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Spencer Ralls
Film 1070
Nick Reddoch
November 30, 2014
Women in 1970’s and 80’s Science Fiction Films
The development of American cinema throughout the course of the nineteenth and
twentieth centuries has been remarkable in the innovations brought forth. It seems that each film
made gives a glimpse into the time of history it came forth from. These include historical looks
into the cultural and societal views of the time period, among other things. From insights into
the social views on racial inequality in In the Heat of the Night, to a look into people’s attitudes
during the Cold War in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove, or even to views of culture within
today’s youth in Mean Girls, films give great looks into the mentality and attitudes of a society
during a specific time period. And while some films do this intentionally and others do not,
there is always something to glean from analyzing a film’s themes and contexts. This is no
different with science fiction films of the 1970’s and 80’s.
Science fiction films of the 70’s and 80’s were revolutionary in the modernization of
American cinema, and were progressive in allowing filmmakers to portray the surreal. While
there were films prior to this era that delved into futuristic settings, it was truly the late 70’s and
early 80’s when science fiction films became widely accepted and appreciated by American
society. And because of this acceptability, this time period essentially became the “sci-fi era”
and yielded some of the best futuristic films to this day. Commonly explored ideas of the time
include space travel, aliens, robots and cyborgs, monsters, mutants, advanced technology, and
other various elements of the fictitious. And since these science fiction films were progressive in
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their style, the filmmakers of the time were able to introduce concepts and ideas that were
atypical without being criticized or rejected for doing so. With that being the case, it can and
should be noted that the sci-fi era of films was a time of progression for women in films as well.
As one takes a look into the stories and themes of 1970’s and 1980’s science fiction films, in this
case the films Alien, Star Wars, Weird Science, and Blade Runner, one can gain an
understanding of the social and cultural development of women during the sci-fi era.
One of the best and most instantly recognizable films of the sci-fi era is Ridley Scott’s
Alien from 1979. From the very beginning, Alien transcends the social norm of the time by
casting a female lead character in this sci-fi/action thriller. No notable film before this had ever
had a woman cast as the lead role in which she would be the action-heroine of the film. It was a
bold and daring move which showed that a woman can deal with action and danger just as well
as any man can. The film follows the crew of the mineral/resource gathering ship The Nostromo
as is makes its way back towards earth after harvesting resources from another planet. The crew
is awakened from their hypersleep on their way to earth in order to investigate a distress beacon
coming from a nearby planetoid. As they inspect the distress signal’s whereabouts, they discover
an old shipwrecked space vessel with the remains of an ancient alien race inside. One crew
member, Kane, is attacked and infected by a creature which comes to be known as a
“facehugger.” Once Kane awakens and is seemingly okay, a virulent alien lethally bursts from
his chest during dinner with the crew. As the crew searches to find the alien, it grows massive in
size and begins hunting them down one by one. Ellen Ripley is the only one able to survive, and
kills the alien by jettisoning it from her escape craft as she leaves the beleaguered Nostromo.
This synopsis may be short and sweet, but examining different scenes from the story itself sheds
light into Ripley’s (who is the representation of women) experiences.
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There is a scene in which Ripley has a power-struggle standoff between herself and Ash,
the male science officer. As the crew who was exploring the distress beacon drags the infected
Kane back to the Nostromo, Ripley demands the crew wait in the decontamination chamber as
per protocol in order to prevent risk of contamination. She is the commanding officer in charge
because of Captain Dallas being off the ship (or in decontamination at this point), so it is her
prerogative to decide. Yet despite her decision, Ash ignores her command and manually opens
the decontamination chamber door for the at-risk crew to come in. This can be compared to
some of the plights women faced during this time period. Even though women were progressing
in the job market according to position and title, in large part thanks to the second wave of
feminism, they still faced opposition and obstinacy from their male subordinates. Ash’s
disregard for Ripley’s authority echoed these sentiments. So while gender “equality” in the
workplace was moving forward, male social acceptance of female superiors was still not quite
resolved.
The ending scene of the film features the final standoff between Ripley and the alien. As
the alien crawls from its hiding space, Ripley gets into a spacesuit, grabs a harpoon gun, and
buckles herself into one of the pilot chairs. As the alien emerges and prepares to attack her,
Ripley remotely opens the space-lock door and harpoons the alien through the chest with the
gun. The pressure from the open door sucks the alien out, and as the door closes the gun gets
caught, leaving the alien dangling in space from the harpoon wire. Ripley then starts the ship
thrusters and the alien is burned, killed, and defeated. While it may not seem much at first, here
we see that Ripley, a woman, was able to overcome danger without the aid of a man. This can
be seen as showing how during this time period women were increasingly becoming independent
and capable of overcoming dilemmas and problems on their own, without the need of a man.
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And while this doesn’t suggest women didn’t appreciate the help of men, it showed that women
are capable of being independent and strong on their own if the need arises.
