Friday, April 29, 2011

Bimbo's initiation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFrBG4xyaF8

Here in Bimbo's initiation, we see Bimbo being scared and torments but a gang of people asking him "Wanna be a member?" Bimbo responds with a no, which reveals individuality and leadership, however, his unwillingness to conform leads to more physical and psychological torture. Bimbo continues to tell the gang no, even though they are scaring him and trapping him in numerous way. It isn't until Bimbo encounters Betty Boop, that he replies yes when she asks him "Wanna be a member?" The dance the Betty Boop does is an example of how the female is viewed by society, as an object. Betty Boop dances and shakes her booty in Bimbo's face, smacking it several times, and his mood changes for being scared to being fascinated with the dance she's doing. The display of Betty Boop's sexuality, as well as Bimbo due to his gaze toward Betty, connotes Murvey's idea of to be looked at ness. This is also telling about our culture today, as well as during the 30's when it was made. Men are fascinated with women, more specifically because of their sexuality. The fascination can even be strong enough to make a man change his mind about something, as seen through Bimbo. The video reveals that there is something that we all desire that is strong enough to make us conform. Sometimes what you desire is stronger than what you fear, and we see this through Bimbo as well. Furthermore, Betty Boop represents a time when "Flappers" were very popular, and the sexual content in this short, represents part of the ideology of the Flappers, who were know to stir away from the status quo by drinking, smoking, and treating sex as casual (like men do). Her display of her sexuality further works to emphasize the image of the woman as an object. ~JF

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