Film This Chick Stuff! Part One: A Call for Aid
- Thread starter MovieBob
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What the hell people! Comment! I don't have an educated opinion on any subject on this article. I can honestly say that I never played with any action figures/dolls and never really watched any cartoons outside of Nickelodian. I was into K'nex and Legos and Nintendo...that's pretty much my childhood right there.....and baseball in the backyard with neighbors.
Is it insecurity that's keeping everyone away?
Is it insecurity that's keeping everyone away?
I think the reason chick stuff did not age so well was due in largest part to the sacrifice of the whole thing by the feminist movement. They claimed the whole thing was girly, because it reinforced gender stereotypes. The Game Overthinker (/wink) has already spoken well on the logical problem of feminists against girls who merely like girly things.
This brings us to our current situation. As a guy, I can say proudly the the Ghostbusters and TMNTs were staples of my childhood fiction diet. I know of no adult girl who will so proudly laud Gem. My wife (an exception for never apologizing for the gender of her tastes) would joyfully see a Rainbow Bright remake, but she appears to stand alone at the grave of Miss Bright.
In short, chicks (on the mass) either don't want the pink aisle revisited or are utterly apathetic towards it. This can be attributed to chicks now hating chick things, chicks being more able to let go of the fancies of their youth, chicks being quicker to mature, or a hundred different reasons. The fact, however, remains: The Pink Aisle hasn't walked the red carpet, because precious few would care to see the event.
This brings us to our current situation. As a guy, I can say proudly the the Ghostbusters and TMNTs were staples of my childhood fiction diet. I know of no adult girl who will so proudly laud Gem. My wife (an exception for never apologizing for the gender of her tastes) would joyfully see a Rainbow Bright remake, but she appears to stand alone at the grave of Miss Bright.
In short, chicks (on the mass) either don't want the pink aisle revisited or are utterly apathetic towards it. This can be attributed to chicks now hating chick things, chicks being more able to let go of the fancies of their youth, chicks being quicker to mature, or a hundred different reasons. The fact, however, remains: The Pink Aisle hasn't walked the red carpet, because precious few would care to see the event.
Girls toys were universally shitty. There's no getting around it. I played with barbies when I was really little, but when I did that I was imitating relationships. Girl stuff tended to be shit because no one knew how to write for girls. Chick flicks are about emotional roller coasters, or they try to be, but girl's programming was about nonsensical fluff. Boys programming got stuff done. People apparently didn't think girls could handle serious issues, when apparently they lap that shit up when it comes out for us. I hate to say it because I will never touch that damn franchise myself, but Twilight may have been so popular because girls are pretty much STARVED for youth-focused media that tugs on your heart strings, however ham-fistedly they may be doing it.
NO, SOME DAMN PONY CONTRACTING THE ICKIES FROM AN EVIL WIZARD DOES NOT COUNT AS EMOTIONALLY COMPELLING.
NO, SOME DAMN PONY CONTRACTING THE ICKIES FROM AN EVIL WIZARD DOES NOT COUNT AS EMOTIONALLY COMPELLING.
Honestly, I can't believe that no one has ever done a big budget Powerpuff Girls movie. I honestly don't know if that counts as a "girl show" but as a boy, I loved it, and always wanted a good movie. Of course Hollywood would probably turn it into a teen romance story, but still, it feels like an untapped well.
Likewise. I was that one girl who always went to the little ditch the guys dug and played Beyblades with them. :/Wakefield said:
The problem with female toys, though, is that they're often filled with so much fluff that it's extremely difficult to get a conflict out of it to make a compelling movie.
Working in a book/toy store, I can tell you that young boys are by far the worst off.
Until the age of 10/12, you have sweet jack all that's not Postman Pat or Bob the Builder. Maybe Dinosaurs.
At 10/12, you get access to Pirates/Football, and then you get into the whole Horror/Science area.
Girls though? Girls have chewed up everything boys had - half of them spray it pink and half kept it as it was. Venus, the fifth Ninja Turtle, was hated with a passion. And there's never a time where an age where a Tiara doesn't sell.
