1970 – 1980 Spy/ Thriller Increased interest in international espionage

4. ICONIC STARS

6. CODES & CONVENTIONS (HOLLYWOOD)
• Star casting Leonardo DiCaprio, Johnny Depp, Jason Stratham big names sell tickets
• High production value Explosions, CGI, stunts are very costly
• Franchises toys, video games, posters, artwork (Star Wars)
• Remakes / reboots audience already established Iron Man i.e. Marvel fan base
• Sequels / prequels Alien (1979, 1986, 1993, 1997), Rambo (1982, 1985, 1988, 2008),
Indiana Jones (1981, 1984, 1993, 2008)

7. ACTION GENRE 2000
• “What audiences today desire more than ever before is “more of
the same,” and studios, scared to death by rising production and
distribution costs, are equally loathe to strike out in new generic
directions. Keep audiences satisfied, strive to maintain narrative
closure at all costs, and keep within the bounds of heterotopic
romance, no matter what genre one is ostensibly working in. Yet, at
the same time, the studios must present these old fables in
seductive new clothing, with high budgets, major stars, lavish sets,
and (if the genre demands it) unremitting action to disguise the
secondhand nature of the contemporary.”
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~rbeach/teachingmedia/module7/5.htm

8. SPECIAL EFFECTS

9. WHAT ARE SPECIAL EFFECTS?
• explosions
• car chases
• earthquakes
• miniaturized or enlarged images
• fogs, smoke, fire
• pyrotechnics
• firearms
• snow, rain, wind
• Robots
• CGI – Computer Generated
Imagery
„Practical‟ or „In-camera‟
• Adobe After Effects

10. MONTAGE

11. CGI
The Perfect Storm (2000)
Director – Wolfgang Peterson
Avengers Assemble (2012)
Director – Joss Whedon
Hollow Man (2000)
Director - Paul Verhoeven
(1.15)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=GqdK8mscA7g#t=90

12. IN-CAMERA EFFECTS
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Director – Christopher Nolan
• Christopher Nolan could have used
computer effects, but instead he got a
real C-130 plane and threw a bunch of
real people out the back of it!
Jurassic Park (1993)
Director – Steven Spielberg
• Stan Winston Studio supervisor John
Rosengrant and concept designer
Mark McCreery got the honor of being
in actual Raptor costumes in the
Kitchen scene of the movie.

13. COMPANIES
• Double Negative Visual Effects
• Digital Domain
• Synapse FX
• Luma Pictures
• Boss Film Studios
• Double Negative is a Visual effects/Computer animation company, they have worked on
Man of Steel, Les Miserables, Paul, Godzilla, John Carter, Sherlock Holmes, The Dark
Knight trilogy.
• Digital Domain is a visual effects and digital production company in America, the artists
and technologists have won awards for „best visual effects‟ in Titanic, What Dreams may
come and The curious Case of Benjamin Button

14. WOMEN IN ACTION

15. TRADITIONAL ACTION STARS
• Sylvester Stallone
• Arnold Schwarzenegger
• Bruce Willis
• Steven Seagal
• Wesley Snipes
• Jackie Chan
Conventions:
• Alpha Males
• Physically Dominant
• Emotionally detached

16. BOND GIRLS
• Iconic and pivotal part of the bond franchise
• The term “Bond girl” was branded as an honor
• They serve little or no importance to the main plot
• Mainly used for sex appeal and for Bonds sexual
gratification
• The characters are generally considered to be
misogynistic and degrading towards women
Man Talk - clip

17. THE MODERN BOND GIRL
Vesper – Casino Royale:
(Martin Campbell, 2006)
• Stern, Intellectual woman
• Strong and Independent
• Important to the narrative
Severine – Skyfall:
(Sam Mendes, 2012)
• Strong Character
• Intimidating
• A threat to Bond
Same old:
• Both women still used as sex appeal for the
films
• Still and object of Bonds sexual gratification

18. FEMALE HEROINES

19. ELLEN RIPLEY
• The first action Heroine
• Lead protagonist in all four Alien films
Aliens: (James Cameron, 1986)
• Took $131 000 000 at the box office
• Constantly portrayed as the strongest
Character
• Surrounding male characters seen as
• Cowardly/incompetent
• The males dismissed Ripley's warnings
At the start
Other strong females In James Cameron films:
Sarah Connor – Terminator 2: Judgment day (1991)
Grace - Avatar
“Musculinity” (Yvonne Tasker, 1993) Female action
stars coded as men, appear as female

