I saw "Contact" last night- the space travel scenes were fabulous, the
tropical island paradise vividly surreal, and the scientific teamwork
going beyond the traditional single scientist as hero cliche. I
also thought the appalling Drummond was a cutting critique of what can
really go on with academic advisors, and that this male "voice of
authority" kept on being heeded while Ellie's own voice was marginalised
by the powers that be. In terms of her
relationships, in many senses she seemed to be a Susan Calvin figure in a
buldingsroman where she learns that other (male) people are all that
really matters in the end (although women may be useful for getting
directions to a dress store). I thought Ann Hampton's comments very
perceptive on the lack of women in Ellie's life.
What I'd like to take issue with is the romantic aspect of the movie,
which, alongside the change in Ellie's perception of religious people
(from lunatic and hostile to warm and supportive), seemed to me to be
sentimental, and a "soft sell" to a cinema audience that wouldn't find
a Susan Calvin (or a very probably queer Jodie Foster) sympathetic. The
protective arm of the strong but tender male character as Ellie stumbles
out of the halls of the inquiry seemed a walking cliche and an indication
that Ellie alone is not quite up to the demands of public life. And I also
don't think that Ellie was alone in the final shot in the desert. As the
sandy rocks trail away from her hand, on her wedding finger is what seemed
to me to be clearly a ring. Moral: here a happy ending as
traditional (and cliched) as it is annoying in that it strongly suggests
that marriage is still the proper kind of closure for women.
But apart from these points, I loved the movie. The relationship with
Palmer could also be read from another perspective: that, for once, it is
a man providing emotional support from the finges of the movie. This is
usually the position occupied by a female supporting character (who
would admitedly have substantially less public power than Palmer did).
And thanks to Mike Levy for providing me with his diss. information.
Tanya.
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