Who is your favorite Tough Chick in film history?

[RollSonnenRoll]

On an aside, when did we go from heroines that even Bro Alphas could cheer for to propped up SJW feminist shit?

Leia, Connor, even Ripley were feminine badasses...what to they have that many female lead characters today lack?

They weren't forced as acting like a man. Ripley is vulnerable and scared all through Alien so it makes her last stand that much better. Even in Aliens she doesn't want to go on the mission, is clearly still scared from the start while surrounded by a squad of space marines and only takes control in the moment that she absolutely has to. Even after that she gets Hicks to teach her about the gun. In Aliens today, she would be the no questions asked alpha leader despite not being in the military, would control the mission from the start and would handle the gun better than Hicks despite having zero training.

 

[Gandzooka]

I just saw the Alien films for first time this year, and it was weird to me that the self-congratulatory attitude that tends to attach itself to female protagonists nowadays was so absent in Ridley. Her being female was such an after-the-fact element of her character that it was one of the truest cases of the gender of a hero(ine) being absolutely inconsequential (internal to the film, at least).

Really thought that perspective would have caught on a little better given how well the film was received.

Role of Ripley was originally written for a man

 

[Dinotective]

Michelle Pfeifer as Catwoman

Absolutely among my all-time favorite musical scores and final moments;

 

[RollSonnenRoll]

Absolutely among my all-time favorite musical scores and final moments;

Elfman crushed it

 

[Tycho- Taylor's Version]

So the character being female was a description rather than definition?

Role of Ripley was originally written for a man

 

[Dinotective]

Elfman crushed it

I was in middle school when this movie was released and it had such a massive impact on me. First musical score I ever purchased (back when buying CDs was a thing) and to this day whenever I do creative writing, this is the album I listen to. Also, I don't carry a lot of traditions, but for at least the last 20yrs, watching this movie on Xmas eve has been one of them.



"Merry Christmas, Alfred. Good will toward men... and women."

 

[moreorless87]

They weren't forced as acting like a man. Ripley is vulnerable and scared all through Alien so it makes her last stand that much better. Even in Aliens she doesn't want to go on the mission, is clearly still scared from the start while surrounded by a squad of space marines and only takes control in the moment that she absolutely has to. Even after that she gets Hicks to teach her about the gun. In Aliens today, she would be the no questions asked alpha leader despite not being in the military, would control the mission from the start and would handle the gun better than Hicks despite having zero training.

Really though that isn't her "not acting like a man" its her acting like a character with some depth and realistic reactions and skills who has some arc during the film.

 

[nefti]

Sarah connor

 

[RollSonnenRoll]

I was in middle school when this movie was released and it had such a massive impact on me. First musical score I ever purchased (back when buying CDs was a thing) and to this day whenever I do creative writing, this is the album I listen to. Also, I don't carry a lot of traditions, but for at least the last 20yrs, watching this movie on Xmas eve has been one of them.



"Merry Christmas, Alfred. Good will toward men... and women."

I think for a lot of people(myself included) Elfman's Batman scores is what got them interested in the film scores genre.

 

[moreorless87]

Role of Ripley was originally written for a man

The original film is you could argue definitely more gender neutral to the role, I mean there are some rape references but really there directed as much at the male characters as the female. Aliens though I think does take a more political bent when it have Ripley's bravey driven by motherly instinct up against the marines bravado although equally shows Hicks in a more positive light.

Really its more the case that the "kickass girl" has become a clichéd character that can be used without having to write much depth it and arguably escape criticism due to the politics behind it. If big business see's a chance for a return with limited effort they will take it.

 

[Dinotective]

I think for a lot of people(myself included) Elfman's Batman scores is what got them interested in the film scores genre.

Sounds about right. Before this film, I had never looked into a film score. But since then, film scores were always my most sought-after genre.

 

[moreorless87]

As much as Camerons recent Avatar obcession seems questionable I do think he was pretty much on the money here....

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/sep/27/james-cameron-defends-wonder-woman-criticism

The vemon that was directed at him for me shows not just that a lot of the media is likely cahoots trying to sell the latest product but that in their eyes tokenism is actually the highest form of political expression. I think the reason for that is obvious as tokenism by its nature is little threat to the status quo and is infact intended to reinforce it.

You look at Camerons work with Terminator and Aliens and those films actually had political bite to them taking aim at the greed focused excesses of big business, something that I think is lacking in a lot of cinema today. I mean the original Starwars for me is a much more anti establishment film than the recent sequels are, the Empire I think represents all imperialistic government were as the First Order are clearly cartoonish Nazi's and the whole situation is "us vs them".

 

[BisexualMMA]

As much as Camerons recent Avatar obcession seems questionable I do think he was pretty much on the money here....

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/sep/27/james-cameron-defends-wonder-woman-criticism

The vemon that was directed at him for me shows not just that a lot of the media is likely cahoots trying to sell the latest product but that in their eyes tokenism is actually the highest form of political expression. I think the reason for that is obvious as tokenism by its nature is little threat to the status quo and is infact intended to reinforce it.

You look at Camerons work with Terminator and Aliens and those films actually had political bite to them taking aim at the greed focused excesses of big business, something that I think is lacking in a lot of cinema today. I mean the original Starwars for me is a much more anti establishment film than the recent sequels are, the Empire I think represents all imperialistic government were as the First Order are clearly cartoonish Nazi's and the whole situation is "us vs them".

Anyone criticizing James Cameron's wisdom about female heroes reminds me of Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park talking about standing on the shoulders of giants. Except in this case, they're actually hacking at the very giant that's giving them a piggyback.

 

[Merlotte's]

Reese Witherspoon in Freeway entertained me.

 

[Morning Star]

Not film but Xena was a badass nonetheless.

 

[Devout Pessimist]

1970's Pam Grier

 

[Fungoose]

Knife on the hip...
Lean and ripped...
Tits hanging freely...
Cigarette in one hand, Maadi in the other...
Reminds me of my mother!

 

[tonysmasseuse]

Favourite tough cookies in recent memory

Susan Sarandon in Thelma and Louise
Pam Grier in Jackie Brown
Charlize Theron in Monster
Maggie Cheung in HERO

 

[Loiosh]

Honorable mention.

 

[wlu.29]

Most movies that try to do this don’t pull it off at all, but some do. The ‘female kicking ass’ thing is usually cringey on film, but when it works, it’s gold.

So what worked for you?

Me, I’d have to say Linda Hamilton’s portrayal of Sarah Connor probably tops my list. They made her gritty in attitude, but she mostly defeated her enemies both man & machine via guns, or by being cunning & cutthroat, rather than having her unrealistically throwing a bunch of spinning kicks or something.

Who are yours?

should add a poll now, there are a few favourites