Lily Charkow, Arts & Life Editor–
“Woman of the Hour” is a film based on the serial killer Rodney Alcala, dubbed as the “Dating Game Killer.” In 1978, Alcala appeared on a dating show, and won, which is how he got his nickname. The film follows Alcala as he commits numerous murders and appears on the dating show.
Despite Alcala being a prevalent figure in the story, the film depicts him as a side character. The story is mostly told through the perspectives of female characters. This storytelling technique restricts the audience from feeling any sympathy for Alcala. The story focuses on two central (female) characters; Cheryl Bradshaw, a struggling actress, and Amy, an unhoused young woman. Amy is portrayed by Autumn Best, and Bradshaw is portrayed by Anna Kendrick, who also directed the film.
“Woman of the Hour” was Kendrick’s directorial debut. Kendrick employed many unique filmmaking techniques throughout the picture. A distinctive technique used by the filmmakers was a lack of sound. Moviegoers are accustomed to hearing sound effects or music, so the lack of sound assists the storytelling by causing a feeling of discomfort within the audience.
Whenever Alcala appeared on the screen, the audience was immediately uncomfortable. There were no efforts made by the filmmakers to gain sympathy for Alcala. The film was purposefully being told from the perspective of Alcala’s victims. This was most likely a result of criticism that some adaptations of true crime stories have received. But “Woman of the Hour” does not give critics the chance to do so.
The film focuses on Cheryl hoping to gain exposure as an actress from her appearance on a dating show. Cheryl serves as a symbol of the negative experiences many women experience. She has to constantly endure judgements about her body and general appearance. Cheryl also must dodge the sexual advances made upon her by various male characters. The picture also focuses on Amy, who is targeted by Alcala. Although both characters had different objectives and different lives, they mirrored each other. Both were strong women who were able to escape Alcala using their wits. It was a breath of fresh air to see strong female characters who were in control of their fate. It was also refreshing to see three-dimensional female characters.
Additionally, the film also follows a character named Laura, whose friend was murdered by Alcala. Laura was in the audience of the show when she suddenly realized that she recognized Rodney. Laura voices her concern about Rodney to her boyfriend as well as the police department. However, she is consistently dismissed. This represents the common occurrence of women failing to be believed by authorities or male figures in their lives.
The film effortlessly captures the feeling of fear that women experience everyday. Watching the story through a female point of view had a massive impact on the audience. There was a clear bias created against the character of Alcala. The film uses many unique storytelling techniques to express the viewpoints of the underrepresented. For Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, this was quite an impressive start.
Lily Charkow ‘27 is a creative writing major from Oak Park, Illinois.