The 1987 Movie Was for the Male Gaze. Hulu’s Dark New Adaptation Turns It Into Something Much Better.

A limited-series adaptation of the rather trashy 1987 movie Black Widow starring Debra Winger and Theresa Russell (not to be confused with the 2021 superhero movie starring Scarlett Johansson) seems one of the unlikeliest projects in the world for Liz Meriwether, creator of the Fox sitcom New Girl. The original movie, part of an ’80s vogue for erotic thrillers borrowing stylistically from film noir, was directed by Bob Rafelson, who made Five Easy Pieces and a few other iconic works of the New Hollywood of the 1970s.
Reported by 1 outlet — Slate. See all sources ↓
A limited-series adaptation of the rather trashy 1987 movie Black Widow starring Debra Winger and Theresa Russell (not to be confused with the 2021 superhero movie starring Scarlett Johansson) seems one of the unlikeliest projects in the world for Liz Meriwether, creator of the Fox sitcom New Girl. The original movie, part of an ’80s vogue for erotic thrillers borrowing stylistically from film noir, was directed by Bob Rafelson, who made Five Easy Pieces and a few other iconic works of the New Hollywood of the 1970s. That didn’t keep Black Widow from becoming a middling (albeit hit) specimen of light, semi-arty titillation, capitalizing on the then-transgressive suggestion that a female FBI agent (Winger) chasing a female serial killer might be tempted by the allure of the femme fatale (Russell). Meriwether’s new series for Hulu, Furious, is less a remake than a riposte to a movie that, while foregrounding two women, was highly conditioned by the male gaze.
Read the full report at Slate ↗
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- A limited-series adaptation of the rather trashy 1987 movie Black Widow starring Debra Winger and Theresa Russell (not to be confused with the 2021 superhero movie starring Scarlett Johansson) seems one of the unlikeliest projects in the world for Liz Meriwether, creator of the Fox sitcom New Girl. The original movie, part of an ’80s vogue for erotic thrillers borrowing stylistically from film noir, was directed by Bob Rafelson, who made Five Easy Pieces and a few other iconic works of the New Hollywood of the 1970s.
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- 1 outlet, average source rating 6.0/10.
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The 1987 Movie Was for the Male Gaze. Hulu’s Dark New Adaptation Turns It Into Something Much Better.
Sources1TypeCoverageSlate