OK so what is the Bechdel test? From 1983 to 2008 Alison Bechdel created a comic strip called Dykes To Watch Out For. It is a comic about women - mostly lesbians - living their lives. One comic strip in 1985 showed two women going to the cinema trying to decide what to watch. It is called “The Rule” - credited to Liz Wallace. One of the characters - Ginger - says she will only watch a movie if it satisfies three rules:
1. There are TWO or more female characters
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something other than a man
Simple. Right? OK lets look at the IMDB Top 10 Movies of all time:
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Godfather (1972)
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1966)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
12 Angry Men (1957)
Schindler’s List (1993)
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
The Dark Knight (2008)
The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2003)
452,743 people cant be wrong can they? And I am sure that all those people are not all men. But do any of these movies pass the test? Well, one does - Schindler’s list, but the women in the movie are mainly worrying about what will happen to them at Auschwitz and The Dark Knight kind of passes as two women do talk, but on the phone, and one is held at gun point, by a man so I’m not going to count that one.
Now I’m not saying that any of these movies are bad in anyway , I’m just pointing out that there is not a lot of female presence in movie land’s top ten. Therefore, I have found 10 movies that do pass the Bechdel Test that are definitely worth watching.
Saved! (2004) I wouldn’t normally rave about a Mandy Moore movie but this movie is awesome and you can never watch it too many times.
Happy Endings (2005) Lisa Kudrow and Maggie Gyllenhall. Also this film has a bonus lesbian couple.
Serial Mom (1994) Kathleen Turner has never been so creepy.
Bend It Like Beckham (2002) Parminder Nagra and Kiera Knightly. Girls playing football - what’s not to like?
Pretty Persuasion (2005) Evan Rachel Wood is bisexual and James Woods is her dad. Awesome.
Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion (1997) There are too many awesome things in this movie to list so I will just say one thing: “Would you excuse me? I cut my foot before and my shoe is filling up with blood.”
But I’m a Cheerleader (1999) Not only a hilarious movie but also one of the “good lesbian movies”. As you probably know, there are not many
Juno (2007) Written by Diablo Cody and staring Ellen Page - Awesome combination
Whip It (2009) So many good things about this movie - Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, Ellen Page stars and its about roller derby. If that’s not gonna sway you - Kristen Wigg is in it. Any movie she has done - she is the best thing about that movie.
Bridesmaids (2011) Kristen Wigg stars. This is the funniest movie I have ever seen. GO AND SEE IT!
There you go, 10 movies that pass the test. I’m not saying they are the top 10 of all time but they are all up there with the best and will all make you smile.
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