How Many of Your Favourite Films Pass "the Bechdel Test"?

[CarlsonAndPeeters]

Princess Bride: Nope
When Harry Met Sally: You'd think so, but to the best of my memory, nope
The Matrix: Nope
The Karate Kid: Best guess, yes: Daniel's mom talks to Elisabeth Shue at some point, I think, but I don't remember exactly.
Scott Pilgrim: I don't think so...though there are a lot of girls, they mostly talk about Scott.
Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure: Nope
Away We Go: Yes! Granted, they mostly about motherhood, but still...not men!

Also, if anyone's looking for a great graphic novel, read Alison Bechdel's "Fun Home." Its truly incredible. She's a magnificent writer.

 

[darkfox85]

Umm, who cares? What does the Bechdel-test prove? In fact, let's have the Hodor-test in which you must have talking animals. It's equally irrelevant.

It?s about representation (or lack thereof) and I think it?s relevant. There aren?t many talking animals in society because they don?t exist but there are a few women here and there (I think. I see them on the bus sometimes.) What?re your favourite films?

Yes, films aimed at men are going to be about a man, probably... I guess we should start shoehorning women into movies like Das Boot, American Phsycho or Amadeus, even though it would make all 3 worse.

I don?t consider any of my personal top 10 to be aimed at a male audience (except maybe Rezzy Dogs and TDK, but I have female friends that love either or both of them.) I consider those ten films for all adult audiences because they are superb! What?re your favourite films?

eah, IF only 10% of films pass this test it would be a problem. And IF we are about to be invaded by gay alien lizards

Dude I?d be amazed if it were much higher than 10%. We're only on page 2 and look at the results thus far. I keep exploring this and like I said, this has given me food for thought lately. This issue is very relevant and interesting and I?m not sure what it has to do with gay alien lizards because they don?t exist. I don?t get it.

EDIT: Yeah it's prolly way more than 10%. My own top ten proves it. But it's still an issue I want to explore...

 

[Blunderboy]

Umm, who cares? What does the Bechdel-test prove? In fact, let's have the Hodor-test in which you must have talking animals. It's equally irrelevant.

Edit: That being said, I'd reckon some of my favorite movies pass the test, some doesn't. Don't really care.

This. It's not really something that matters at all when it comes to my enjoyment of a film.
Some will pass some won't.
It's a moot point.

I'm starting to think that people are over thinking everything in an attempt to look smart.

 

[Davroth]

I think you can't really fault script writers for not being capable to write compelling female characters (after all, you can't write about something you don't know), and having to female characters talk about something else then a guy doesn't really mean, like, anything (imo).

 

[AlexanderPeregrine]

The most important aspect of the Bechdel Test is showing how Hollywood has largely delegated women into passive and unimportant roles. It's not about individual films as it is about the whole field. Arguing the whole test is "stupid" and should be disregarded comes across as ignorant at best.

The funny thing about these kinds of threads is seeing people struggle to come up with the shortest interactions between tertiary characters so their favorite films can "pass". It only further cements the point. I bet you could drop the passing rate below a tenth of a percent just by setting a five minute time requirement (out of the ~110 minute average of movies these days, that's still basically nothing).

 

[Lunar Templar]

Umm, who cares? What does the Bechdel-test prove? In fact, let's have the Hodor-test in which you must have talking animals. It's equally irrelevant.

I'm with this guy

whats it matter if a movie i like passes a test i've only heard brought up twice now? i thought what matter was if the movie was GOOD, clearly i've missed yet another memo about 'shit your now supposed to care about'

that said though, i just looked at my movie collection and laughed, so no, i doubt my 2 faves (Snatch and Master and Commander) would pass, let alone the rest of the collection

 

[Blunderboy]

The most important aspect of the Bechdel Test is showing how Hollywood has largely delegated women into passive and unimportant roles. It's not about individual films as it is about the whole field. Arguing the whole test is "stupid" and should be disregarded comes across as ignorant at best.

Actually it could be argued that it's because people are viewing the interactions as taking place between characters without watching the film with a check box and worrying about the genders.

To me there are many more important things to a character than what genitals he or she happens to be packing. And I object to being called ignorant for expressing that point of view.
Hell the original script for Alien (which certainly passes this test) purposely only lists the characters by surname, with no indication of sex at all. And I love me some Alien.

 

[Sean Hollyman]

I guess Harry Potter has lots of this..

 

[Shock and Awe]

Patton: Not a chance
Saving Private Ryan: Funny Bro
Spirited Away: Yes
Samurai X Trust and Betrayal: Don't think so
Full Metal Jacket: Hilarious
Heartbreak Ridge: NOPE
Scott Pilgrim: I think so

Thats just some of my favorites.

 

[linkblade91]

-Iron Man 2: Probably not. Pepper and Black Widow might have some dialog between each other that I'm not quite remembering, but it's probably about Tony anyway. Pretty sure the first movie doesn't pass either.

Pepper and Natasha have a short conversation outside the boxing ring (while Tony talks from within the ring), discussing the latter's hiring as an assistant to Ms. Potts. They also have additional lines together later, usually one-off secretarial lines that segue into a more relevant conversation:

Pepper: "...do this for me will you? Oh Tony, blah blah blah..."

