WEBVTT 00:00:08.119 --> 00:00:11.200 As a cultural critic, I watch a lot of movies 00:00:11.500 --> 00:00:16.900 and I'm always on the lookout for positive Hollywood representations of masculinity. 00:00:17.500 --> 00:00:19.780 I usually walk out of the theater disappointed 00:00:20.100 --> 00:00:25.300 but occasionally the stars will align, and I'll find myself pleasantly surprised. 00:00:25.460 --> 00:00:31.160 And that's how I felt after seeing Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. 00:00:32.820 --> 00:00:39.060 Newt Scamander, protagonist of this Harry Potter spin-off, is an unconventional male hero. 00:00:39.760 --> 00:00:44.120 The kind of character typically relegated to sidekick status. 00:00:44.780 --> 00:00:49.480 He performs a refreshingly atypical form of masculinity 00:00:49.640 --> 00:00:52.640 especially for the lead in a fantasy adventure story. 00:00:52.920 --> 00:00:58.380 His is a quiet, vulnerable, yet confident form of manhood. 00:01:00.100 --> 00:01:07.820 Newt's character is largely defined by his extraordinary ability to connect with magical creatures 00:01:08.920 --> 00:01:13.420 and by his relative inability to connect with other human beings. 00:01:15.700 --> 00:01:21.340 Newt is a Magizoologist. Essentially he's an expert in the care of magical creatures. 00:01:22.100 --> 00:01:25.740 His life work, his passion, is studying 00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:33.640 nurturing, and protecting these fantastic beasts, then writing textbooks in an effort 00:01:33.700 --> 00:01:36.600 to foster understanding and compassion for their plight. 00:01:36.600 --> 00:01:43.960 NEWT “They’re the last breeding pair in existence. If I hadn’t managed to rescue them, that could have been the end of Graphorns forever.” 00:01:44.140 --> 00:01:47.940 I should mention that this is not a Doctor Dolittle situation. 00:01:48.260 --> 00:01:53.440 Newt's bond with and affinity for animals is not supernatural in nature, 00:01:53.780 --> 00:01:58.800 even though that wouldn't be out of place in this universe. 00:02:00.620 --> 00:02:05.580 Instead he simply pays attention to them and their needs when others don't. 00:02:05.580 --> 00:02:08.820 NEWT “He had a cold. He needed some body warmth.” 00:02:09.100 --> 00:02:13.520 This is also not an "animal good, human bad" story. 00:02:13.960 --> 00:02:20.920 Even though he's painfully shy and socially awkward Newt's empathetic worldview extends to people, 00:02:20.980 --> 00:02:25.100 especially to those discriminated against or marginalized, 00:02:25.100 --> 00:02:30.740 as evidenced by his disgust at the way American wizards treat non-magical people. 00:02:30.780 --> 00:02:34.940 TINA "Mr. Scamander do you know anything about the Wizarding community in America?" 00:02:35.040 --> 00:02:40.500 NEWT "I do know a few thing actually. I know that you have rather backwards laws about relations with non-magic people. 00:02:40.500 --> 00:02:44.880 NEWT "That you're not meant to befriend them, that you can't marry them which seems mildly absurd to me." 00:02:44.940 --> 00:02:47.140 TINA "Who's going to marry him?" 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:54.200 He's strongly opposed to segregation, discriminatory laws, capital punishment, 00:02:54.200 --> 00:02:57.219 and other violence committed in the name of justice. 00:02:58.250 --> 00:03:01.800 Newts truly special gift is not his magic. 00:03:01.800 --> 00:03:04.889 It's his empathy. 00:03:05.269 --> 00:03:08.949 NEWT "All right, I'm coming. I'm coming. Mum's here. Mum's here." 00:03:10.420 --> 00:03:15.400 This type of quiet sensitive masculinity is so out of the ordinary for a leading man 00:03:15.400 --> 00:03:22.000 that I wasn't terribly surprised to see a number of movie reviewers turned off by his character. 00:03:22.100 --> 00:03:26.080 The New York Post said that Newt was "not a very engaging lead." 00:03:26.820 --> 00:03:32.100 MTV said he lacked "depth," "soul," and a "coherent personality." 00:03:32.540 --> 00:03:37.800 The Village Voice went so far as to say he seemed "physically ill" much of the time. 