Alicia Malone [Malone - Backwards and in Heels

Copyright 2017 Alicia Malone.

Published by Mango Publishing Group, a division of Mango Media Inc.

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BACKWARDS AND IN HEELS : The Past, Present and Future of Women in Hollywood

Library of Congress Cataloging

ISBN: (paperback) 978-1-63353-617-3, (ebook) 978-1-63353-618-0

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017910268

BISAC category code : PER004030 PERFORMING ARTS / Film & Video / History & Criticism

Printed in the United States of America

For my fellow movie geeks.

Alicia Malone gives me hope for the future of film appreciation. Her knowledge and curiosity are matched only by her enthusiasm for all things cinematic.

Leonard Maltin

Alicia is a wonderful human whose voracious appetite for, and knowledge of, cinema and its history is immense and passionate. I cant think of anyone more suited to dig into this very important part of the story of film.

Elijah Wood

Alicia Malone has opened my eyes to stories and stats about Women in Film, making me recognize the constant prejudices and imbalances that occur in the film industry even today, but also the ways in which women have been and continue to be celebrated. Proud to be a fellow feminist for film!

Maude Garrett , Founder of GeekBomb.com

Over the years since we both moved here from our respective home countries to report on film, Ive watched Alicia Malone grow more and more passionate about the roles women play in the modern movie industry, and what she can do to help better this. Alicia is talented and has a natural love of cinema, to be sure, but shes also dedicated to sharing her insights and knowledge in such a way that you cant help but fall in love with film all over again!

Nadia Neophytou, Entertainment Reporter

A fresh and passionate voice that makes us fully aware of the tremendous contributions of women to movies, while giving urgent notice to the stubborn slights and oversights of the film industry and reminding us of the job that remains to be done. A timely and important work of cultural criticism.

Molly Haskell, Film Critic and Author of From Reverence to Rape

Alicia is one of those movie lovers equally adept at discussing Neo from The Matrix and Italian Neorealism. Her enthusiasm is infectious; I cant imagine anyone better equipped to welcome a new generation of young women into the world of movies. With Backwards and in Heels , shes done it.

Ben Mankiewicz , Primetime Host, Turner Classic Movies

Alicia Malone is the champion heroines of cinema deserve. Illuminating, insightful, occasionally maddening, Backwards and in Heels is required reading for anyone who wants to call themselves a film fan.

Sasha Perl-Raver , Host, FX Movie Download

Alicia Malones expert perspective and inspired, informative take on film history make Backwards And In Heels a must read. An outspoken advocate for women in film and an ardent lover of cinema, here she is actively changing the conversation around womens achievements in the business with wonderful insights, wisdom and wit.

Miri Jedeikin , Host, Uproxx

Women have been creators in the film industry since its inception. In Backwards and in Heels , you can feel Alicia Malones passion for highlighting the trailblazers who have deserved this kind of notoriety for decades. Any lover of film will appreciate this celebration of important figures who have made massive contributions to the art form.

Tiffany Vazquez , Saturday Daytime Host, Turner Classic Movies

Theres a slow but steady shift finally sweeping the industry to invest more in female voices. Having a tool like this fantastic book is invaluable for the continued growth and hope of future generations of creative women. Alicia Malone has been a true champion of female artists, exemplifying the passion, intelligence and class needed to bring people together and create positive change.

Amirose Eisenbach , Radiant J Productions

Alicia is one of the most knowledgeable film fans I know. Her passion is infectious! Excited that so many people will get to experience that joy in her new book! Go read it in your heels!

- Tiffany Smith , TV Host and Actress

No one lives and breathes film like Alicia. Her passion and enthusiasm for these notable women is infectious and evident on every page.

- Josh Horowitz , MTV

Backwards and in Heels will leave you shocked by the behind scenes stories of misogyny and racism, inspired by the resilience women, and hopeful for next 100 years of female filmmakers.

- Jacqueline Coley , Black Girl Nerds

Table of Contents

After all, Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels - Ann Richards

When I think back to my childhood growing up in the suburban capital of Canberra, Australia, my memories are patchy at best. My friends sometimes try to remind me of the time when we did this or that together, but all I can do is stare at them blankly. The one thing that really stands out when I think back are the movies.

I remember our house being filled with movies, hundreds of VHS tapes with films my Dad had recorded from the television, piling up in precarious towers in our spare room; my Mum making trips to the local video store to get a weekly supply of movies; the living room with its multiple copies of Leonard Maltins Movie Guides; and my bedroom, plastered in film posters. From a young age, I was introduced to the magic that lay within movies, and this ended up transforming my life in so many ways. I would sit transfixed by the screen, watching the glamorous Marilyn Monroe, the icy Hitchcock blondes, and sassy Katharine Hepburn. I loved how these women were powerful, strong, sexy and vulnerable all at once. And sometimes, I related strongly to one of the characters on screen, like the young Liz Taylor in National Velvet at the time I too was obsessed with horses. Its a very powerful thing to see yourself or someone you would like to be reflected as the hero of a movie. She made me feel like I could do anything. And so, if you had asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up (after ditching the idea of a being an Olympic-level horse rider), my answer would have been, a film director. I wanted to create that same type of special magic, including inspiring heroes and fascinating stories that would appeal to future film buffs; to ignite the same love for movies that I had felt.

This continued throughout high school, when I challenged myself to learn more and more about the art of cinema. I devoured seven movies a week, read all the books I could get my hands on, and sat in the front row of film class, eagerly hanging on to every word the teacher said.