While I'll make sure you have a list of stuff to use Bob, I wonder if you've ever seen the sheer level of hatred thrown at the child who chooses the "WRONG" toy?
Honestly, picking up a pink notebook or a doll can be met with horrified looks from some boys parents, and a girl's Meccano set? Well, it's going to have the be painted pink (No, I'm not joking, there's pink Meccano for girls) or they may as well wave goodbye to the idea of grandkids.
And as for age? Unless the age is specifically stated on the toy, the parents/guardians are totally lost. I've actually been told that it's ILLEGAL for toys not to have the recommended age written on them.
But I'm rambling...prepare for a bringing up to date
Until the age of 10/12, you have sweet jack all that's not Postman Pat or Bob the Builder. Maybe Dinosaurs.
At 10/12, you get access to Pirates/Football, and then you get into the whole Horror/Science area.
Girls though? Girls have chewed up everything boys had - half of them spray it pink and half kept it as it was. Venus, the fifth Ninja Turtle, was hated with a passion. And there's never a time where an age where a Tiara doesn't sell.
While I'll make sure you have a list of stuff to use Bob, I wonder if you've ever seen the sheer level of hatred thrown at the child who chooses the "WRONG" toy?
Honestly, picking up a pink notebook or a doll can be met with horrified looks from some boys parents, and a girl's Meccano set? Well, it's going to have the be painted pink (No, I'm not joking, there's pink Meccano for girls) or they may as well wave goodbye to the idea of grandkids.
And as for age? Unless the age is specifically stated on the toy, the parents/guardians are totally lost. I've actually been told that it's ILLEGAL for toys not to have the recommended age written on them.
But I'm rambling...prepare for a bringing up to date
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hmm, well there was an old rainbow bright movie that I remember being good... not sure why and apparently there is a new my little ponies series, I heard about it watching buzz, its apparently on a network called hub and it seems to be about one of them who hates the others and wants to get away from them, possibly murder them.... damn that does sound pretty good
edit: ok that was... odd, well one things for certain Im not the gender that my little ponys is aimed at
I think part of the reason that old girls stuff doesnt translate as well is that girls are more willing to let go of it and move on to drama type things and those dont lend them selfs well to toys, or at least the ones we do here dont
edit: ok that was... odd, well one things for certain Im not the gender that my little ponys is aimed at
I think part of the reason that old girls stuff doesnt translate as well is that girls are more willing to let go of it and move on to drama type things and those dont lend them selfs well to toys, or at least the ones we do here dont
they did make a powerpuff girls movie, it was wickedGrievous222 said:
I didn't have TV while growing up, but I adored cartoons and would obsess over every bootlegged video tape I could swindle out of my relatives with cable. I don't really remember if I had a preference for girl type shows or boy type shows. I know I favoured shows that my parents didn't want me to watch, but beyond that, My Little Pony to Strawberry Shortcake, it was all all fair game. One thing that surprised me later on was that I always had an interest in anime, even before I knew it was such. My most watched cartoons were stuff like Bumpty-Boo, the Pink Dragon, Mrs. Spoon, and Wizard of Oz.
To a more on topic note; I would love to see Michael Bay's take on My Little Pony. I would laugh so hard.
To a more on topic note; I would love to see Michael Bay's take on My Little Pony. I would laugh so hard.
From what I can remember, and that is speaking from someone who weren't allowed near the pink toys, the thing about "girls franchises" was that there seldom was any backstory to it. Us boys got the heroes with the villains, allies and the fort of doom, the girl stuff was blanc slates, ready to be filled with whatever personality was wanted.
Also, can you imagine if they tried to adapt a girl toy to an audience as old as we are? Take the stereotypical girl toy Barbie. "We boys" got GI Joe witch i didn't like, but anyway, it wasn't a movie anyone would have laughed at me for going to the cinema to see, not with a kid but for my own enjoyment. Now think how that would have looked if the toy getting a live-action movie was Barbie, and a 23 year old woman went to see it. It wouldn't be the same thing. Even if I'm going to the extreme with my example, I think it bares some merit.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to see what next weeks intermission will bring. Interesting subject indeed.