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:41.380 Slate felt that he was "a little boring." 00:03:42.020 --> 00:03:49.700 Both Slate and the New Republic lamented that the character "tamped down" Eddie Redmayne's charisma. 00:03:50.140 --> 00:03:53.860 The New Republic also expressed shock at his leading man status 00:03:54.040 --> 00:04:03.540 saying that he's so "good-hearted, simple and nondescript that it's sort of crazy he's going to be the centerpiece" of a five film franchise. 00:04:04.660 --> 00:04:10.140 I was disappointed, but as I said, not surprised to see this kind of reaction. 00:04:10.540 --> 00:04:15.420 We, as movie-going audiences, have been conditioned to expect a certain type of 00:04:15.460 --> 00:04:21.079 masculine performance from male characters in sci-fi or fantasy films. 00:04:22.360 --> 00:04:30.080 We expect leading men who are, or learn to be, autonomous, brazen, and physically strong. 00:04:30.540 --> 00:04:35.500 Or at least men who are witty, boisterous, and charismatic. 00:04:35.580 --> 00:04:38.360 Preferably all of the above. 00:04:38.360 --> 00:04:43.760 It's practically required for male heroes to hide their vulnerability. 00:04:43.920 --> 00:04:53.000 We've learned to easily forgive aggression and arrogance in men but to take exception at presentations of humility or sensitivity. 00:04:53.000 --> 00:04:59.000 We're accustomed to seeing men who are quick to violence and slow to diplomacy. 00:05:00.700 --> 00:05:03.900 Newt is a significant departure from this trend. 00:05:04.460 --> 00:05:11.200 His version of manhood doesn't stem from physical strength or combat skills or feats of daring-do, 00:05:11.700 --> 00:05:16.619 or even from some preordained mystic destiny like so many other male heroes. 00:05:17.440 --> 00:05:20.900 He's sincere, nurturing, emotional, and sensitive. 00:05:20.900 --> 00:05:25.360 NEWT "That’s definitely the Murtlap. You must be particularly susceptible." 00:05:25.860 --> 00:05:31.440 And critically that sensitivity is framed as a strength rather than a weakness 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:36.320 NEWT "Stay still. Alright, that should stop the sweating." 00:05:36.600 --> 00:05:41.940 When men in our culture express this kind of vulnerability, they're often labeled "weak" 00:05:42.220 --> 00:05:49.000 because nurturing and sensitivity are things that are stereotypically associated with women and with femininity. 00:05:49.340 --> 00:05:55.940 And by framing these attributes as positive and heroic aspects of a male adventure hero, 00:05:56.200 --> 00:06:01.580 it goes a long way to challenging regressive gender expectations. 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:08.840 Now in order for us to understand just how revolutionary Newt's performance of masculinity is 00:06:08.840 --> 00:06:14.980 it's useful to talk a little bit more about all the things he is not. 00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:23.960 Newt is a British Wizard who attended Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:27.660 But Newt is not Harry Potter. He's a Hufflepuff. 00:06:28.420 --> 00:06:31.660 EDDIE "Actually, no, I am a proud Hufflepuff!" 00:06:32.400 --> 00:06:36.980 The House characterized by friendship, hard work, and humility. 00:06:37.380 --> 00:06:43.400 Hufflepuffs are said to be more down-to-earth and less competitive than the other three wizarding houses. 00:06:44.460 --> 00:06:52.100 Harry Potter, on the other hand, was sorted into Gryffindor, the House known for daring, nerve, chivalry, 00:06:52.460 --> 00:06:55.500 and prone to a fair bit of showing off. 00:06:56.180 --> 00:07:00.940 As such, Harry fits neatly into the pantheon of traditional Hollywood heroes. 00:07:01.700 --> 00:07:04.089 His is the archetypal hero's journey. 00:07:05.540 --> 00:07:10.260 And we all know how these fantasy character arcs are supposed to unfold, 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:14.380 an unsuspecting young man has adventure thrust upon him 00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:20.160 and it turns out that he's the only one in the entire universe who can save the world. 