Callie Khouris Thelma and Louise - Moving Beyond the Male Experience E

Even in todays growing world of feminism, young girls, as well as grown women, are being taught by the media to organize their lives around men. Their necessitate, expectations, work schedules, ideas, and interests become second to the men in their lives. All as well much the media associates power and status to men, only to strengthen the barriers betwixt the male and female genders. Take for example Hollywood, where women get only about a terzetto of all motion-picture show and TV roles, and last year earn less than male actors in all age categories...(Eby, 1). And even though gender should not be used as the determining factor of what unmatchable can and cannot do, Hollywood, as well as everywhere else, has canvassn that the old habits of gender difference die hard, if at all. Luckily, there exist penetratewriters and getmakers who arent afraid to maltreat out situation the limitations of gender, stirring up some controversy. Callie Khouri, creator of Thelma and Louise is the exception to this rule. Awarded Best Original Screenplay, the film challenges our preconceived notions of gender limitations by giving a maidenlike twist to a pair of all too familiar Hollywood genres, the road stick out and the buddy picture(NY Times, 1991). The road and buddy movie unremarkably calls for men in the lead roles, whereas Thelma and Louise called for Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon. A film such as this one allowed for cardinal women to get into dangerous trouble, enjoy themselves, and unmask the other put forward actions normally reserved for men (NY Times, 1991). According to Ms. Khouri, the script of Thelma and Louise was infact, a conscious effort to rejoinder what she sees as Hollywoods tendency to limit womens roles to easily identifiable types such as bimbos, whores, and nagging wives(NY Times, 1991). She therefore uses the characters in the movie not so much to prove a point, but instead to make a point. At the same cadence that Ms. Khouri is mak ing her point, the movie becomes somewhat of a catharsis for women.Thelma and Louise is supposed to be about what every woman knows(Eby,4). Though rape is a major thin out that is used in the movie, it is not supposed to be the only issue women relate to. The general comparison between the women on screen and the women in the audience should be the feeling of at one time or some other having been threatened, having been treated as inferior, or having foun... ...y she begins to snap under the pressure. In one particular scene, the role reversal becomes most obvious to the audience. Louise finds out that Thelma has left JD solo in her hotel room with the money which Jimmy had brought them. By the time the girls make it back to the room, JD and the money are long gone. Louise comes to the realization that the control she once possess has now escaped her. Thelma, who watches as her friend crumbles before her eyes, realizes that she needs to break free from her child-like persona and take control of the situation. Thelma takes on a new signified of responsibility and maturity. She gives Louise a chance to finally let her defy down. This is a movie about the adventures of women, and thats rare. And that really sad that its rare and we cant think of another movie like this(LA Times, 1991). Thelma and Louise was a movie written and produced to give women an fortune to finally tell their story in a society where the media is all too often dominated by males. This was an opportunity to move females from the roles of girlfriend and side interest into the leading role. It is no longer about a mans experiences and a mans adventures. Callie Khouris Thelma and Louise - Moving beyond the Male Experience EEven in todays growing world of feminism, young girls, as well as grown women, are being taught by the media to organize their lives around men. Their needs, expectations, work schedules, ideas, and interests become second to the men in their lives. All too often the media associates power and status to men, only to strengthen the barriers between the male and female genders. Take for example Hollywood, where women get only about a third of all movie and TV roles, and last year earned less than male actors in all age categories...(Eby, 1). And even though gender should not be used as the determining factor of what one can and cannot do, Hollywood, as well as everywhere else, has proven that the old habits of gender discrimination die hard, if at all. Luckily, there exist screenwriters and filmmakers who arent afraid to step outside the limitations of gender, stirring up some controversy. Callie Khouri, creator of Thelma and Louise is the exception to this rule. Awarded Best Original Screenplay, the film challenges our preconceived notions of gender limitations by giving a feminine twist to a pair of all too familiar Hollywood genres, the road picture and the buddy picture(NY Times, 1991). The road and buddy movie usually calls for men in the lead roles, whereas Thelma and Louise called for Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon. A film such as this one allowed for two women to get into dangerous trouble, enjoy themselves, and unmask the other sex actions normally reserved for men (NY Times, 1991). According to Ms. Khouri, the script of Thelma and Louise was infact, a conscious effort to counter what she sees as Hollywoods tendency to limit womens roles to easily identifiable types such as bimbos, whores, and nagging wives(NY Times, 1991). She therefore uses the characters in the movie not so much to prove a point, but instead to make a point. At the same time that Ms. Khouri is making her point, the movie becomes somewhat of a catharsis for women.Thelma and Louise is supposed to be about what every woman knows(Eby,4). Though rape is a major issue that is used in the movie, it is not supposed to be the only issue women relate to. The general comparison between the women on screen and the women in the audience should be the feeling of at one time or another having been threatened, having been treated as inferior, or having foun... ...y she begins to snap under the pressure. In one particular scene, the role reversal becomes most obvious to the audience. Louise finds out that Thelma has left JD alone in her hotel room with the money which Jimmy had brought them. By the time the girls make it back to the room, JD and the money are long gone. Louise comes to the realization that the control she once possessed has now escaped her. Thelma, who watches as her friend crumbles before her eyes, realizes that she needs to break free from her child-like persona and take control of the situation. Thelma takes on a new sense of responsibility and maturity. She gives Louise a chance to finally let her guard down. This is a movie about the adventures of women, and thats rare. And that really sad that its rare and we cant think of another movie like this(LA Times, 1991). Thelma and Louise was a movie written a nd produced to give women an opportunity to finally tell their story in a society where the media is all too often dominated by males. This was an opportunity to move females from the roles of girlfriend and side interest into the leading role. It is no longer about a mans experiences and a mans adventures.