Also, can you imagine if they tried to adapt a girl toy to an audience as old as we are? Take the stereotypical girl toy Barbie. "We boys" got GI Joe witch i didn't like, but anyway, it wasn't a movie anyone would have laughed at me for going to the cinema to see, not with a kid but for my own enjoyment. Now think how that would have looked if the toy getting a live-action movie was Barbie, and a 23 year old woman went to see it. It wouldn't be the same thing. Even if I'm going to the extreme with my example, I think it bares some merit.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to see what next weeks intermission will bring. Interesting subject indeed.
Heh, that was a pretty funny joke about the anime/manga culture being better...wait...what do you mean he's serious? Huh, the anime/manga people I've met in my time were worse basement dwellers than anyone in my D&D group and we had some winners there. Not to say he's wrong, but man I'd love to meet them instead of the ones I did.
OT: Well, growing up with my female cousin who was a year older than me meant I had to play what she wanted to, and I am intimately familiar with Rainbow Bright, My Little Pony, Care Bears, and to a smaller extent Starwberry Shortcake. I must say that (Oh, guess I should clarify that I am male, so please color perceptions appropriately) I'd agree that they all lacked substance. I actually pretty much hated Transformers and G.I. Joe, but at least they did something interesting, and more importantly had decent villains for conflict purposes. As it has been said, getting the ickies from a mean mean wizzard isn't really compelling for anyone.
I guess if they wanted to do some kind of She-Ra or Gem reboot to try and salvage something there, they could, but at that point they might as well just try and make a new IP with a strong female lead. I suppose I've rambled enough for now though, but hey what's the point if we can't mine our nostalgia for cheap knock off movies?
OT: Well, growing up with my female cousin who was a year older than me meant I had to play what she wanted to, and I am intimately familiar with Rainbow Bright, My Little Pony, Care Bears, and to a smaller extent Starwberry Shortcake. I must say that (Oh, guess I should clarify that I am male, so please color perceptions appropriately) I'd agree that they all lacked substance. I actually pretty much hated Transformers and G.I. Joe, but at least they did something interesting, and more importantly had decent villains for conflict purposes. As it has been said, getting the ickies from a mean mean wizzard isn't really compelling for anyone.
I guess if they wanted to do some kind of She-Ra or Gem reboot to try and salvage something there, they could, but at that point they might as well just try and make a new IP with a strong female lead. I suppose I've rambled enough for now though, but hey what's the point if we can't mine our nostalgia for cheap knock off movies?
I wonder...
I may be a pretty darn effeminate male, but I'm still a male and thus I didn't grow up with "girls' stuff". (In fact peer pressure made darn sure I ran far away from anything on the distaff side.) Given the general suggestion that there isn't much to remember there, maybe it's time to sort-of subvert the nostalgia trope? As in, don't make a movie based on a big girls' toy, but on a whole new IP, modelled on old standards, but without the supposed "suckiness". (Like a girls' toy version of Matt Hazard, but good.)
I think there's some good design space to be tapped there that wasn't done much in the 80s in order to stay sufficiently "girly". Particularly with Western versions of the "magical girl" concept, which I've always wanted to see done in a more serious style. Maybe sit some Hollywood screenwriters down with episodes of Princess (Guinevere/Starla) and the Jewel Riders or back issues of Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld, and encourage them to do something like this to appeal to the 80s crowd. I don't know if it'd work, but I think it'd be fun to try.
I may be a pretty darn effeminate male, but I'm still a male and thus I didn't grow up with "girls' stuff". (In fact peer pressure made darn sure I ran far away from anything on the distaff side.) Given the general suggestion that there isn't much to remember there, maybe it's time to sort-of subvert the nostalgia trope? As in, don't make a movie based on a big girls' toy, but on a whole new IP, modelled on old standards, but without the supposed "suckiness". (Like a girls' toy version of Matt Hazard, but good.)
I think there's some good design space to be tapped there that wasn't done much in the 80s in order to stay sufficiently "girly". Particularly with Western versions of the "magical girl" concept, which I've always wanted to see done in a more serious style. Maybe sit some Hollywood screenwriters down with episodes of Princess (Guinevere/Starla) and the Jewel Riders or back issues of Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld, and encourage them to do something like this to appeal to the 80s crowd. I don't know if it'd work, but I think it'd be fun to try.