00:07:21.880 --> 00:07:25.380 OBI WAN "Not as clumsy or random as a blaster". 00:07:25.380 --> 00:07:31.140 And thus he is transformed from shy nerdy guy into triumphant badass. 00:07:31.500 --> 00:07:37.380 It's not uncommon for this evolution to involve fighting with some sort of flaming phallus. 00:07:37.840 --> 00:07:41.700 By contrast Newt Scamander is not the "chosen one." 00:07:42.290 --> 00:07:47.200 He doesn't have some fated cosmic burden that he alone must shoulder. 00:07:48.880 --> 00:07:53.320 Some have compared Newt with Doctor Who because, well 00:07:53.420 --> 00:07:57.100 British, bowtie, and bigger on the inside 00:07:57.100 --> 00:07:59.900 but that's really where the similarities end. 00:08:00.100 --> 00:08:06.860 Newt does harbor a deep inner pain, but his personal struggle doesn't manifest as arrogance. 00:08:09.580 --> 00:08:13.980 [Newt's] not interested in showing off his power in grand gestures. 00:08:14.280 --> 00:08:21.660 DOCTOR WHO "So, all of time and space, everything that ever happened or ever will, where do you want to start?" 00:08:22.040 --> 00:08:29.040 Newt is a humble caregiver who's content with his personal goal, which let's remember is writing textbooks. 00:08:29.660 --> 00:08:35.469 Albeit magical textbooks, but still that's surprisingly unassuming for a fantasy adventure hero. 00:08:35.740 --> 00:08:41.419 This means that unlike Potter, Newt doesn't possess super-powered magic 00:08:41.799 --> 00:08:46.640 nor is he plagued with self-doubt about his abilities or his place in the magical world. 00:08:48.660 --> 00:08:50.940 TINA "Well, sit down Mr. Scamander. " 00:08:50.940 --> 00:08:53.940 He's a grown up already confident in his wizarding skills... 00:08:54.200 --> 00:08:55.680 TINA "We aren't going to poison you." 00:08:55.680 --> 00:08:59.860 ...even if he remains uncomfortable around others. 00:09:00.760 --> 00:09:07.680 And I suspect that this point might be another reason why some critics weren't so fond of this new Wizarding protagonist. 00:09:09.220 --> 00:09:11.020 BANKER "Can I help you?" 00:09:11.260 --> 00:09:17.760 I think there's an argument to be made that Newt exhibits the characteristics of someone on the autism spectrum. 00:09:17.760 --> 00:09:21.200 He's awkward in social settings. He doesn't like being touched. 00:09:21.760 --> 00:09:27.060 He feels intense empathy for others but has trouble connecting to people and making friends. 00:09:27.340 --> 00:09:31.580 And careful viewers will also notice his aversion to direct eye contact. 00:09:33.360 --> 00:09:37.800 The film's narrative never confirms this hypothesis one way or the other. 00:09:38.300 --> 00:09:41.600 Perhaps this is simply how Eddie Redmayne decided to play the character 00:09:41.940 --> 00:09:46.600 but whatever the case it's a testament to both the writing and the acting 00:09:46.840 --> 00:09:53.360 that Newt's social anxieties are not framed in the stereotypical ways we've come to expect from Hollywood. 00:09:54.780 --> 00:09:58.840 Characters like this tend to fall into a few specific archetypes. 00:09:59.180 --> 00:10:01.240 There's the Tormented Genius: 00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:06.960 a brilliant but insufferable character who's intelligent to the point of instability or mental illness 00:10:07.540 --> 00:10:12.420 which is often framed as "the price" he must pay for his extraordinary talent. 00:10:14.260 --> 00:10:16.720 There's the Mad Scientist: 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:23.160 a whimsical or bumbling character whose weird eccentricities are perhaps endearing to a degree... 00:10:23.340 --> 00:10:25.560 DOC BROWN "I'm gonna read your thoughts!" 00:10:25.560 --> 00:10:28.380 ...but are also played for comedy. 00:10:28.380 --> 00:10:30.740 And then there's the Sherlock Holmes archetype: 00:10:30.940 --> 00:10:40.680 a character possessing such a superhuman IQ that it leads to callousness and the inability 00:10:41.020 --> 00:10:44.800 or perhaps unwillingness to feel sympathy for other people. 