The MK and A Generation

Mary – Kate and Ashley are twins who created an empire for themselves beginning with film and branching off into TV series, fashion lines, perfume ranges, books, dolls and various other toys and collectables allowing consumers to buy into the MK and A phenomenon. Their films contained various story lines but were all centred around their relationship as sisters and more specifically twins. The world seemed intrigued and fascinated by this and MK and A began their own film revolution. Their work fits into the broader category of teen movies but their films slotted into a genre of their own. As the stars of the films audiences would flock to the cinema of the premise that they are seeing a film staring the girls, irrelevant of the story line. They are the centrepiece and focus of their blockbusters providing teenage girls around the world with a role model and idol to look up to. What effects did these films have on their audiences? Did people care about the quality of the film they were about to watch or did they simply want to witness a visual wonder of 2 mirror images prancing around on screen together, getting themselves in all kinds of trouble and adventures because of their familiarity in appearance. Did people expect to see films lower in quality and content or did they merely accept this because they were watching a MK and A film? Substance in these films always seems lacking. Often the story line consisted of the sisters jetting off to an exotic country and going on an adventure. Plot twists were almost always the same, over protective or dysfunctional parents, the love interests, the nasty girl and a small time criminal from who they capture and save the say. The same story line seems to unfold numerous times with the only variable being the difference in exotic country in which the action unfolds. As a young girl I must admit I was absolutely enthralled with every one of them. Does using twins, MK and A in particularly, prime audiences in a particular way? In their films the narrative is written specifically for the girls, does having the restrictions for the film having to involve twin sisters make it easier or more difficult for the writers? As a director are the film conventions they follow different? Did the MK and A revolution contribute to the star driven culture of films today? A culture where audiences associate a film with the iconic face and figure they see in screen rather then absorbing themselves in the characters they are playing.

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