I am a girl and I am about your age Bob, so maybe I can help. I have been sitting here for the last ten minutes trying to think of a girlie franchise I would want to see made into a movie and I am coming up blank. Cabadge Patch Kids? No. Barbie, well Kelly Sheridan is doing her best with that and it is not all that great. My Little Pony? Rainbow Bright? Carebears? Yeah, not much to work with. I suppose we could go a little out there and try a full length feature film of She-Ra, but to be honest she is kind of a spin off.
I did a quick Google and this is what I found as top link:
http://www.retrojunk.com/details_articles/85/
Those are all (with the exception of She-Ra) not just "girlie" but also toddlerish. The pink side of the aisle is not quite out of the forumla and diaper stage apparently. The is at the heart of the problem, girl stuff was (is?) boring and babyish. Nothing witty, deep or epic. Pablum mixed with pink frills and lace.
I will give it some more thought tonight at work Bob, but I think you are s.o.l on this one.
I did a quick Google and this is what I found as top link:
http://www.retrojunk.com/details_articles/85/
Those are all (with the exception of She-Ra) not just "girlie" but also toddlerish. The pink side of the aisle is not quite out of the forumla and diaper stage apparently. The is at the heart of the problem, girl stuff was (is?) boring and babyish. Nothing witty, deep or epic. Pablum mixed with pink frills and lace.
I will give it some more thought tonight at work Bob, but I think you are s.o.l on this one.
I remember they tried this at least once, with the Bratz movie. That was quite possibly the worst thing ever, but then again Bratz aren't old enough to be nostalgic yet. I remember how Mighty Max got a cartoon series while Polly Pocket didn't, yet there are still Polly Pocket toys and Mighty Max hasn't been heard from in over a decade, that hardly seems fair...man I'd love to see a Mighty Max movie...
I think the topic is interesting, and it really makes me wish I could contribute, but I'm a guy and as clueless as you.
However the impression I get (which might be dead wrong), is that those movies and such ar absent because there just weren't that many memorable toys for girls. I know that most of the girls in my family (sisters, cousins etc) either played with dolls or more creative toys like Duplo (and more reasently DS games like New Super Mario Bros or Wii games like Mario Kart). I wasn't much of a toy person myself - I liked to draw.
Some girl stuff has already been turned into movies (though probably not the big sellers) such as Barbie.
However the impression I get (which might be dead wrong), is that those movies and such ar absent because there just weren't that many memorable toys for girls. I know that most of the girls in my family (sisters, cousins etc) either played with dolls or more creative toys like Duplo (and more reasently DS games like New Super Mario Bros or Wii games like Mario Kart). I wasn't much of a toy person myself - I liked to draw.
Some girl stuff has already been turned into movies (though probably not the big sellers) such as Barbie.
Okay. I was and am mainly a tomboy. I grew up with brothers and was basically raised by my father because my mom was in nursing school during my formative years. But my mom did try to scramble and turn me into a real girl once she realized what had happened. She didn't really succeed, but I do have some typical girly things I liked.
My Little Pony (but they already made a few movies)
Rainbow Brite
Beanie Babies
Skip-It
And while I didn't like them, I remember
Furbies
Cabbage Patch Kids
Tamagocchis/Giga Pets/Whatever
Puppy/Kitty/Bunny/Pony surprise
I have to admite I have no idea how most of these would translate into movies, though. I'm not sure you're asking the right audience, to be honest. I will post it up on Twitter though, and maybe my friends can help.
My Little Pony (but they already made a few movies)
Rainbow Brite
Beanie Babies
Skip-It
And while I didn't like them, I remember
Furbies
Cabbage Patch Kids
Tamagocchis/Giga Pets/Whatever
Puppy/Kitty/Bunny/Pony surprise
I have to admite I have no idea how most of these would translate into movies, though. I'm not sure you're asking the right audience, to be honest. I will post it up on Twitter though, and maybe my friends can help.