20. INCREASED POPULARITY
Huge influx of female led action films since 1986:
Kill Bill Hanna
(Tarantino, 2003) (Joe Wright, 2011)
Salt Resident Evil
(Phillip Noyce, 2010) (Paul Anderson, 2002)
The Hunger Games Tomb Raider + many more
(Gary Ross, 2012) (Simon West, 2001)
Reasons:
• Gap in the market
• Film makers wary of audience perception
• Sex appeal
• Appeals to wider audience
“Soft/Hard combination” (Kate Stables, 2001)
• Female stars sometimes have a hard shell but
soft interior e.g. Sarah Connor, Ellen Ripley

21. MOST RECENTLY
Gravity
(Alfonso Cuaron, 2013)
The Hunger Games Franchise
(Gary Ross, 2012) (Francis Lawrence, 2013)
• Sandra Bullock Nominated for best actress
• 7 academy award wins
• Nominated for best film
• Took $714 000 000 at the box office
• 97% on rotten tomatoes
• Hugely popular with a wide audience
• Average of 86% on rotten tomatoes
• Both films took a combined 1.5 Billion at
the box office
• Still 2 films to go

22. MASCULINITY
In Action films

23. INTRODUCTION

24. THE MEN

25. THE FILMS

26. 1980‟S
• HYPERMASCULINITY- The fight against feminism
• Rambo‟s muscles (Rambo First Blood, 1982, T.K.) Male spectacle.
• A naked Arnold (The Terminator, 1984, J.C.)
• An indestructible Bruce Willis (Die Hard, 1988, J.M.)
• Introduction of the „New Man‟ = „Action Man‟ born.
• Reaction to the feminization of society.
• Victim: Middle-class male.
• Working-class = Traditional masculinity.
• Reflects society.
“Muscles are signifiers of struggle, of hard physical labour, of the working class. The
importance of masculine muscles in the action film can be attributed to a form of nostalgia or a
need to identify with men who are clearly men”. (Y. Tasker, 1993)

27. DIE HARD
• 1988.
• J.M.
• Bruce Willis.
• More than muscles-Adds humor-Reflects working class.
• Willis saves wife from feminism. The Princess.
• Holly Generro Holly McClane.
• 1980‟s Male body reflects the anxiety and concerns with shifts in gender roles.
“The use of military and police uniform in many action films appears to relieve masculine
anxieties, giving some stability in a society of changing values and thus raises self esteem”.
(Y. Tasker, 1993)

28. 1980‟S EVOLUTION OF MAN
• Society was changing- Industrial jobs declining and computer business on the up
.
• WOMEN could compete in getting the NEW jobs.
• AIDS- The homosexual male couldn't be ignored- This brought eroticized images of
the male body to fashion, advertising and FILM Rambo, Terminator, Die hard.
• THIS NEW OBSESSION with the MALE body blurred traditional expectations of what
the male body should look like- CREATING confused and anxious men.

29. THE CRISIS OF MASCULINITY

30. THE CHANGE
• HEGEMONIC Masculinity- What MAKES a MAN changes with society.
• GUNS, MUSCLES, CARS, WOMEN, ABILITY TO KILL, NO EMOTION, GUNS,
WOMEN, GUNS AND GUNS. The fight against the feminization of men and the rise
of women.
• THE NEW MAN. The metrosexual from the late 90‟s onwards; the Male has accepted
its feminization and FILM reflects this. MEN can show emotion as well as fight.
(Terminator 2, 1991, J.C. FAMILY.

31. 1990‟S
• NOSTALGIA- Films look back at the Masculine past.
• Saving Private Ryan (1998, S.S.)
• Still an essence of fight against feminization.
• Fight club (1999, D.F.)
• „protagonists attempt to reconstitute a „heroic masculinity‟ (Baker 2006, p. 75)
• Mission Impossible (1996, B.D. )
• Action hero‟s get emotional- Metrosexual
• John Travolta in Face/Off (1997, J.W. )
• MEN ARE TRYING TO DISCOVER THEIR INNER WARRIOR. (Robert Bly‟s Iron John
1990).

32. TODAY
• TODAY we see films such as The Dark Knight (2008, C.N.), Gladiator (2000, R.S.),
Skyfall (2012, S.M.), Ironman (2008, J.F.) and Spiderman (2002, S.R.) - A MIX BAG
of MASCULINITY.
• Directors can choose how to represent masculinity.
• Masculinity is loose in its meaning. That representing society still, being masculine
can mean a number of different things in todays society. Films reflect this.
• MASCULINITY is ambiguous.

33. END