In this week 4 studio we’ve watched the action sci-fi horror, James Cameron’s Aliens (1986). Or what we might call it now is not as “horror” as the contemporary supernatural horror films we see in today’s cinemas. Though, Aliens does incorporate horrific frightening devices such as the dark antagonist “being” and the intense background music that puts the audience’s heightened emotional stress at the edge of their seat. What is interesting about this kind of film are the action heroine, monsters and the portrayal of female power. As Bundtzen (1987) explored, “its depiction of female fecundity, prolific and devouring, is so powerful and fictively generative”. We can see Ripley’s motivational success towards saving the child and to destroy the alien monster that threats the humanity. We can also see the powerful female alien, responsible for more of the alien reproduction and their aim to conquer human home. Both sides are eager to survive and that is the nature of all species whether it is male or female. Aliens shows the idealised motherly figures, such as the alien and Ripley to protect their little ones for the survival of their species. Further depiction of the female sexuality is complemented with visual designs such as the alien form that “resembles female genitalia…” while showing a “graphic display of female anatomy” (Bundtzen, 1987). These designs can be a rather revolting representation of femininity, but its creativity happens to encourage the promoted female power and heroine across action (or other) films as well as our society. 

Here are some thoughts on various heroines as well as strong female antagonists/ characters:

Bundtzen, L. K. 1987, Film Quarterly, “Monstrous Mothers: Medusa, Grendel, and Now Alien”, vol. 40, no. 3, publish University of California Press, pp. 11-17.