The Modern Amazons

2006 book by Dominique Mainon and James Ursini

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The Modern Amazons: Warrior Women On-Screen

Author| Dominique Mainon and James Ursini
Language| English
Subject| Film history, warrior women, cinema, pop culture
Genre| Gender studies
Publisher| Hal Leonard Press/Limelight Editions

Publication date

| April 2006 (USA)
Publication place| United States
Media type| Print
Pages| 400
ISBN| 0-87910-327-2
OCLC| 63703060
Followed by| Cinema of Obsession: Erotic Fixation and Love Gone Wrong in the Movies

The Modern Amazons: Warrior Women On-Screen (ISBN 0-87910-327-2) is a non-fiction book documenting the evolution of the female action hero in cinema, television and pop-culture.[1]

The Modern Amazons was written by Dominique Mainon and James Ursini and published by Hal Leonard/Limelight Editions in 2006.

## Synopsis

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From Barbarella to Barb Wire, the book surveys public reception and interest in the "warrior-woman" and the Amazon archetype in media. The Modern Amazons is written from Mainon's perspective and balanced with academic analysis from James Ursini.[2]

The book explores representations of warrior women in film, television, and pop culture including:

* Raquel Welch in the prehistoric adventure fantasy One Million Years B.C. (1966)
* Pam Grier in the blaxploitation genre (including films like Coffy, Foxy Brown, and Sheba, Baby)
* Lucy Lawless as Xena in Xena: Warrior Princess
* Lara Croft, as portrayed by Angelina Jolie, in the Tomb Raider series
* Ellen Ripley, as portrayed by Sigourney Weaver, in the Alien franchise
* Martial arts warriors,, as portrayed by Angela Mao (Enter the Dragon), Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), and Cynthia Rothrock
* Sexploitation films, including the controversial Ilsa trilogy[3]
* Women as vampire slayers, superheroes, and supervillains
* Assorted television, cartoon, comics, and video game characters
* Relevant trends, style, and trivia[4]

Ursini and Mainon also examine feminist readings and sapphic text and subtext in media such as: the Powerpuff Girls, Tank Girl, G.I. Jane, La Femme Nikita, Alien, Pippi Longstocking, Pepper from Police Woman, and Clarice in The Silence of the Lambs.

## Reception

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According to reviewers, The Modern Amazons has "an authoritative style... free of pretension and stuffiness."[5]

## References

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1. ^ Alicia Eler "Women As Warriors" (Windy City Times, July 3, 2007)
2. ^ Staff - "The Modern Amazons: Warrior Women On-Screen" (Books to Watch Out For: The Lesbian Edition)
3. ^ J.R. Taylor - Packed, Stacked and on the Attack (Mr. Skin, July 1, 2006)
4. ^ Mary Cowper - "Reviewer's Bookwatch" (April 2006, Volume 6, Number 4)
5. ^ Gary Dowell - "B Movie Magic: Celebrating the Silver Screen's Tough Broads and One Mutated Superhero" (Baltimore City Paper, June 7, 2006)

## See also

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* Cinema of Obsession: Erotic Fixation and Love Gone Wrong in the Movies

## External links

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Wikiquote has quotations related to The Modern Amazons.

* Official Homepage Archived July 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
* Dominique Mainon's Web Site
* Baltimore City Paper
* Midwest Book Review
* Windy City Times Interview
* SirDotAlot Review Site

*[OCLC]: Online Computer Library Center number