Kuhle 2/3/15 Reading Core Response #1

In Maria Laplace’s “Producing and Consuming the Woman’s Film,” she speaks about how cinema throughout history constructs female subjectivity and female desire. Laplace specifically touches on consumerism, the image of the star, and women’s fiction, and then discusses how these discourses are apparent throughout the film, Now, Voyager. I thought that it was very interesting to learn about the roots of consumerism and how women have always been the targets for mass-produced commodities. It is pretty mind blowing that as early as the 1920’s, advertisements have targeted women in regards to their looks in order to sell a product. Beginning then, and continuing today, the notion that beauty is something that is achievable with the right products, and that the identity and one’s happiness and acceptance is based on what others think of you, has been ingrained into the beliefs of our society, and as Laplace comments, is reflected in films. In the film Now, Voyager, Charlotte is considered mentally sick primarily due to the way she looks because she is overweight, does not wear makeup, and does not have fashionable taste in clothing. During her time as being “unattractive,” she is constantly judged, does not have a voice, scrutinizes herself, and does not have the love of a man. Once she undergoes her glamorous transformation, she immediately becomes an object to be gazed upon- due to both her beauty transformation as well as her clothing- and also receives the love of a man who would have otherwise not given her the time of day. This message is constantly reflected in television, film, and advertisements today.

Additionally, celebrity culture has enhanced consumerism today, and truly taken it to another level. It seems that no matter where we look today, there is a message about beauty and what one needs to do or have in order to be beautiful, loved, and accepted. In film and television, we are constantly berated with the idea that in order to be happy, a woman must have the best clothes, hair, boyfriend, etc. For example, the popular shows Gossip Girl and 90210 are examples of this message, as well as examples of how the celebrity culture has influenced consumerism. When these shows were on the air, the main and popular characters were all known for having the most amazing style and beauty products. Therefore, brands were constantly fighting to get their name on screen, and websites were created so that fans could replicate the style they had seen on the show. I’m not going to lie, I have definitely watched an episode of Gossip Girl, and as a huge fan of Blake Lively, have looked up what she was wearing in hopes of finding it or something similar. This truly shows the power of advertising and the power of celebrity on our culture today. Since we have become so accustomed to these images, I think that it is really important for consumers to be aware of the images we see and realize the power that they have.