Black Widow vs. Marvel

The Popculty Podcast

From director Cate Shortland's gritty cinematic style to stars Florence Pugh and Scarlett Johansson calling B.S. on sexist jokes, how the women behind this summer's Black Widow salvaged Natasha Romanoff from the male gaze of the MCU and made an intimate family drama/comedy/tragedy under the guise of a superhero movie. Plus, the Scar-Jo v. Disney lawsuit that may have inspired the IATSE strike threatening to shut down Hollywood. Oh, and how is everyone's movie theater anxiety these days?
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Leave the show a review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes and I'll send you this book with my chapter on chosen family as a thank-you!
TRIGGER WARNING: Some discussion of child trafficking (14:25 - 15:36) and forced hysterectomies (24:56 - 25:23).
References:

• Lucrecia Martel Turned Down Black Widow After Marvel Told Her 'Don't Worry' About Action Scenes - IndieWire
• Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh on Finding Sisterhood on Black Widow (video) - Variety
• Scarlett Johansson on Woody Allen - The Hollywood Reporter
• Cate Shortland Turned Down Directing Black Widow. So Scarlett Johansson Called Her on Zoom - Variety
• The Sexist Black Widow Joke Salvaged by Nicole Holofcener - Little White Lies
• Florence Pugh Pushed for Black Widow's 'Involuntary Hysterectomy' Clapback after Reading the Original Script - Polygon
• Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh on Black Widow Fighting Poses - The Hollywood Reporter
• Hair Ties and No Heels: The Evolution of the Female Superhero Costume is Finally Here - Entertainment Weekly
• Dear Carolyn: What Should Adults Do When They Don't Like Their Parents? - The Washington Post
• TimesUp Condemns Disney for "Gendered Character Attack" on Scarlett Johansson in her Disney Lawsuit - Deadline
• When it Comes to Paying Comic Book Writers, Marvel is the Real Vil

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章

1. Teaser (00:00:00)

2. Movie-going anxiety in the time of Covid (00:01:37)

3. Black Widow (2021) (00:07:02)

4. A Brief History of Marvel Ignoring/Disrespecting Women Directors (00:08:49)

5. The Director: Cate Shortland (00:11:50)

6. Smells Like... Child Trafficking (00:14:26)

7. Chaotic spy fam (00:17:18)

8. FLORENCE PUGH (00:18:42)

9. Crafting the story/screenplay: Jac Schaffer and Nicole Holofcener as secret MVPs (00:21:46)

10. Period joke clapback > revisionist history (00:24:12)

11. "Poser": Responding to the MCU's male gaze (00:28:41)

12. Costumes: Combat boots and vests with "so many pockets" (00:30:14)

13. Fight choreography (00:33:28)

14. Undoing Joss Whedon's damage (00:37:34)

15. Natasha and Yelena as chosen family (00:39:02)

16. Fan response: Thank You and F*ck You, Marvel (00:42:58)

17. Dreykov: The Embodiment of Marvel (00:46:10)

18. Scorsese: Marvel movies are "theme parks, not cinema" (00:47:40)

19. Black Widow as a meta-commentary on the Marvel industrial film complex (00:48:29)

20. Final thoughts (00:49:56)

21. Scar-Jo vs. Disney lawsuit (00:51:23)

22. Wrap-up: Florence Pugh TV recommendation (00:56:37)

23. Leave a review and get a free book! (00:56:58)

24. Support the show by joining our Patreon <3 (00:57:57)

25. Credits (00:58:43)