Supercurricular

Wider Reading

Gender Theory Youtube Video

- We all carry assumptions about what gender is or should be

- Judith Butler emphasizes the distinction between sex and gender (sex is biological/legal, it is what you are assigned at birth whilst gender is shaped by culture, history, family and desire)

- Biological differences exist but don't fully determine who we are

- Gender is open-ended

- Gender is performative, our performances of rituals create gender and through the repeated behaviours/rituals (walk, speak, etc) we produce the impression of "being" a man or a woman

- To Judith Butler, there's a political dimension as she says the attacks on the concept of gender are "assault on democracy"

- Judith Butler learnt a lot through the holocaust by noticing it wasn't just the Jews who were extinguished, it was queer people, lesbian/gay people, people with disabilities, ill people and many more which widened her lens that many people face oppression and that people need "to know history in order to make sure it does not repeat"

- Queer Theory in the 1970s and 80s emerged, helped her understand that the sex you are assigned at birth and the gender you are taught to be should not determine how you live your life

Media Magazine Article - Gothic influences in Film

- Gothic art began in mid-12th century France, linked strongly to cathedrals and religious sculpture.

-Originally associated with being barbaric, later understood as emotionally expressive and anti-Classical

- Gothic painting evolved to show more animation, facial expression, and natural detail.

Early cinema adopted gothic traits through German expressionism:

Expressionism used:

- strong contrasts of light and shadow

- distorted sets and crooked architecture

- exaggerated performances to enhance emotion

- Recurring imagery: monsters, the supernatural, grotesque figures.

- Themes include madness, mystery, the uncanny, and emotional turmoil.

- Architecture often acts as a character: looming mansions, twisting hallways, and oppressive interiors.

- Strong use of chiaroscuro lighting.

 

- Burton blends German Expressionism with Gothic nostalgia.

- Known for angular sets, dark humour, emotional outsider characters.

- Influenced films such as Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride.

- Make-up artists and designers use Gothic principles to create unsettling characters.

The Joker (in the article) uses:

- smeared, imperfect makeup

- stark contrast of light and shadow

- unsettling facial expression to reflect psychological chaos.

Helps understand how visual styles communicate theme and tone

Studying Expressionism as a foundation for modern horror and superhero films

 

Shelter Video

Our House. It's not a home Shelter Video

I chose this video as it uses powerful and emotional storytelling to show the struggles that families face when a house is not truly a home. Its narrative makes it compelling and emotional and allows for an immediate sense of altruism. 

- Explores house vs home

- Home is more than just 4 walls, it's safety

- Uses story telling/narrative to highlight the number of families struggling with the issue of homelessness and allows the audience to reflect on the cost of living

- Uses young children and singing to make it more powerful, memorable and empathy evoking as people tend to feel more sympathy towards young children

- Highlights the impact of homelessness on family life and children due to housing costs

- The video's purpose is to raise awareness about homelessness, helps society recognise, care about and respond to people in need

- Focusses on bettering society than commercial profit

Dixon Chapter - Judith Butler

Abjected Representations: The process of constructing an object or person as repulsive. Butler infers that abjection is often used towards non-heteronormative identities to appear unnatural and repulsive.

Absent Representations: Lack of alternative representations in media reinforces heteronormativity as the norm. Having a lack of representation sets straight relationships to be the norm. Representation must be used to allow non-heteronormative identities to be displayed as natural also

Compulsory Heterosexuality: Butler uses this phrase to describe the social expectation that we assume male & female and all engage in heterosexual relationships

Gender Trouble: A representation that is non-heteronormative (can be anything in regards to the LGBTQ+ community). Butler believes it can be a very difficult and painful process to perform gender trouble

Gender Subversion: A process that undermines heteronormativity in representation

Parodic Representation: A representation of a non-heteronormative identity which is often exaggerated to achieve its representation. For example, gay men in the media are often seen to use exaggerated feminine behaviours in a comedic way (and overly camp). These representations can be used to defeat marginalised identities but also show the performative nature of gender