manic pixie dream girls (in films)

Former Member

i found this idea so interesting so had to post it. being a big fan of films like 500 days of summer, bringing up baby and garden state this article really seemed to make things click:

http://www.avclub.com/articles/wild-things-16-films-featuring-manic-pixie-dream-g,2407/

admittedly i'm a sucker for natalie portman's character in 'garden state' and the weird finger thing she does is genius. and yeah i did get hooked onto the shins after watching the film.

but on the other hand, i remember feeling slightly uncomfortable watching 'almost famous' because kate hudson's character really didnt seem like a character to me. just a dream girl in the protagonist's head whose love for music and groupie attitude only served to pull him from the gutter of american mediocrity.

anyway what do you think?

i read another article linked to this one and would also have to agree that annie hall shouldnt be on the list. i'll quote, sums it up better than i ever could

Allen's movie ends with the title character leaving its protagonist, Alvy Singer. Annie may be Alvy's ideal woman, but instead of saving him from his neuroses, she gets sick of his whining and moves on -- just like a real woman would.

http://www.salon.com/life/broadsheet/2008/08/07/manic_pixie/

also can you think of any films with this archetype?

eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!

Former Member

oh wah. where is jim

Former Member

Is here

It's a nice article, made me think about how often you get a role like this written for a Hollywood movie. In a lot of ways it made me think of the women that were written by Douglas Coupland - especially in his earlier books. Those fantasy women, with the same geeky likes and dislikes, confidence, similarly interests as the main character, tolerance of their flaws, just waiting to perfectly complete their lives at the conclusion of the novel.

So yeah, in those Gen X novels and in a lot of these movies, it feels to me like it's exactly how the quote describes it. Most major Hollywood movies are written and made by men in their 40s and 50s. They aren't interested in writing a real part for a woman, they certainly aren't interested in having a film focus on a woman the same age as the main male character and they want a character who, if need be, can self-implode and be gone if need be.

I'm not saying that they can't be fun on screen, but to me that's because of good writing and acting as opposed to a real character you can connect with. I did feel uncomfortable around Almost Famous, but I've never been able to figure out if thay was deliberate on the part of Crowe. Playing with the conventions around groupies.

I guess what might also be interesting to know is how often a Hollywood writer or director uses this kind of archetype, because that's how the industry might need to see all those young actresses it churns through each year.

Former Member

and they want a character who, if need be, can self-implode and be gone if need be.

that's a really good point. i think after that type of character has served its purpose they either find a happy self contained ending (like natalie portman and zach braff in garden state) or become a tragi-heroine like kate in almost famous and maybe even to some extent the vamp girl in let the right one in.

i'm just wondering if there is a male equivalent.. perhaps an elevated mentor figure? e.g. colin firth's character in bridget jones, thingy in my best friend's wedding... and i was just going to say bill murray in lost in translation but actually i think both characters are on an equal footing despite the age gap.

i wish i took joint honours, english literature with film studies now. trust me to figure this out 2 days before my final exam ever. i find this stuff really interesting.