Something Wilder
I wish I was a Jonathan Demme heroine from his 80’s screwball period. I want to take up residence in the director’s technicolor, melting pot urban landscapes, a free spirit on the run from forces of conformity or violence charming the world with my ecletic downtown wardrobe, a coquettish smile and my unwavering belief that a world gone mad is a world I can live in proudly.
Married to the Mob’s Angela de Marco and Something Wild’s Audrey “Lulu” Hankel are two comely brunettes (one natural, one false) fond of utilizing the shimmering, rouge-y, lacquered effects of drugstore cosmetics and incorporating animal print into their attire. The silvery sound of costume jewelry marks both their entrance into a scene and represents the dazzling, hypnotic way they captivate the audience and anyone they encounter within the film’s confines. They live at full volume just to drown out the sounds that plague them, that stifle them, that keep them from truly being heard. Usually, this antagonistic silence is embodied by a dim-witted and volatile hood, all oily smirks and blackmailing lechery.
With the help of the thug’s foil—a mousy, conservative type with boyish looks and good hair, who’s in desperate need of some dirty fun—Demme’s new wave femme fatales drop the artifice, attempt to rid themselves of greasy crimelords (sometimes resorting to lethal means) and then etch out their own space in the city that affords them autonomy, security and self-respect. And yes, they invariably return the amorous feelings of the well-meaning Mr. Milquetoast at the end. This I can overlook as the romantic ending is usually accompanied by a really great Tom Tom Club or reggae song.
I’d mostly like to reside in these narratives because I could strut through the L.E.S. circa 1986 wearing an awesome wig and edgy accessories, leading a dangerous double life accompanied by the music of New Order, The Motels, or The Feelies. 2009 promises to be an incredible year, but this fictional era in cinema comes in a close second for me.
Q: Are these female characters just a more mature version of the MPDG (Manic Pixie Dream Girl)? I’d like to think that the presence of an actual character arc renders them more than just a male yuppie fantasy.
