Task 3...

It has been said that media representations often reflect the social and political concerns of the age in which they are created. Discuss.

In the film Doghouse women are presented to be dominant and violent characters as throughout the film, they’re aim is to kill and ultimately abolish the male race. Even though the women have a dominant role within the film, they are still dressed in revealing clothes, such as the character dressed as a bride, wearing a short dress and showing a lot of cleavage. This may therefore suggest that in the 2000’s even though women do have power and dominance in society they are still objectified and may even use this sexual power that they have over men and use this is their advantage. Also, the character of Neil is represented as they typical misogynist calling the women bus driver “candy” and “babe”, not referring to her actual name connotes that he feels that she has no real place in society.

In the TV series ashes to ashes, the males are predominantly misogynistic, this is highly apparent in the first episode, as they mistake one of the female DI’s as a prostitute. Through the costume used on Alex Drake’s character as she is dressed in a scantily clad dress and high heels, a common type of clothing for women during the 80’s, which the show was set. This therefore leads the other police officers not to take her seriously as a police officer, and make crude remarks whilst she works with them, this is especially shown in Gene Hunt’s character as throughout the series he continuously has this assumption that women do not know what they are talking about, especially concerning the law. The show reflects the attitude and belief’s that were predominant in the 1980’s as although the wave of feminism in the 1960’s lead women to be able to have jobs alongside the males, they were not necessarily taken seriously within the job role and the males were still very much in control.

In 50 Cent’s, P.I.M.P music video he is presented as superior and dominant through his all white clothing connoting that he is god-like. Throughout the video there are numerous low angle shots of him and women surrounding him representing that he is in control and a dominant character. Having the women surrounding him shows that he is desired by women and especially attractive women, this is enforced thought their lack of clothing in the video as they are mostly wearing just lingerie, with slim bodies and large breast, presenting that this is how women are supposed to look if they want to be wanted by successful and rich men. Within the music video 50 Cent wears a lot of jewellery such as rings and chains around his neck suggesting that he is a successful black man in the music industry. This does reflect the social issues in society as there are an increase in the number of black artist’s that have become successful in the music industry. Although he is successful there are a number of references to 50 Cent’s “ghetto” lifestyle before he became famous, with CD covers with 50 Cent wearing a bullet proof vest, making it seem acceptable for his audiences to behave in the same way as him (being linked to knife crime). This also reflects social issues, as in recent years there has been a significant amount of increase in gun and knife crime within youths.