Discussing the Career of Kathryn Bigelow & the Rise Female Filmmakers in Hollywood

Introduction:

Kathryn Bigelow is a modern-day director, producer, and screenwriter, highly regarded for her contributions to the action and thriller genres (with her films often delving into themes of violence, power, and gender) setting her up to have become a trailblazer for female filmmakers in Hollywood. In fact, she is considered one of the biggest contemporary filmic female pioneers. Being the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director in 2008, Kathryn Bigelow paved the way for the modern feminist directors we know, admire and love; before the modern-day directors like Greta Gerwig and Chloe Zhao were hailed as feminist icons, there was one woman who led the way for them: Kathryn Bigelow. The first woman to win an Oscar for Best Director was revolutionary for today's film industry and, as of 2023, Bigelow is still only one of three female directors to have won the award in its history.

Even though she's less “active” in the film community than other directors, Bigelow was the start of change in Hollywood; though women are still struggling in a male-dominated industry, Bigelow is famous for her historic achievement as well as the legacy of her work that still lives on. In this essay, a discussion will be explored of Bigelow's career, history and filmography, mapping out her trajectory from underappreciated and unrecognised filmmaker to a household name in film media and trailblazing focal point for female directors; through methodology of Feminist Film Theory, there will also be an exploration of the experiences of other fellow female filmmakers, making films at the same time as her, but failed to receive as much recognition and Bigelow’s impact on this rise of female filmmakers in Hollywood.

Point Break (Dir. Kathryn Bigelow, 1991), A Turning Point:

One of the pivotal aspects of Point Break (1991) is this conflict between two seemingly diametrically opposed worlds: the high-octane, adrenaline-fueled, risk-taking world of surfing and extreme sports, and the rigidity of a rule-bound world of law and its enforcement. Masterfully, harnessing her seemingly innate talent, Bigelow weaves these two lines together, creating a visually stunning and emotionally gripping film that is both exciting and thought-provoking.

Around the time of its release, Point Break (1991) received, admittedly, mixed reviews from critics, despite a high box office figure and a mainly satisfied general audience response. However, the eminent film critic Roger Ebert, in his review of the film, noted that Bigelow had "proven that women can direct action as well as men," giving plaudits to the film for its "electrifying" action sequences and "stylish" visuals. Also, he made note of the film's "surprising depth," citing the complex relationship between Reeves’ and Swayze’s characters as a highlight. (Ebert, R., 1991)

Indeed, Point Break (1991) is a film that transcends beyond perceived limitations with the genre, offering both pulse-pounding thrills and genuine emotional depth. Bigelow's direction displays a keen eye for both action and character development. In that sense, it could be inferred that perhaps a women’s eye was what was needed in affirming these emotional connections in a hyper-masculine setting. On a treacherous ocean wave, the film's climax takes shape and stands as a testament to Bigelow's skill as a filmmaker, with her managing to create a sense of both threat, beauty and emotional resonance in equal measure. From this, thusly and most importantly, Point Break (1991) served as a landmark film for women in action filmmaking. Prior to its release, the genre was largely dominated by male directors and male perspectives (though, unfortunately has still been, mostly). Yet, Bigelow showed that women could not only hold their own in this traditionally male-dominated arena, but also bring a fresh perspective and unique sensibility to the genre. Her unprecedented success with Point Break (1991) paved the way for future female directors to make their mark in the action genre, helping to tear down barriers that had previously limited women's opportunities in Hollywood.

Therefore, Bigelow's Point Break (1991) is a thrill-ride and one of emotional resonance, an action film that represents a significant milestone in the yet-to-be notorious director's career. Through her assured direction and new perspective, Bigelow displayed that women could not only direct action movies but excel in them. The film's enduring popularity and influence, and garnering of cult status amongst action film fans (as seen in this article by Sara Stewart of the New York Post: Point Break still resonates with surfers, skydivers, and action fans), are a testament to Bigelow's skill and vision and, in a way, served as an inspiration and, ultimately, a “victory” for generations of women in the film industry.