The first Iron Man passes the test right near the beginning, as the movie introduces Pepper Potts to the audience. Her conversation with the reporter Tony just slept with is about Pepper's status as Tony's "famous" assistant.

OT:
Sherlock Holmes: The three women with lines (Irene Adler, Watson's wife, the fortune-teller) are never in the same room together. So no.
Shawshank Redemption: The only woman who talks is the "double bag" lady. Strike two.
V for Vendetta: Does it count when Evey is reading the letter from the lesbian prisoner? I'd say no; strike three.
Casino Royale: Vesper, M, and the bad guy's wife in Miami are never in the same room. Strike...four?
The Dark Knight: I see many of you have said no, but that is not actually true. Gordon's wife talks to the police officer-lady (telling her to take the kids to where Rachel died). Plus Rachel talks to the Prima-Ballerina Natasha at dinner with Harvey and Bruce. So there's two.

 

[uneek]

The most important aspect of the Bechdel Test is showing how Hollywood has largely delegated women into passive and unimportant roles. It's not about individual films as it is about the whole field. Arguing the whole test is "stupid" and should be disregarded comes across as ignorant at best.

Actually it could be argued that it's because people are viewing the interactions as taking place between characters without watching the film with a check box and worrying about the genders.

To me there are many more important things to a character than what genitals he or she happens to be packing. And I object to being called ignorant for expressing that point of view.
Hell the original script for Alien (which certainly passes this test) purposely only lists the characters by surname, with no indication of sex at all. And I love me some Alien.

Well, that's good for you. But, where trying to say is that the test is not an indicator of quality. It's small experiment that exposes a certain trend in movies. So nobody here's criticizing anything.

 

[uneek]

I think you can't really fault script writers for not being capable to write compelling female characters (after all, you can't write about something you don't know).

I don't get this opinion. There's nothing to know. If you're a person, you know how another person acts, regardless of gender.

 

[spartan231490]

Shooter: No
V for Vendetta: Maybe, Evee talks to a female coworker at one point, not sure if she's got a name though

Pitch Black: Yes
Fast and the Furious: no
Aladdin: No

 

[Davroth]

I think you can't really fault script writers for not being capable to write compelling female characters (after all, you can't write about something you don't know).

I don't get this opinion. There's nothing to know. If you're a person, you know how another person acts, regardless of gender.

So you are saying there is no difference between men and women? Because feminists tend to get kinda angry when you write female characters like male characters. :/

 

[MrLumber]

Lol a lot of people are getting way to worked up over this. Simply put, who cares if your favorite movie doesn't pass? What's more important is how few movies actually DO manage to pass. It isn't indicative of anyone in particular nor does it make anyone sexist, but it shines an interesting light on the film industry at large. While I'd mention games, probably being a fairly easy target for this, try considering books as well. For instance, while I haven't read it, I doubt twilight would pass, purely based off the film. I doubt Lord of the Rings passes either.

A question about the criteria, do women interacting with each other in a group setting count? I'm going to assume it does for now.

Anyways;
Hot Fuzz, while there are plenty of female characters very few interact on screen, so no
The Thing, no women here
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, while the series passes the film doesn't
Akira, if I remember correctly, it does
Splice, arguably, if communication works without any actual dialogue it does
Black Dynamite, while only edging by, it does lol
I'm sure I'm forgetting some, but this was a fun little thing.

 

[Silver]

Umm, who cares? What does the Bechdel-test prove? In fact, let's have the Hodor-test in which you must have talking animals. It's equally irrelevant.

Edit: That being said, I'd reckon some of my favorite movies pass the test, some doesn't. Don't really care.

I propose we establish a Hodor test to curb Hodor discrimination. A character must say "Hodor" at least once in every scene. If not, it's racist.

Why is this so scary to you?

 

[uneek]

I think you can't really fault script writers for not being capable to write compelling female characters (after all, you can't write about something you don't know).

I don't get this opinion. There's nothing to know. If you're a person, you know how another person acts, regardless of gender.

So you are saying there is no difference between men and women? Because feminists tend to get kinda angry when you write female characters like male characters. :/

I don't know what your talking about. If my definition of "feminist" is right, they should be happy that a female character be written like a male character. Because male characters get to be individuals.

 

[Amnesiac Pigeon]

Sunshine: Yes
Fight Club: No
Oldboy: No
Lady Vengeance: Yes
28 Days Later: Yes
There Will Be Blood: No
Black Swan: Yes
The Big Lebowski: No
Dr. Strangelove: No

 

[uneek]

Umm, who cares? What does the Bechdel-test prove? In fact, let's have the Hodor-test in which you must have talking animals. It's equally irrelevant.

Edit: That being said, I'd reckon some of my favorite movies pass the test, some doesn't. Don't really care.

I propose we establish a Hodor test to curb Hodor discrimination. A character must say "Hodor" at least once in every scene. If not, it's racist.

Why is this so scary to you?

And what's a Hodor?

 

[AngelOfBlueRoses]

Star Wars: No.
LOTR: No.
POTC: I don't recall anything, unless Tia Dalma and Elizabeth do.

I'm not doing so good here! D: