Posted on 12/06/2019 10:33:46 AM PST by C19fan
The cultural critic and 'Provocations' author laments the end of the bombshell and asks why only drag queens and Hustlers star Jennifer Lopez still possess "Hollywood's most brilliant artifact." Who killed the sex symbol?
It's no mystery that in the era of #MeToo, the rules of combat have changed on the sexual battlefield. Women will no longer tolerate condescending or degrading treatment that was once business as usual in the workplace or dating arena. But in this long overdue push-back against sexual coercion and exploitation, has something valuable been lost?
The sex symbol was arguably Hollywood's most brilliant artifact, propelling the young movie industry to world impact from the moment that Theda Bara flashed her coiled-snake brassiere in Cleopatra (1917). Sex was great box office. With its impudent populism, Hollywood crashed through stuffy proprieties lingering from the Victorian age and stationed itself at the bold forefront of the modern liberalization of sex. Movies were in sync with the radical new spirit of American women, who won the right to vote in 1920 and kicked up their heels throughout the flapper decade of the Roaring Twenties.
(Excerpt) Read more at hollywoodreporter.com ...
There’s really nothing sexy or alluring about an actress willing to go fully nude on screen.
The old sex symbols from yesterday were provocative, alluring and left plenty to the imagination.
I watched the trailer to the latest Bond flick. None of the women in the film seem to have that Bond-girl oomph that we saw when Bond mania was at its height. And the black woman we’ve been hearing about who may or may not be the next 007 does not look attractive at all in the trailer. She’s looks like a big, strapping, mannish Michelle Obama type. Sigh.
The masculinization of women in the name of fairness and equity is one problem.
Another issue is the elevation of homosexuals as an ideal. This is why you often see attractive homosexuals in the lineup of TV shows, and their romances are at the forefront of young adult and mainstream television. They ARE treated as sex symbols and role models, but the majority are not interested in them.
Not enough left to the imagination.
I don’t go to movies, but the gal who played Wonder Woman, had ‘it’, as far as I am concerned.
I remember an analysis of the cultural trend of veiling in Muslim societies. Everyone blames patriarchy and male oppression. One of the analysts said, “We forget the women driving it, too.” It isn’t just a matter of showing that you’re literally holier than thou, but the average looking women pressuring the pretty ones to cover up.
That dovetails perfectly with the social justice warriors tearing down pretty women. Don’t you dare dress up for the male gaze, you’re attracting evil and incentivizing rape. Pretty women, cut off your hair, gain 50 pounds and wear loose clothes and garish makeup to intentionally look BAD. It is moral peacocking, a public act of morality to get cheerleading of one’s peers, as well as necessary to avoid being attacked.
That would be Gal Gadot, and I agree
Two problems I have observed is that all the actresses kind of look alike. Nobody could fail to identify Ava Gardner, Sophia Loren, Marilyn Monroe etc. The other problem is a lack of leading men who are really good looking. Bradley Cooper and Channing Tatum and Ryan Gosling are about the only ones I can think of.
-PJ
I think a lot of current stars try to come across as “fun” and sort of “one of the boys”. I’m thinking of Jennifer Lawrence and Anna Kendrick. Both are attractive, sure. But I don’t find them especially feminine. That doesn’t seem to be what they’re trying for. They’re too busy being “the fun girl at the party”. That’s not really sex symbol stuff in my book.
All the new screen women are sexual mules. Skinny, anorexic, and obviously too weak to actually do the various activities we see from some in their stunt doubles.
Give me real women of give me Patrick Henry!
https://www.iosmode.com/download-italian-girl-wallpaper/maria-grazia-cucinotta-ipad-pro/
Well, leave at least a little to the imagination...
Not just female sex symbols.
Who wants to go to a movie where the hero is played by some wimpy, whiny, skinny-jeaned, man bun-wearing metro?
Because most casting executives prefer either androgynous young men or prepubescent looking young women.
Idris Elba, Shemar Moore, Sam Heughan are 3 more that I find fascinating...drool. On the leading men side.
Probably the biggest thing to happen to the sex symbol is acting classes. Sex symbols by and large couldn’t act. Once an actress learns to act things change.
Sam’s a Remoaner.
Sigh.
My idea of a chick flick: Master & Commander, Hellfighters.
It's been years since I went to the movies.
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