Mike C. here, with a bit of a book report that should interest all of you.
Seven years ago a fantastic little book was published that somehow, some-freaking-how got past my radar.
It was sent to me as a gift from a dear friend just a few days ago, and I'm on my second reading.
In case you weren't aware of its existence, I am going to commend to all of you a fine little book by Ximena Gallardo-C. and C. Jason Smith called Alien Woman: The Making of Lt. Ellen Ripley.
Gallardo and Smith have approached the character of Ripley with one of the most unique and fascinating tacks I've ever read, and the book is loaded with sometimes debatable, sometimes fun, always interesting arguments for the rationale (and lack of) behind the various 'versions' of Ripley throughout the entire Alien film series.
Couching each film in terms of the era in which it was made, Alien Woman offers Ripley as the ultimate iteration of womanhood in the late 20th century, from her iconoclastic breakout as the first serious female survivor in Alien to her transformation as post-human, monsterish superhero of Alien Resurrection, and makes fascinating explorations into the minds of the filmmakers as well as what Ripley means to femdom, science fiction and the social acceptance of Woman today.
It isn't merely a rehashing of film plots with Freudian insights tagged on as a 'look Ma, I can write' bit of ego-tripping by the co-authors. It is a serious sociological, psychological and cultural exploration of a character who is obviously one of the most enigmatic, unique and powerful in film history.
It essentially says what I wish I could've said from day one, about my favorite movie hero.
And if you aren't in love with her all over again even five pages in, you're at the wrong blog!
Go get yourselves Alien Woman. Just... trust me.
-- SIGNING OFF --
