AbstrakThis article examines one hundred and fifty film flyers released between 1966 and 1998 and
identifies two overlapping trends in their depictions of women: the Sexual Woman and the
Sensual Woman. The former is marked by an emphasis on sexuality, which includes more
exposed skin, the use of phallic imagery, and the depictions of implied sexual relations, both
consensual and non-consensual. The latter is marked by modest clothing, a demure demeanor,
and an emphasis on the importance of romantic relationships between women and men. These
two archetypes, we argue, were determined by the films target audiences: the Sexual Woman
was used to advertise films to men, whereas the Sensual Woman was used to advertise films
to women. These flyers thus reproduced the state gender narratives and biases, but were
ultimately unable to conceal the fluidity of women and their bodies.
