The Man Cave
directed by Sarah Legow

Program 2 | Experience Tells Us | Friday, April 24 | 8:30pm

The Man Cave, directed by Sarah Legow, is a delightful spectacle that combines stop motion with Susan Sontag’s essence of “camp,” giving us a film that is not only political but out-right fun. The film opens with multiple shots shown in quick succession of caves, already hinting to the viewer that the “man cave” of the title is not the typical leather couch and sports bar basement that the audience may be expecting.  

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We then hear a woman narrate a story about her youth, starting with two friends playing together at recess. The narrator tells of a time she was playing alone and her friend asks her what she’s doing, and the narrator claims to be pretending to be some sort of supernaturally power man-beast who can steal the underwear right off a woman’s body without her even noticing. The audience can see pictures of a variety of different kinds of women underwear decorating walls as the two young girls relish in their societal taboo game of pretend. The girls boast of where they’ll keep their stolen tampons and suddenly, the screen is filled with tampons in a stunning stop motion dance reminiscent of old Hollywood productions, such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The tampons dance red and bloody as a striking difference to the previously all black and white film, first shocking the audience and then by exuding so much joyous energy, invites them to join in the fun.  

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The Man Cave takes a shocking approach to feminism and the honesty and ridiculousness of girlhood. Some may find a story of young girls fantasizing about stealing underwear and tampons as perverse or unsettling, but the girls in the film don’t sexualize their actions at all. It is instead possible that the value of the stolen underwear is pushed onto the girls by adults, giving them the knowledge that these things are private. This principle twists the actual worth of those items to the girls and now they become valuable rather than embarrassing. The film uses many methods that may create feelings of discomfort and confusion; however, it shines as a flip of the gender norm and sings girls will be girls. 

- Analise Christina, BFA On-Camera Acting '26 Oklahoma City University​