For our third episode, we are excited to bring you our discussion of the 2017 film Wonder Woman! There will definitely be spoilers. (There are also spoilers for Captain America: The First Avenger.)
Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)
Introduction (0:00 – 7:13)
- Amazons as witches
- Brief history of the Amazons
- Significance of the Wonder Woman film
Related Links
The Amazon Women: Is There Any Truth Behind the Myth? (Smithsonian Magazine)
Ukraine’s Asgarda: Reinventing the Amazon Warrior Women
The Strange, Complicated, Feminist History of Wonder Woman’s Origin Story
Wonder Woman Breaks Records: Biggest Live-Action Box Office Hit by Female Director
Which Craft? (7:17 – 21:54)
- Filmography and stylistic choices/ visuals
- Costumes
- Score
- Screenplay and structure
- Casting
NB: One thing we meant to talk about, but didn’t get to, was how much of a role Chris Pine/ Steve Trevor was given, considering he was the love interest/ sidekick. (See McDorman’s review, linked below, for more about how Trevor is centered in the story.*) We also forgot to talk about Robin Wright!!! Nooooo!
Related Links
Wonder Woman: Armor vs. Underwear & Why it Matters
Wonder Woman’s Amazon Origins Detailed in New Movie Art
Joss Whedon and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Script
*Is Diana Really the Hero of Wonder Woman? A Review by G.L. McDorman
“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (21:58 – 39:55)
- Representation of people of color and minorities
- Representation of women in the film
- Female villainy
- Diana’s characterization
Related Links
My Soul Looks Back and Wonders: A Critical Examination of the Wonder Woman Movie
Eugene Brave Rock Reveals Chief is a Demi-God Too
“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (40:00 – 53:05)
- Ares (and his hipster mustache)
- Steve Trevor (and his nudity scene)
- Amazons (and their non-sexualized skin)
- Lesbian and bisexual representation
- Body positivity
- Working bodies and scars
- Disability and disfigurement
Related Links
How Disfigured Villains like “Wonder Woman’s” Dr. Poison Perpetuate Stigma
“Round About the Cauldron Go” (53:10 – 1:03:49)
- Dr. Poison as witch figure
- Chemical warfare and drugs
- Women in science
- Ares’s environmental argument
“Treguna, Makoidees, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!” (1:03:55 – 1:16:41)
- Creation of the Amazons
- Creation of Diana
- Diana’s self-discovery and empowerment
- Parallels to the Eve and Satan story
- Parallels to the Goddess Artemis/ Diana
- Love as the central theme
Final Spells (1:16:45 – 1:27:12)
- Amazon Queen Hiera
- Women’s activism today
Related Links
The 11 Biggest Marches and Protests in American History
Race and Feminism: Women’s March Recalls the Touchy History
Women Warriors: Myths and Legends of Heroic Women
Penthesilea (the Amazon who fought at Troy)
Wonder Women Have Been Smashing the Patriarchy Since Classical Times
Blooper reel (1:27:07 – 1:28:41)
- Literally just a minute of us laughing
In August we’re discussing Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett. See you on the next full moon (Aug 7)!
Witches in Britches 