In the 1980s and early 1990s, popular film presented women characters who were hard, tough and in control. While "Thelma and Louise" blew away rapists, Sigourney Weaver vapourized "Aliens", and the era of the female hero arrived. Despite the overt heterosexuality of both films, Thelma, Louise and Weaver's character, Ripley, all became incredibly popular with lesbians. This study critically embraces psychoanalytic and discourse film theory to explore this phenomenon and to assess its implications for lesbian cultural practice. It examines films such as "The Ballad of Little Joe", "Black Narcissus" and a range of "buddy movies", including "Thelma and Louise", to explain just how and why lesbians gain pleasure from a mainstream cinema that excludes their sexuality. Paula Graham's critique draws out the implications of this visual pleasure for both lesbian politics, and she identifies and develops her own theory of queer viewing. Paula Graham is the co-editor (with Tamsin Wilton) of "Immortal Invisible" and "The Good, The Bad and The Gorgeous" (with Belinda Budge).
- ISBN10 0853158185
- ISBN13 9780853158189
- Publish Date 30 November 1996
- Publish Status Cancelled
- Out of Print 30 June 2008
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Lawrence and Wishart Ltd
- Imprint Lawrence & Wishart Ltd
- Format Paperback (UK Trade)
- Pages 224
- Language English