Huh. (Vague spoilers for Agora here.)

[innocent_lex]

I watched Agora over the weekend. It's a film about Hypatia, who was a very smart, well respected woman who was both a scientist and a teacher in Alexandria. It wasn't what I expected. And when I say that, I bought the DVD because I thought it was going to be a great film about a strong, intelligent woman. Sometimes it was about that, but actually it was mostly about religious wars and the men who fought them. When I say 'men' I really do mean that. Not only does this film fail the Bechdel test, it does it in quite the spectacular manner: I don't recall seeing a single other woman in the whole film. Not one. Now, I wasn't actually looking out for women specifically, but once I realised the issue I thought back through the film and... nope, couldn't remember one. Either they weren't there (which would have to have been a deliberate choice on the part of the film-makers) or they were so inconsequential that they were easily forgotten.

It was a film that made me think, but it only made me think the same things I'd been thinking before I watched it, just now in vivid colour. I don't know if it is in any way historically accurate (because what I know about Hypatia could be written on the back of a beermat), and I don't know what the heck the film-makers were trying to get at with the lack of women (or if they even noticed), but I can honestly say I don't recommend anyone watch it for its feminist ideals. Or, frankly, for any ideals. Men beating, stabbing and slashing each other to death when they're not busy playing political power games isn't my idea of a fun time.

I feel pretty conned by this one, honestly.

Comments

[graculus.livejournal.com]

That's disappointing - I had it on my Lovefilm list and have now removed it on the basis of false advertising. :(

[innocent-lex.livejournal.com]

Yeah, sorry to disappoint. I mean, I knew enough about her story to know I needed to be in a strong enough place to watch the ending, but the rest of it? Blech.

[corbyinoz.livejournal.com]

What a bloody shame! Hypatia is such a hero of mine I considered naming my spawn after her one drunken night (I got over it). That they made a movie about her and muffed it so absolutely - ugh! Why couldn't Sally Porter have made it, or Jane Campion.