Case Studies: Knocked Up

Knocked Up (2007)

DIRECTOR: Judd Apatow

CAST: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd.

GENRE: Comedy, Drama, Romance

RELEASE DATES:

USA - 1st June 2007

UK - 24th August 2007

BUDGET:

(est) $30,000,000

OPENING WEEKEND TAKINGS:

USA - $31,000,000

GROSS PROFIT:

(ww) $220,000,000

PRODUCTION COMPANIES:

Universal Pictures,

Apatow Productions.

In this movie, the female character is effectively the breadwinner - she occupies a successful job, owns & drives her own car, has her own home, whereas he has none of this. Connell might describe the male character as quite a marginalised male as he has no job and, in some ways, seems quite disconnected from his life. 

This shows a role reversal between the traditional expectations of males & females in society as she is shown to be a progressive female while he is regressive - he has never moved on from his teenage years or grown up in any way.

The group of male friends are teenage in their discussions, beliefs and values, all of which seem to mirror those of the males in Superbad, including obectifying women & being afraid of commitment. 

Case Studies: Superbad

Superbad (2007)

DIRECTOR: Greg Mottola

CAST: Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

GENRE: Comedy

RELEASE DATES:

USA - 17th August 2007

UK - 14th September 2007

BUDGET: (est) $20,000,000

OPENING WEEKEND TAKINGS:

USA - $33,000,000

GROSS PROFIT - 

(ww) $170,000,000

PRODUCTION COMPANIES:

Columbia Pictures,

Apatow Productions

The males in this movie are shown to be quite insecure and wanting to be seen as masculine. They seem to want reassurance and lack power. 

In the scene where one of the main male characters threatens his friend with violence for debating not going to buy his friends alcohol, this shows a males primitive instincts according to Bly's mytho-poetic male. However, throughout the movie, we see the males expose themselves to be non-violent, adolescent boys who are more geeky and comedic than masculine. 

Connell might argue they are displaying signs of marginalised masculinity as they seem to be insecure of their identity and aspire to be hegemonic males but are not quite there as they are still very much adolescent.

Their interests include girls, drink and parties: 

they often speak of/show concern about sex;

in the scene in the liquor store we first see the sales woman's chest with the camera then moving up to look at her face which we assume to be from the males point of view;

often there are references to females as objects (talk of breast reduction);

in the scene in the liquor store, the policemen seem to 'dumb down' the sales woman.

Throughout the movie we get the feel that Bly's 'test of endurance' (ability to fight) has been replaced by initiations/rites of passage being to lose your virginity or the ability to buy alcohol. This is quite identifiable with the audience which could be a possible reason for this genre of movie doing so well recently. The movie also presents a version of masculinity that is perhaps over-exaggerated but also identifiable and perhaps reassuring on the one hand, or to be laughed at/mocked on the other hand.

Case Studies: Fight Club

Fight Club (1999)

DIRECTOR: David Finch

CAST: Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter

GENRE: Drama

RELEASE DATES: 

USA - 15th October 1999

UK - 12th November 1999

BUDGET: (est) $63,000,000

OPENING WEEKEND TAKINGS:

USA - $11,000,000

UK - £1,100,000

GROSS PEOFIT:

(ww) $71,000,000

PRODUCTION COMPANIES:

Fox 2000 Pictures,

Regency Enterprises,

Linson Films

-Tyler Durden- hegemonic masc, obsessed with power, dominating, fighting, macho values.

-Narrator- marginalised masc, disconnected from his life.

-Bob- shows elements of subordinate masc & therefore is killed off.

Fight Club portrays an idea of the ideal masculinity being hegemonic. Males who are traditional, value strength, are dominant, powerful & have the ability to fight and protect themselves are seen as accepted in society. Bob is unacceptable and represents a lack of masculine features. Arguably he also carries some feminine characteristics which are feared by the other male characteristics and therefore he is killed off. 'Angelface' also must be punished as he is 'too pretty', angelic looking and almost feminine.

• The Narrator - arguably has no identity, blends in
• insomniac, yellow filter on beginning scenes lends a sickly tone, an illness; he is numb and doesn't feel/let go until he goes to the support groups and later starts the Fight Club - he fights to feel, to escape the monotony (he is a male in crisis). 
• he consumes to build an identity, or to feel/create something (IKEA catalogue scene). 

Repeated Idea 4: Male Superiority/Manipulation

A regular characteristic of Men's Health magazine is a "what women want" sell-line:

Women are often objectified, as in the front cover above:

the female model is literally draped around the male model and she also happens to be standing behind him, almost in his shadow - this is a portrayal of male superiority.

Repeated Idea 3: New Male Sensitivity

Men's Health role models are constructed not only to show strong, macho values but also to have a sensitive, human side.

Poster Boy: David Beckham

-husband

-father

-family man

-sportsman

Masculinity Test

Repeated Idea 2: Male Narcissism

Front cover image:  Men’s Health has famously made the male torso, and particularly the six pack, the defining feature of masculinity.

Model has physical, 'macho' attributes,

body stance,

physically attractive,

often the colour is drained from the image of the male to make him seem more like a machine.