Linda Williams (film critic)
Encyclopedia
Linda Williams is a professor of film studies
in the departments of Film Studies and Rhetoric at University of California, Berkeley
.
Williams graduated from University of California, Berkeley with a B.A in Comparative Literature 1969, and then gained a PhD
at the University of Colorado
. Her main academic areas of interest are; film history, film genre, melodrama
, pornography
, feminist theory
and visual culture
; all with an emphasis on women, gender
, and sexuality
.
Regarding film genres, she argues that horror, melodrama, and pornography all fall into the category of "body genres", since they are each designed to elicit physical reactions on the part of viewers. Horror is designed to elicit spine-chilling, white-knuckled, eye-bulging terror; melodramas are designed to make elicit sympathy (tears) after seeing the misfortunes of the onscreen characters; and pornography is designed to elicit sexual arousal.
Williams argues that facials are a fetish
or a perversion. She states "The money shot
is thus an obvious perversion -in the literal sense of the term, as a swerving away from more "direct" forms of genital engagement- of the tactile sexual connection." Joseph Slade, author and professor at Ohio University
, wrote of her work that "Williams thinks of ejaculation as a leitmotif
similar to those that punctuate musical comedy, a genre she thinks resembles the hard-core film. Although Williams' thesis tends to reduce porn films to a single heterosexual genre, Hard Core is remarkable because the author actually engages the subject instead of pontificating from distance and because she insists that feminists must learn to reevaluate sexual expression."
Commenting on the films Jewish themes, Williams notes that The Jazz Singer
represents the triumphs of the assimilating son over the old-world father ... and present impediments to an assimilating show-biz success....[and] when Jakie's father says, "Stop," the flow of "jazz" music (and spontaneous speech) freezes. But the Jewish mother recognizes the virtue of the old world in the new and the music flows again."
As editor
The book contains an analysis of Brandon Lee
's work and his place in the gay porn industry, written by Nguyen Tan Hoang
. The essay is entitled "The Resurrection of Brandon Lee: The Making of a Gay Asian-American Porn Star". It debunks the myth that he left his parents’ Chinese food delivery store to pursue a career in the industry. According to this apocryphal story, he was discovered delivering food and the director asked to "see his egg roll". It also has a chapter by Deborah Shamoon called “Office Sluts and Rebel Flowers: The Pleasures of Japanese Pornographic Comics for Women”.
Film studies
Film studies is an academic discipline that deals with various theoretical, historical, and critical approaches to films. It is sometimes subsumed within media studies and is often compared to television studies...
in the departments of Film Studies and Rhetoric at University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
Williams graduated from University of California, Berkeley with a B.A in Comparative Literature 1969, and then gained a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
at the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
. Her main academic areas of interest are; film history, film genre, melodrama
Melodrama
The term melodrama refers to a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. It may also refer to the genre which includes such works, or to language, behavior, or events which resemble them...
, pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
, feminist theory
Feminist theory
Feminist theory is the extension of feminism into theoretical, or philosophical discourse, it aims to understand the nature of gender inequality...
and visual culture
Visual culture
Visual Culture as an academic subject is a field of study that generally includes some combination of cultural studies, art history, critical theory, philosophy, and anthropology, by focusing on aspects of culture that rely on visual images.- Overview :...
; all with an emphasis on women, gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
, and sexuality
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
.
Regarding film genres, she argues that horror, melodrama, and pornography all fall into the category of "body genres", since they are each designed to elicit physical reactions on the part of viewers. Horror is designed to elicit spine-chilling, white-knuckled, eye-bulging terror; melodramas are designed to make elicit sympathy (tears) after seeing the misfortunes of the onscreen characters; and pornography is designed to elicit sexual arousal.
Writings
As author- Figures of Desire: A Theory and Analysis of Surrealist Film, University of Illinois Press, 1981. Paperback edition: University of California Press, 1992, ISBN 0520078969
- Hard Core: Power, Pleasure and the Frenzy of the Visible (University of California Press, 1989). Expanded Paperback Edition: Univ of California Press, 1999, ISBN 0520219430
Williams argues that facials are a fetish
Sexual fetishism
Sexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the sexual arousal a person receives from a physical object, or from a specific situation. The object or situation of interest is called the fetish, the person a fetishist who has a fetish for that object/situation. Sexual fetishism may be regarded, e.g...
or a perversion. She states "The money shot
Money shot
A money shot is a moving or stationary visual element of a film, video, television broadcast, print publication, etc., that is disproportionately expensive to produce and/or is perceived as essential to the overall importance or revenue-generating potential of the work.-Cinema:Originally, in...
is thus an obvious perversion -in the literal sense of the term, as a swerving away from more "direct" forms of genital engagement- of the tactile sexual connection." Joseph Slade, author and professor at Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
, wrote of her work that "Williams thinks of ejaculation as a leitmotif
Leitmotif
A leitmotif , sometimes written leit-motif, is a musical term , referring to a recurring theme, associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical idea of idée fixe...
similar to those that punctuate musical comedy, a genre she thinks resembles the hard-core film. Although Williams' thesis tends to reduce porn films to a single heterosexual genre, Hard Core is remarkable because the author actually engages the subject instead of pontificating from distance and because she insists that feminists must learn to reevaluate sexual expression."
- Playing the Race Card: Melodramas of Black & White from Uncle Tom to O.J.Simpson, Princeton University Press, Paperback edition, 2002, ISBN 069110283X
Commenting on the films Jewish themes, Williams notes that The Jazz Singer
The Jazz Singer (1927 film)
The Jazz Singer is a 1927 American musical film. The first feature-length motion picture with synchronized dialogue sequences, its release heralded the commercial ascendance of the "talkies" and the decline of the silent film era. Produced by Warner Bros. with its Vitaphone sound-on-disc system,...
represents the triumphs of the assimilating son over the old-world father ... and present impediments to an assimilating show-biz success....[and] when Jakie's father says, "Stop," the flow of "jazz" music (and spontaneous speech) freezes. But the Jewish mother recognizes the virtue of the old world in the new and the music flows again."
- Screening Sex, Duke University Press, 2008, ISBN 0822342854
As editor
- Viewing Positions: Ways of Seeing Film, Rutgers University Press, 1999,ISBN 0813521335
- (with Christine Gledhill), Reinventing Film Studies, Hodder Arnold, 2000, ISBN 0340677236
- Porn Studies, Duke University Press, 2004, ISBN 0822333120
The book contains an analysis of Brandon Lee
Brandon Lee (pornographic actor)
Brandon Lee , is a gay Asian American pornographic actor of Filipino descent. He is regarded as the first gay Asian porn star and arguably the most popular Asian pornographic actor in contemporary gay male culture.-Pornography career:...
's work and his place in the gay porn industry, written by Nguyen Tan Hoang
Nguyen Tan Hoang
Nguyen Tan Hoang is a gay Vietnamese American video artist and academic. Nguyen's research interests include Asian American masculinity in gay male video porn and Hollywood and international cinemas....
. The essay is entitled "The Resurrection of Brandon Lee: The Making of a Gay Asian-American Porn Star". It debunks the myth that he left his parents’ Chinese food delivery store to pursue a career in the industry. According to this apocryphal story, he was discovered delivering food and the director asked to "see his egg roll". It also has a chapter by Deborah Shamoon called “Office Sluts and Rebel Flowers: The Pleasures of Japanese Pornographic Comics for Women”.