Female Filmmakers Under the Radar During Bigelow’s Early Career:

However, it wasn't until the latter half of the 1990s and the following decades that Bigelow's legacy would be cemented.

Bigelow's achievements within Hollywood are commendable. Despite this, it is vital to also recognise the women making films within and around the same time as her where attention for their efforts went generally unheard or were buried beneath coverage of more popular films. One such filmmaker was Julie Dash, who directed Daughters of the Dust in 1991, a film that explores the history and cultural traditions of Gullah people, descendants of West African slaves, living on the Sea Islands off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina. The film was a critical success, yet it struggled to find distribution and was largely overlooked by mainstream audiences at the time. It was only in recent years that the film received renewed attention and acclaim, with some critics noting it as a ground-breaking work of African American cinema.

Another filmmaker around within Bigelow’s early career, but did not garner as much recognition, was Cheryl Dunye. Dunye is known for her experimental and often humorous films that explore issues of identity and representation, particularly within the African-American and LGBTQ communities. Her film The Watermelon Woman (1996) is considered a landmark work of New Queer Cinema, but it received little attention outside of festival circuits when it was first released. Similarly, Mary Harron, who directed American Psycho (2000), faced challenges in getting her film made and distributed due to its controversial subject matter. While the film eventually became a cult classic, it was initially met with mixed reviews and struggled at the box office. Seemingly, the reappraisal of such works, but not to detract from their achievements, could be attributed to Bigelow. Her earlier films, in fact much of her work, engaged with on screen depictions of highly masculine environments and characters, though it was such dealing with these instances where she flourished as a storyteller and proved herself capable. Often, these portrayals were in line with “Male Gaze” of Hollywood and audiences at the time, yet it was her deft handling of them that showed women could depict more visceral and disturbing material on the screen for mass market and not be beholden to a niche like Dash unfortunately was.

The above examples highlight the numerous challenges that women filmmakers, particularly those from marginalized communities, have had to push against in getting their work recognized and distributed. While Kathryn Bigelow's success has helped to pave the way for greater representation in Hollywood, there is still much work to be done to ensure that all voices are heard and valued in the film industry.

The Hurt Locker (Dir. Kathryn Bigelow, 2008), The Break-Through:

2008's The Hurt Locker was Bigelow's biggest success to date; it starred actors such as Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie and Ralph Fiennes and premiered at the Venice Film Festival. It received universal acclaim and Bigelow became the first woman to win the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures from the Director’s Guild of America; as well as that, she became the first woman to win the Best Director award at the 63rd Academy Awards; coincidentally, she was nominated alongside her ex-husband James Cameron, after he had taken much of the credit from her years prior with Strange Days (Dir. Kathryn Bigelow, 1995).

The film was one of the most significant contributions to the rise of female filmmakers in Hollywood. The Hurt Locker (2008) was a critical and commercial success, again it must be re-iterated, winning six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Bigelow. Indeed, this success was especially significant because Bigelow was the first woman to ever win in the Best Director category. The gravity of The Hurt Locker flexes beyond its critical and commercial success, however.

In her acceptance speech, Bigelow surprised the audience by not mentioning her status as the first woman to win this award. While Bigelow has refused to identify as a feminist filmmaker or even a “woman filmmaker,” many people identify her as that. Unfortunately, this has caused some backlash with critics who often discuss the intense violence in her action films and even question her status as a woman. Bigelow is known for excessive violence but nothing too outrageous; there are directors known for much more violent outrageous acts of gore, take Eli Roth, for example. But it is interesting to note that the criticism of Bigelow’s work is because she's a woman and, though Bigelow doesn't identify as a feminist filmmaker, it's also interesting that her films often reflect Hollywood's rotating techniques and styles.