An examination of the themes in Alien provides a rich look into societal views on women
during the 70’s and 80’s, in which some of the most blatant undertones of the film are about
women and sexuality. One of the most prolific themes is that of birth, and the suppressed fears
behind it. Now the natural order of life is for a male and a female to have sexual intercourse in
which the female becomes pregnant, carries the growing fetus, and then births the child at the
end of the gestation period. But in Alien, this natural cycle is twisted in a gruesome fashion
which illuminates on some issues women have to face. When Kane is attacked and infected by
the facehugger, notice that he, a man, is “impregnated” to carry the growing alien. As the alien
fetus grows unbeknownst to the crew, Kane essentially cares for his alien-child by supplying it
with the nutrients it needs to grow through food consumption. When the alien reaches its
gestation period, Kane gives “birth” to his alien-child when the alien violently projects from his
chest, killing him. This perversion of the natural order of birth in the film is used to showcase
the latent fear that men have of women and childbearing. While men are often the providers for
a family, they often demean the importance of a woman birthing and nurturing children because
men subconsciously fear the maternal process and would rather downplay its significance than
face the reality of their fear of it. According to one writer’s discussion on the film, “It goes deep
into the human psyche and explores primordial fears about the human body, birth and sexuality. .
. Barbara Creed wrote an important essay on the film called ‘Alien and the MonstrousFeminine.’ The monstrous-feminine is a psychological construction generated by male anxieties
about the female body and sexuality…”i Clearly a connection between men’s fear of birth and
the themes of the film.
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Moving forward, perhaps the best known film in all science fiction history is George
Lucas’s Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope from 1977. Star Wars changed everything in
American cinema, but especially impacted science fiction filmmaking. Writer Tim Dirks said
this about the legendary film, “Star Wars (1977), (aka Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope) is
one of the most popular, profitable, entertaining, and successful science fiction/action adventure/fantasy films of all time. The film, shot mostly on location in Tunisia, Guatemala and
Death Valley (California), advanced special-effects technology to a degree unseen before, with
computerized and digitally-timed special effects. It ultimately helped to resurrect the financial
viability of the science-fiction genre, a category of films that was considered frivolous and
unprofitable, and brought the phrase "May the Force be with you" into common usage.”ii
Because of the major influence this movie had, it was also able to influence views on women in
society.
The leading female character of the film, and two subsequent films afterwards, is
Princess Leia Organa. She is a quite fascinating character to examine, and her growth within the
original Star Wars trilogy mirrors some of the progressing attitudes towards women in the 80’s.
Leia is the leader of a rebel alliance that is poised to take down the malevolent galactic empire.
She is captured by the empire and held hostage on the Death Star, a space station of immense
power, because she has knowledge of the whereabouts of blueprints to the station. These
blueprints contain vital information that would help destroy the Death Star. Leia is eventually
saved by Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, and they then lead an assault against the space station.
Luke is successful in destroying the Death Star, and the film ends with a ceremony being
presided over and conducted by Leia in honor of Luke and Han’s heroism. Taking a look into
some of the situations Leia was in during the film gives insight into her character, and the
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character of women as well. For instance, when Leia is captured by the empire and held
prisoner, she is in a classic “damsel in distress” situation. And yet even though she is in a
dangerous, prisoner situation, she doesn’t lose any of her fire or zeal in her resolve. While being
interrogated by Grand Moff Tarkin and facing the threat of her home world being destroyed,
Leia is still able to remain firm in her determination to the rebel cause. Darth Vader even said
this about her, “I told you she would never consciously betray the Rebellion.” Leia’s ability to
face these challenges in such a bold way shows how women are able to be resilient and can make
decisions based on logic instead of emotion. Oftentimes women are viewed as emotion-driven
creatures, only capable of making decisions based on emotions, but Leia demonstrates that this is
not the case. In this sense it brings women into a more level field with men by showing that they
can be just as logical as men, without letting emotion cloud decisions.
In looking at some of the symbolism and themes in Star Wars, there are many directions
one could take. Good versus evil, a boy’s journey to manhood, symbolism behind “the force,”
and many other things. But one interesting look is the theme that a woman’s value isn’t
determined by the clothing she wears. For several decades, society has increasingly
approximated the value of a woman by the clothing (or lack thereof) that she wears. Seemingly,
the less clothing she wears, the more valuable she becomes. Princess Leia combats and
dismisses this false notion entirely. Throughout the original Star Wars trilogy the audience sees
Leia in a variety of clothing. From her introductory white robes, to her ceremony gown, to her
snow gear worn on planet Hoth, to her bounty hunter outfit worn while entering Jaba’s palace,
and to the bikini-like prisoner outfit leashed upon her by Jaba the Hut, among other outfits, Leia
experiences quite a variety of apparel. And yet through it all, never is Leia’s demeanor lessened
or diminished. People may sexualize her in their minds because of her clothing choices, but
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Leia’s integrity is never compromised by her donned clothing. She acts the same, as her own
person, no matter what outfit she wears or is forced into. This is a strong contrast which shows
that women are people, not objects, who are more than what their outer appearance suggests by
their clothing. Societal views may say that a woman who shows more skin is more valuable, but
Leia shows that the true value of a woman resides in her ability to maintain integrity of character.
