Wicked Witch of the....WHAT?!?!?!

Can we just take a second to discuss how fucking grotesque this is?

This promotional poster from Sam Raimi’s “Oz: The Great and Powerful” showcases the film’s antagonist, and iconic movie villain; The Wicked Witch of the West. In a low-cut dress. With digitally enhanced cleavage.

Really? 

No, seriously. REALLY?

The highly sexualised depiction of women in the media is already something that I find a gigantic issue, but this is the sexualisation of, not only what is meant to be a grotesque character, but also one of the most frightening and iconic movie villains of cinematic history.

I fully understand the need to bring in a certain audience, and I understand that posters are designed for a primarily male gaze (which is an entirely different issue). But who in their right mind thought that giving The Wicked Witch of the West a push-up bra was a good idea? Maybe the film makes her a sympathetic character, and showcases a characters decline into insanity, but the whole point of the character is that she is unappealing in every aspect. For want of a better description, she is evil incarnate.

We’ve had films recently such as “Snow White and the Huntsman” that play on the expectation of women in media, and the insecurities they face. No doubt years “Maleficent” will carry the same themes with Linda Woolverton helming the script. But from what I’ve seen of this film so far, this isn’t an angle they are taking, and so I just cannot comprehend the logic behind this image. The image of Margaret Hamilton’s witch (undoubtedly the most famous incarnation of the character) had her covered completely from head to toe, in a strict, sexless fashion. Because that’s what the character is supposed to be.

Even the book “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by Gregory Maguire features a description of the character’s pubic hair. But this isn’t there to sexually gratify the character, rather to create an alternate human image of a character that eventually becomes an iconic image of evil. 

What I’m really trying to say is: is this really where film promotion has lead us? To a point where we have to sexually  objectify even the most iconic and vile characters? Is the depiction of women in the media at a point where sexualisation is so unlimited that we will dress up even the most vulgar characters if it gets an audience? Cause if it is; I’M OUT!!