SCOOP: Its not Phallic Imagery in Man of Steel, Its Yonic Imagery
After reading the headline, some might be wondering what is yonic imagery? The answer: It's the female version of phallic imagery. Or simply stated: the vagina. (Are we allowed to say that word on here? I don't know, but that's what it is.) The female organs have long been depicted in many forms as the inspiration for artists to express themes of fertility and birth. The use of the imagery dates all the way back to the Pleistocene era, with the oldest depiction of what is considered a woman's private region, through the ages to the Renaissance, up to present day. Having long been an inspiration for artists, yonic imagery has represented the start of a journey and renewal- or in the case of Man of Steel: rebirth.
The references to yonic imagery aren't gratuitous in my opinion, but it's there. Many fans have commented on these images, thinking they were phallic in nature
close, but wrong gender. And wrong organ for that matter.
In Part 3 of my interview with Mackenzie Gray we discuss the imagery, where it appears and how it is used. We also discuss the movies polarizing cinema scores.
MG: I dont know, but how many times did you see the film?
ME: Four times! (laughing)
MG: Theres a lot of Georgia OKeeffes art deco vaginal imagery all through Krypton, its in all the doorways, and everywhere. When I mentioned that I thought that was a theme, to Zack, he said Oh yeah it is! Come look at this, I got to show you this set. The film is all about re-birth. And I thought wow! The film isnt just about the re-birth of the franchise, but for Krypton. We go to Earth to try to create a re-birth of Krypton. Its essentially birth and re-birth. People are commenting on all the phallic imagery, but they missed the more obvious.
In the scene where were all being sentenced to go to the Phantom Zone, were all in these little pods, floor pods. The pod that they made for me was a bit smaller. I have to go stand in it. I thought this is kind of odd, maybe I was standing in it wrong. I stepped off of it and looked at it and I thought oh my god. Thats a vagina. I thought this was amazing. [...] I looked at them [all] and there were twenty of them. In the big spaceship, were all standing in them. So, I walked over to Antje, it was her first big day on the spaceship set, and I said Dont look now, but youre standing in a vagina. She looked down and then just completely lost it. [
] After that we began to realize every doorway we went through, all of our symbols on the walls, was in that imagery. We called ourselves the Vagina Gang.
ME: Interesting. Some fans have commented on and referenced the images they thought were phallic, they left the female anatomy out of it. But, it is interesting theyve referenced it in some way and youre talking about it, because there is actually a purpose for it in the movie. Its not meant to be graphic or inappropriate, but its more symbolism talking about re-birth.
MG: Its beautifully done. Its in so many of the images. When [Superman] walks out, finally, when you first see him with the cape and costume on, he comes down a long hallway into a round opening. Its literally a re-birth of him as Superman. I havent seen any critics pick up on it.
ME: Interesting. Well, its going to be discussed now! Ive seen it four times and its one of those movies that every time I see it, I see new things.
I feel very disappointed with how critics have rated the movie in comparison to how fans and movie-goers have rated it. It has an A Cinema score whereas the critics have scored it lower. Its very polarizing.
MG: I have a theory about that.
ME: I would love to hear it because Ive got multiple theories about it.
MG: On a lot of films, not just this one, they tend to tear them apart. In the old days, they actually had to go to a cinema and see it. Now they just send screeners and they watch it on a computer. They can stop it, rewind and keep looking at it. Its not the same as seeing it in a cinema, with 3D or the whole nine yards. I think thats how it was screened in Europe, I dont know about elsewhere so I may be saying what I dont know. When you watch a film on a computer, or even a TV, its not the same as sitting in a cinema looking at it in the size its meant to be seen in. Its a different experience. I think when you see it in a cinema it adds much more power.