Even though she stayed mainly in the action genre since the early 2000s, her films have themes of sexuality, gender and racial politics; it's more than just an action movie as these characters have depth and often bring up bigger questions than a typical action movie.

Bigelow’s Influence and Legacy:

While Bigelow was the first female director to win an Oscar for Best Director, it is important to note that she has not been the only female filmmaker to be making strides in the industry, particularly in recent years. Other female filmmakers, such as Ava DuVernay, Patty Jenkins, and Greta Gerwig have also made their mark in Hollywood in recent years. For example, DuVernay became the first black female director to have a film nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards with Selma (2014), and later directed the critically acclaimed TV series When They See Us (2019). Patty Jenkins directed Wonder Woman (2017), which became a huge box office success, even becoming of the most financially successful superhero films of all time, and garnered praise for its portrayal of a strong female character. Meanwhile, Gerwig has received much critical acclaim for her directorial work in Lady Bird (2017) and Little Women (2019). These female filmmakers, alongside a numerous and rising number of others, are paving the way for more diverse and inclusive representation in the film industry; and ones like Jenkins have cited Bigelow as a major inspiration for them and instrumental in them wanting to pursue filmmaking. Rather than Bigelow being “active” in vocally campaigning for more women in film, she has let her work do the talking, works, with her at the helm, which are the inspiration for women filmmakers and attitude changers in broader society.

Surrounding Bigelow's impact on modern female filmmakers, large bodies of work have focused on her role as a trailblazer and pioneer. Notable scholars have analysed Bigelow's effect on the film industry, inspecting the ways in which her work has helped to tilt the cultural landscape. In their book Gendering the Recession: Media and Culture in an Age of Austerity (2014), Diane Negra and Yvonne Tasker argue that Bigelow's films represent a challenge to the hegemonic masculinity that has long dominated Hollywood. Arguments also pervade that Bigelow’s work challenges traditional notions of gender and genre, and that her success has paved the way for other women to pursue careers in filmmaking. Bigelow’s films often feature strong female characters who defy stereotypes and that her work disputes traditional notions of what women can do on and off the screen. Additionally, they make note of her work often featuring male characters who are not traditional Hollywood heroes, but rather complex and flawed individuals struggling to navigate a changing world and even implying elements of homoeroticism not usually associated leading men heroes such as in Point Break (1991).

Elsewhere, the representation of women in Bigelow's films has been subject of debate. While she has been praised for her strong female characters, a few other scholars have criticized her work for perpetuating stereotypes and, in fact, fostering the “Male Gaze”. In her book Visual and Other Pleasures, Laura Mulvey argues that the film Near Dark (Dir. Kathryn Bigelow, 1987) reinforces traditional notions of gender and power, with the male vampires dominating and controlling the female human characters. Other scholars, however, have defended Bigelow's work, noting that it is important to examine her films in the context of the broader cultural landscape and the limitations that women in the film industry have faced. Besides, Near Dark (1987) was one of Bigelow’s earlier works, having since then delved much more deeply into deconstructing typical notions of masculinity on screen and empowering female characters as well.

Bigelow's impact on the film industry is extensive, having inspired a new generation of female filmmakers, many of whom credit her as a role model and inspiration. Greta Gerwig, for example, has spoken about how Bigelow's win for Best Director encouraged her to pursue a career in filmmaking; alongside her, Ava DuVernay has also cited Bigelow as an inspiration, noting that her work has paved the way for filmmakers of all backgrounds to tell stories that were previously marginalized or ignored. The influence Bigelow has had on modern female filmmakers extends beyond inspiration and mentorship. The successes of her career have also opened doors for other women in the industry, both in front of and behind the camera. According to a study by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, the percentage of female directors of the top-grossing films increased from 4% in 2018 to 10% in 2020, with many attributing this growth to the success of Bigelow and other female directors.