Another science fiction film which addresses several women’s issues, though perhaps in
more of a negative light than the films previously discussed, is John Hughes’s film Weird
Science from 1985. It is important to note that Weird Science was intended to be a sci-fi
comedy, which influences the themes it portrays. But nonetheless, perhaps unintentionally, the
film leaves some negative connotations in regards to the way women are viewed. The story
follows nerdy teens Gary and Wyatt as they experience high school. They decide to create a
“perfect” woman by designing her on a computer, and through a lightning bolt and a little sci-fi
magic she is created and emerges from the bathroom. The film follows Gary and Wyatt’s
interactions with their created woman, Lisa, as she uses her superhuman powers to help them
become popular, get girlfriends, and become happy. Once these events come to be, Lisa leaves
them with a goodbye and becomes the new high school gym teacher to end the film.
The troubling viewpoint and theme that the film leaves impressed upon the viewers is the
idea that women are subservient to men’s wishes and desires. There are several examples of this
in the film. Lisa’s first words to Gary and Wyatt after being created and emerging from the
bathroom are, “So what would you little maniacs like to do first?” This implies that they are in
control of her and that she is there to acquiesce to whatever they want to do. The idea is further
indicated later on in the film when Max and Ian hit on Lisa at the house party. She rejects them
both and succinctly declares that “she belongs to Gary and Wyatt.” Again a bold suggestion that
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she, a woman, belongs to her men in order to fulfill their wishes. While the film may not have
intended for this portrayal of women to be taken seriously, it still damages the viewpoint on
women by suggesting that they are objects to be used for men’s purposes and nothing more. So
while women were making strides forward in gender equality during the sci-fi era, there were
still obstacles and stigmas left to be overcome, such as the objectification of women, during this
time period.
The last film to be discussed is Ridley Scott’s cult classic film Blade Runner from 1982.
While the film initially received negative critical reviews, over the years it has become
increasingly praised in its ingenuity and magnificence, and most critics would agree it is one of
the most influential science fiction films of all time. Blade Runner follows the story of Rick
Deckard, who is a retired Blade Runner, which is a police officer tasked with hunting down
Replicants who illegally return to earth. Replicants are genetically engineered humans that are
manufactured to perform menial labor on off-world colonies. Deckard is coerced into returning
as a Blade Runner for one last job tracking down four Replicants who have returned to earth
searching for a way to extend their program-determined lifespan. Deckard encounters Rachael,
who is a Replicant programmed to believe she is human by being infused with memories. The
story follows their interactions as Deckard hunts down the illegal Replicants, and the film ends
with Deckard and Rachael leaving together into an uncertain future.
Rachael is indeed a fascinating piece of the cinematic tapestry that is Blade Runner. She
begins as a self-assured individual, confident in who she is without being overbearing to those
around her. When she finds out that she is a Replicant and that her memories are programmed,
she encounters a time of self-discovery. Her journey to discover herself is a representation of
women’s journey to discover who they are in a vastly complex and changing world. In
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analyzing one scene after Rachael learns she is a Replicant, Mark Lachniel writes, “… Rachael
quietly sits down in front of a mirror. Slowly and deliberately, she begins undoing her tight bun
of hair. Her hair falls to her shoulders in curly locks. This symbolic gesture points towards a kind
of acceptance of both herself and her womanhood. Releasing herself from the constrictions of
society, as exemplified by her prudish bun of hair, she moves towards self- acceptance.”iii As
Rachael moves forward in discovering and accepting herself, she gives hope to women who fear
they cannot find a place in this ever-changing world. Women in the sci-fi era faced many new
and different challenges as technology and society changed, but Rachael’s example showed that
through reflection and self-acceptance women could still determine where and what they wanted
to be in their own lives.
In conclusion, the 1970’s and 1980’s were times of interesting growth and stretch in
American cinema. It was during this time that science fiction films became accepted by
mainstream audiences, allowing for new ideas to be explored in filmmaking. The portrayal of
women in 70’s and 80’s sci-fi films was also able to be expressed in new or different ways
because of the innovative general acceptance of science fiction films. The films Alien, Star
Wars, Weird Science, and Blade Runner all give unique insights into the societal and cultural
conditions of women during the sci-fi era, highlighting some of the good and bad circumstances
they faced. Overall, science fiction films from this era have had a positive impact on the way
women are seen and treated, successfully demonstrating that film is a powerful medium that can
be used to tell amazing stories while still imparting important life lessons to its viewers.
i
MJ5446. Alien: A Critical Analysis of Ridley Scott's Classic Sci-fi Horror Film. 2014. Knoji.com.
https://knoji.com/alien-a-critical-analysis-of-ridley-scotts-classic-scifi-horror-film/
ii
Dirks, Tim. Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope Movie Review. 2014. Filmsite.com.
http://www.filmsite.org/starw.html
iii
Lachniel, Mark. Blade Runner Insight: An Analysis of Blade Runner. 1998. Brinsight.com. http://brinsight.com/1998/11/23/analysis-of-blade-runner/