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Backwards and in Heels: The Past, Present and Future of Women Working in Film by Alicia Malone
agnexperience's review against another edition
4.0
I've been following Alicia Malone's indie film reviews for many years, it's great to see that she can bring her strengths to writing as well. The book is thoroughly enjoyable and accessible even if you're not a film historian. I was most intrigued by the bits about women in early Hollywood and the gender disparity in the modern film industry, especially in the behind-the-scenes roles. Spoiler alert: the numbers are a lot worse than I thought. I also appreciate the intersectionality that permeates the discussion.
Why 4(.5) stars? It could have been longer, I wanted even more stories from more viewpoints. And maybe some more on the author's own experiences, I think she's a bit too modest here.
And the text isn't justified (aligned left), which bothered me at first :D But that's my personal demon to fight.
Why 4(.5) stars? It could have been longer, I wanted even more stories from more viewpoints. And maybe some more on the author's own experiences, I think she's a bit too modest here.
And the text isn't justified (aligned left), which bothered me at first :D But that's my personal demon to fight.
cait_margaret's review against another edition
4.0
The mileage you get out of this book will definitely depend on what you want from it, but for me it’s a wonderful collection of stories both new and familiar (to me) that chronicle some of the biggest issues, fights, and accomplishments for women throughout the history of Hollywood.
This definitely isn’t the book for someone who wants a deep, textbook-like recounting of these stories. Each one is instead told as a brief summary, but personally I enjoy that. It’s a great starting place for people who are new to this topic and still a nice little collection that makes for easy reference for those who are a bit more well versed. The tone remains mostly conversational in a way that fits nicely with the brevity of each entry. Also, it’s great that there’s a keen eye toward intersectionality throughout the book!
Admittedly, the section about the present felt a little weak, especially when it comes to recounting the careers of those who are still active. While the earlier stories had room for nuance about projects that were more or less successful (both financially and creatively) this one could at times feel like a stream of compliments scattered throughout the otherwise valuable information. Obviously it could be awkward to include the more negative side of things here, but I think that ignoring it makes those entries feel a little artificial. It also means we lose an opportunity to discuss other troubling phenomena, in particular the idea that every film made by women, or even just about women, needs to be wildly successful in order to justify making another one, as opposed to the streams of mediocre movies made by men, about men that change nothing.
Overall though I’m so glad to have this book! Alicia Malone is such a valuable part of the film community and it makes me really happy that she’s using her influence to spread these stories.
This definitely isn’t the book for someone who wants a deep, textbook-like recounting of these stories. Each one is instead told as a brief summary, but personally I enjoy that. It’s a great starting place for people who are new to this topic and still a nice little collection that makes for easy reference for those who are a bit more well versed. The tone remains mostly conversational in a way that fits nicely with the brevity of each entry. Also, it’s great that there’s a keen eye toward intersectionality throughout the book!
Admittedly, the section about the present felt a little weak, especially when it comes to recounting the careers of those who are still active. While the earlier stories had room for nuance about projects that were more or less successful (both financially and creatively) this one could at times feel like a stream of compliments scattered throughout the otherwise valuable information. Obviously it could be awkward to include the more negative side of things here, but I think that ignoring it makes those entries feel a little artificial. It also means we lose an opportunity to discuss other troubling phenomena, in particular the idea that every film made by women, or even just about women, needs to be wildly successful in order to justify making another one, as opposed to the streams of mediocre movies made by men, about men that change nothing.
Overall though I’m so glad to have this book! Alicia Malone is such a valuable part of the film community and it makes me really happy that she’s using her influence to spread these stories.
karkarwitch's review
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
4.25
Exactly what you would expect from a book and women in film, but fantastic none the less. I knew some of what was in this book but most of it was new information and very informative about stuff that I wasn't aware of. Great resource for anyone curious.
purplegrace04's review
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
Loved this book, i’m a female film student and I love to read back over this book when i’m feeling defeated about the schoolwork or to help me remember what i’m working towards. i love that this book includes mentions of some of my favourite celebrities.
lucyrichards's review
4.0
A great overview of women working in Hollywood through the years. It doesn’t delve too far into each of the women featured in the book but gives a great succinct summary of their careers and how that has influenced others and impacted the industry. You can really feel Alicia Malone’s passion with the way she writes about these incredible women which I loved. This book has also definitely inspired me to go and do further research into some of the figures that I didn’t know a lot about and it’s definitely added so many more movies to my watchlist! Overall it’s a great read for film geeks and anyone looking to learn a little more about women working in the film industry.
flortedesco's review
5.0
This is just a mandatory read for everyone studying anything film related, but also for any fan of movies in general.
nonmodernist's review
4.0
Give this book to all the film fans in your life, especially the high school aged women who love movies!! It is accessible and inspiring, and should galvanize a generation of feminists to transform the movie industry 🤞🏼