Conclusion:

Overall, Kathryn Bigelow's career has been a trailblazing one for female filmmakers in Hollywood. Her successes with directing, having begun from humble background and working her way up the Hollywood ladder, have not only opened doors for other female directors but has also challenged stereotypes and norms surrounding gender roles, sexuality and race in the film industry both shown on the screen and what is conducted behind it. While Kathryn Bigelow may not identify as a female filmmaker, her impact for women in the film industry is unparalleled. As the first woman to win Best Director at the Academy Awards and the Saturn Awards, she will be known in film history forever. Her films, mainly in the action genre, are known for their deeper themes and issues often exploring gender, sexuality and feminist themes. Without Bigelow, the film industry would be worse off, truly in terms of treatment toward female artists. Though there is still work to be done, in terms of achieving full gender equality in Hollywood, the progress made by Bigelow and other female filmmakers is evidence of the industry's willingness to embrace change and diversity.

Bibliography:

Alkazemi, M. (2012). Representations of Women in Contemporary Hollywood Cinema: Female Characters and Narrative Roles in Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker. Thesis, University of Sussex.

Berry, M. (2009) The Hurt Locker's Disarmament: Kathryn Bigelow and the New Action Hollywood. Film Quarterly, vol. 63, no. 1, pp. 30-39.

Cassidy, J. (2017). The Female Gaze: 100 Women Directors Transforming Hollywood. Tin House Books.

Cook, P. (2011). The Cinema Book. British Film Institute.

Chow, V. (2020) Hollywood's Gender Problem: What Is It and Who Can Fix It? Variety. https://variety.com/2020/film/features/hollywood-gender-problem-what-is-it-and-who-can-fix-it-1203510519/. [Accessed: 07/04/23]

Denby, D. (2009) The Current Cinema: The Heat Is On. The New Yorker.

Ebert, R. Point Break Movie Review & Summary. Roger Ebert. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/point-break-1991. [Accessed: 19/04/23]

Hornaday, A. (2009) Kathryn Bigelow Goes to War in 'The Hurt Locker'. The Washington Post.

James, N. (2010) The Hurt Locker: War and the Action Movie. Film Quarterly 63, no. 3, pp.10-15.

Kohn, E. (2017). Greta Gerwig on Directing Lady Bird, Finding Herself in Her Characters, and Giving Actors Room to Explore. IndieWire. https://www.indiewire.com/2017/11/greta-gerwig-interview-lady-bird-director-1201895632/. [Accessed: 14/04/23]

Mulvey, L. (1989) Visual and Other Pleasures. Indiana University Press, 1989, pp. 187-202.

Negra, Diane, and Yvonne Tasker. (2014) Gendering the Recession: Media and Culture in an Age of Austerity. Duke University Press.

Stewart, S. (2015) Point Break still resonates with surfers, skydivers, and action fans. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2015/07/22/point-break-still-resonates-with-surfers-skydivers-and-action-fans. [Accessed: 04/04/23)

Tasker, Yvonne, and Diane Negra. (2014) Gendering the Recession: Media and Culture in an Age of Austerity. Duke University Press, pp. 1-16.

Filmography:

American Psycho (Dir. Mary Harron, 2000)

Daughters of the Dust (Julie Dash, 1991)

The Hurt Locker (Dir. Kathryn Bigelow, 2008)

Lady Bird (Dir. Greta Gerwig, 2017)

Little Women (Dir. Greta Gerwig, 2019)

Near Dark (Dir. Kathryn Bigelow, 1987)

Point Break (Dir. Kathryn Bigelow, 1991)

Selma (Dir. Ava DuVernay, 2014)

Strange Days (Dir. Kathryn Bigelow, 1995)

The Watermelon Woman (Dir. Cheryl Dunye, 1996)

When They See Us (Created by Ava DuVernay, 2019)

Wonder Woman (Dir. Patty Jenkins, 2017)

Zero Dark Thirty (Dir. Kathryn Bigelow, 2012)