[Shazbut]

I just simply compare the screaming, terrified girly of the 50's with the assertive, almost androgenous, Ripley's of today. (Ironically, an early draft of the script had Ripley as a man).

It's always been about good vs evil - and the hero always won.

Up to the 70's, women were still screaming and hiding behind the men but I think we began to see a slight shift, in that the hero was not going to experience a happy ending. It was better to have a negative ending to a film as opposed to good getting the better of evil.

I dont think the kick ass females today are there to satisfy the feminists - I think it's just a shift in mindset. But regardless of the likes of Sigourney Weaver being able to give us a feasible *female* action hero, we still maintain many men as the iconic hero - our Bruce Willis's, etc.. It just makes a nice change having the woman doing the action bit.

Apart from Sigourney, Geena Davies in "Long Kiss Goodnight" is another prime example.