Film, Hot War Traces and Cold War Spaces

reality television series and blogging open up ‘new spaces of identity construction’, while at the same time ‘echo[ing] the criticisms [... ] on the moral question of excess, vanity and self-centeredness’ (p. 177). In the absence of political relevance, Marie Antoinette began to cultivate her image as a queen of fashion, carving her space in a world outside Versailles where she could be worshipped (p. 182). In Pesce’s words, the story of Marie Antoinette – embodying an ‘early influencer’ – can be seen as successfully resounding that of the contemporary Hollywood star (pp. 184-86). Marie Antoinette exposes the false democracy of celebrity culture – perpetually failing to deliver what it promises – preserving the elite’s status and ‘encourage[ing] women to consume ever more fashionable goods and lead[ing] them to excessive self-exposure’ (p. 193). In the last book chapter, Yvonne Tasker explores the question: ‘Can women be superheroes?’ The twenty-first century features prominent superhero films within American cinema, wherein female characters – let alone women of color – mostly occupied a marginal position: film culture has tended to regard a female hero as a risky commercial option. Tasker discusses the gendered dimensions of superhero cinema in relation to fantasy genres – making a useful distinction between superheroes as such, and action heroines – and explores superhero gender scripts through a comparative analysis of Marvel’s Thor and DC’s Wonder Woman. It is no surprise to learn that throughout filmmaking ‘female characters in adventure narratives are more often found awaiting rescue than initiating action’ (p. 276). The innovation of the Wonder Woman characterization lies in her determination to intervene rather than watch (p. 291). Thus, the female heroic character, slowly but surely, is defiant of the long-standing male superiority in superhero movies. The message of this essay collection is loud and clear and concurs with a quotation by Vivienne Dick from her introductory interview: ‘A world defined and controlled by the White Western Male is over’ (p. 33). Eat that, Hollywood!