00:10:44.980 --> 00:10:47.660 SHERLOCK "Shut up.!" INSPECTOR "I didn't say anything?" 00:10:47.740 --> 00:10:49.600 SHERLOCK "You were thinking. It's annoying." 00:10:50.040 --> 00:10:57.700 But Newt isn't too lost in his own mind or his own eccentricities to care about or empathize with other people. 00:10:58.040 --> 00:11:02.600 In fact, quite the opposite. His sensitivity is where he excels. 00:11:05.020 --> 00:11:14.780 Critically, Fantastic Beasts doesn't frame Newt's social anxiety as an obstacle he must ultimately overcome in order to be a true hero. 00:11:15.140 --> 00:11:20.740 The narrative doesn't require him to "toughen up" or learn to be more outgoing. 00:11:22.280 --> 00:11:25.600 Newt doesn't fundamentally have to change his way of being. 00:11:26.070 --> 00:11:32.510 And the people who become his friends are those who interact and engage with him on his terms. 00:11:36.740 --> 00:11:43.960 Newt does learn and grow over the course of his adventure, but it's a subtle more interpersonal growth. 00:11:43.960 --> 00:11:46.440 JACOB "Everybody knows Newt only kept me around because--" 00:11:46.600 --> 00:11:50.280 He learns to make friends, and he learns to trust them. 00:11:50.300 --> 00:11:53.360 JACOB "Newt, why did you keep me around?" 00:11:54.020 --> 00:11:56.020 NEWT "Because I like you." 00:11:57.680 --> 00:11:59.680 NEWT "Because you're my friend." 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:03.940 JACOB "Oh." 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:09.640 And establishing these deep human connections is the core of his character development. 00:12:12.500 --> 00:12:15.140 NEWT "It's been...um" TINA "Hasn't it?" 00:12:18.380 --> 00:12:24.400 The ending of Fantastic Beasts is rather anticlimactic compared to most other action fantasy movies and 00:12:24.700 --> 00:12:28.300 even compared to most other films in the Harry Potter universe. 00:12:31.060 --> 00:12:35.480 As expected, there's a final showdown with a powerful and destructive magical force 00:12:36.020 --> 00:12:39.880 but even here Newt's actions are guided by his empathy. 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:43.820 NEWT "I'm here to help you, Credence." 00:12:44.380 --> 00:12:47.160 NEWT "I'm not here to hurt you." 00:12:47.160 --> 00:12:55.680 Rather than besting his foe in an epic magical duel, Newt approaches the conflict with an eye for de-escalation. 00:12:57.160 --> 00:13:03.540 Of course, in the end the malevolent force is vanquished, but it's not done by Newt's hand. 00:13:05.200 --> 00:13:11.280 Even more surprising, this triumph of over evil isn't shown to be a cause for celebration. 00:13:11.560 --> 00:13:15.220 It is instead framed as a melancholy event. 00:13:16.760 --> 00:13:20.620 Melancholy because our heroes failed to save the monster. 00:13:21.560 --> 00:13:23.820 I feel like I might need to say that again. 00:13:24.260 --> 00:13:31.420 In this movie, defeating the monster is framed as a tragedy because they couldn't save him. 00:13:32.060 --> 00:13:37.480 A fittingly unconventional conclusion to an unconventional Hollywood Fantasy production. 00:13:40.069 --> 00:13:47.438 It remains to be seen if Warner Brothers has the guts to keep Newt as the protagonist throughout all five films in the franchise. 00:13:48.280 --> 00:13:54.300 For her part, J.K. Rowling has said that Newt will remain the star, at least for the next movie in the series. 00:13:55.100 --> 00:14:02.620 But within Hollywood, there is no doubt enormous pressure to shift the focus to a character who performs a more traditional 00:14:03.050 --> 00:14:08.139 and expected type of manhood. The studio has even hinted at demoting Newt's role 00:14:08.139 --> 00:14:13.319 And that would be a shame because we need more movies that center a gentle 00:14:13.900 --> 00:14:16.780 empathetic version of heroic masculinity. 00:14:19.420 --> 00:14:22.740 If you'd like to see more videos related to media and manhood 00:14:22.900 --> 00:14:27.600 hop on over to my Patreon page and help fund the Pop Culture Detective Agency.