1922 Color Movies

This mesmerizing short film from 1922 is “bewitching” and important for its coquettish  portrayal of female sensuality. The flapper image popularized by movies of the time showcased female sexuality in ways previously unheard of in mainstream culture. This amazing color film clip dramatically displays the revolutionary change in this significant decade. Conservative social critics and some first wave feminists condemned the changes putting female sexuality on public display. Many younger women, however, saw the changes as reflections of greater freedoms. In many ways the debate parallels similar complaints about Beyonce’s all-female revue at last week’s 2013 Super Bowl. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKVorba5GLs Public displays of female sexuality = power, or exploitation?