Does Serenity fetishise River???

POSTED BY: wytchcroft
UPDATED: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 05:21
VIEWED: 15343
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WYTCHCROFT

Saturday, November 3, 2007 5:18 PM

Yes - River never wanted to be 'dressed like a doll' - the BDM may be her steppin out a little...

for every time i feel uncomfortable with the notion of a sexualised River -
there are those equal and opposite moments when i get creeped at the notion of her as 'the eternal child' -
which in its own way can become a fetish!!:)

KRELLEK

Tuesday, June 15, 2010 12:39 PM

Well I am not sure, but Hotpoint at some point describe River having gotten more clothes fitting her age in his Fanfic(i know it do not cover Serenity the movie)due to the intervention of Inara and Kaylee, and a characther of his own making, so is it too hard to believe that Inara and Kaylee might have done what they could to pretty River up a bit during the six months, even through Simon might bark a little at that, to get as comfartable in her femininity aas possible

BYTEMITE

Tuesday, June 15, 2010 2:02 PM

Quote:
River's first appearance was NUDE!

A short skirt in the movie seems like less of an issue than that!

That really wasn't a sexy or fetishized moment, that was supposed to be about broken innocence and vulnerability. She was naked, but the scene and all the camera angles intentionally didn't focus on that, the focus was more on her distress.

That's why, in most people, that scene brings out a paternal/maternal instinct. They want to hug her and cover her up, which is what Simon then does. It's really effective that way at bringing people into the moment.

But maybe you're a "Jayne" personality type.

EDIT: Hmm, this is an older one.

BYTEMITE

Tuesday, June 15, 2010 2:42 PM

In regards to the original topic, yes, sexualized. Possible progression of River deciding to buy her own clothes, yes, and the new more flattering and flowing dresses seem to make their first appearance in Better Days, when the crew would have some money.

River AWARE of the sexualization? Of others maybe. She's definitely shown curiosity about them.

Of herself? Still not really seein' it. She doesn't intentionally strike me as trying to be "darkly cute action girl," she just is, and it's the people attracted to that who are adding the "sex kitten" part on top of it.

Which is why there's so much fanfic tending in that direction, particularly in River being aware of how Jayne might have reacted on seeing her like that, and deliberately fostering that.

Maybe they're seeing a layer I'm not because they're attracted to that and I'm not. But until canon contradicts me, and we get more information, I can only conclude that the people the fetishizing is playing to are only seeing what they want to see. River doesn't strike me as someone particularly interested in any romantic foils at the time of the movie, so why would she be trying to sex up her looks? I think River might be trying to look pretty and "normal" in some way, but I don't see her as trying to impress anyone.

HKCAVALIER

Tuesday, June 15, 2010 8:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Blindoutlaw:
well then it shows the diiference between movies and TV

movies, sex sell
TV, more story driven (fox not included)

I'm sorry, I can't buy into this. You're actually saying that TV is the more cerebral art form of the two? Sex sells everywhere if you intend to sell sex. With Firefly, Joss was aiming for something else. In Serenity he was not. It's called selling out. Sexing up Firefly for the big screen denies the fundamental aesthetic of the show.

So, what, was it REALLY FOX's fault that Firefly got cancelled, or was the show a no-starter anyway and actually NEEDED to be sexed up to make it a viable commodity?

Joss wanted to make a movie that made huge money so the suits would give him more money to make more movies. He sold out Firefly to serve his career goals. It's his show, he gets to do what he wants, but puh-lease don't excuse his dreams of $$$ by saying it's the medium's fault. No, it's Joss's.

Serenity pushed ALL the characters in the direction of over-sexed pulp cliches. Look what he did to Simon the timid, sincere doctor--gave him this absurd James Bond Super Hero make-over. So, yeah, sex up the crazy girl, why not?

Who knows how a real Firefly movie might have played? Joss went for the easy money and crapped out. Serenity is actual evidence that sex does not necessarily sell at all or we'd be dissecting Serenity 2 by now.

HKCavalier

Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

TWO

Thursday, June 17, 2010 1:40 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bytemite:
Maybe they're seeing a layer I'm not because they're attracted to that and I'm not. But until canon contradicts me, and we get more information, I can only conclude that the people the fetishizing is playing to are only seeing what they want to see. River doesn't strike me as someone particularly interested in any romantic foils at the time of the movie, so why would she be trying to sex up her looks? I think River might be trying to look pretty and "normal" in some way, but I don't see her as trying to impress anyone.

Fetishism? Is that about feathers? Surprised me to learn that, in abnormal psychiatry, it is sexual feelings excited by a nonsexual object. Is this River statue appealing to a Firefly fetishist? Will a normal person buy? The advertisement came in the mail today.
www.tfaw.com/Profile/Serenity-River-Tam-Limited-Edition-Maquette___367
614

[Edited after Bytemite (see below) gave me a clue.] What does Summer Glau think of this statue? Probably shocks the hell out of her. And her parents. And her sisters.

From the photo, QMx made River's breasts huge, raised her hemline high, spread her legs wide. Look at those bare thighs covered in delicious strawberry jam. Yummy! (I'm part Homer Simpson) QMx says it is, “...offering a sexier, more heroic take on Big Damn Heroes.” QMx turned River into a cast-resin sex fetish, which is very kinky of them. If you buy this statue, hide her from all the other women in your life for she is your secret River, for you alone.

There will be a label on River that says something like: “The materials used to decorate this product have been tested for lead content and conform to normal safety standards.” Be cautious about licking her.

The Joss Whedon script for "Serenity", where Wash lives, is
Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/two

BYTEMITE

Thursday, June 17, 2010 1:59 PM

It's also any off-mainstream style, fashion, or lifestyle that are fairly centered around sex or emphasis on particular traits in partners. Like BDSM, or the vampire scene. And some kinds of otaku, especially when they obsess over characters and real people idols to a, erm, possibly unhealthy degree.

We're not talking abnormal psychology, we're talking the relatively normal(-ish?) attraction that some males feel towards dark, cute, and dangerous girls. I'm leaving out the underage thing for now.

Quote:
n.

1.
An object that is believed to have magical or spiritual powers, especially such an object associated with animistic or shamanistic religious practices.

2.
An object of unreasonably excessive attention or reverence: made a fetish of punctuality.

3.
Something, such as a material object or a nonsexual part of the body, that arouses sexual desire and may become necessary for sexual gratification.

4.
An abnormally obsessive preoccupation or attachment; a fixation.

We're using it as kind of a mix between 3 and 4. It's really the only way to describe some kinds of fan fixation on particular personality types and/or appearances.

AURAPTOR

Tuesday, June 22, 2010 4:48 AM

You know, River was a " 17 yr old girl " for a damn long time.

She'd eventually have to grow up...

I'm just sayin'.

BYTEMITE

Tuesday, June 22, 2010 5:21 AM

She's mentally a 14 year old. The question is if she's trapped as a 14 year old by her madness.

She might be.

I mean, point about the disturbing possibility that River might be fetishized for THAT too, being underage. Erk. But at the same time, that's how I see River continuing to be like. I don't see her character arc is one about "growing up."

Look what she's been through. I'd say she's mature, or at the very least, not naive. That doesn't make a relationship with her right, though, nor is her getting into a relationship another expression of her "growing up."

She's very damaged. I don't see her arc going towards romantic relationships at all. She's a MacGuffin Girl. She's there possibly to gain confidence in herself and overcome her fears long enough to get retribution on the people who made her the way she is and to make things right. She's also likely to die doing so.

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