Warning: Contains spoilers for Maxxine!
Maxxine has an odd connection to Theda Bara, and here’s why her Hollywood Walk of Fame star appeared in the film, as it ties back in PearlAnd why she is so important to T. West’s X Trilogy. Despite these X A franchise centered on fictional characters and a fictional story, the trilogy makes many references to real-life pop culture and figures, with the use of the Night Stalker in Maxxine Being one of the most prominent ones. Maxxines connection to Theda Bara is also incredibly significant, and here is what it means, explained.
T. West has finally brought his X Trilogy to an end with the release of 2024s MaxxineThe proper sequel to X which followed the original film and the prequel Pearl. Maxxine Picks up six years after the events of XFollowing Maxine as she tries to dodge the repercussions of her role in the Farm Massacre while also pursuing her acting career in Hollywood. Maxxine gives an even greater insight into the actresses and movies that inspired Maxine MinksAnd while she takes some notable examples, Theda Bara is one of the biggest.
Theda Bara was one of cinema’s first “sex symbols”
She was nicknamed “The Vamp”
Early in the events of MaxxineMaxine Minks can be seen standing on Theda Bara’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star, with the camera showing the actress’ name on the ground. Many viewers today may not know who Theda Bara is, but at the time of her stardom, she was one of the most notable figures in Hollywood. Theda Bara was an actress in some of Hollywood’s biggest silent movies, active from 1908 to 1926, retiring before sound films took off. Bara most famously starred in 1917s CleopatraAs well as films like He was a fool And Salome.
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One of the reasons Bara was so popular was that she was one of the first sex symbols in movies. Bara often played femme fatale charactersWith her frequent roles as a seductress that earned her the nickname “The Vamp”. Bara often wore relatively revealing clothes, with the films she starred in highlighting her beauty and sexuality. Like many actresses who have been seen as Hollywood sex symbols over the years, this made Bara a bit of a controversial figure, although this never stopped her from starring in massive movies with Fox Studios.
How Theda Bara connects to Maxine Minx’s career
She has a major thematic connection to Maxxine
MaxxineUsing Theda Bara tries to draw a thematic connection between Bara and Maxine Minx, and here’s how the two are alike. Both Bara and Maxine Minks are actresses who are known for their sexuality, although this is exaggerated in Maxine’s story. in the X The series, Maxine literally started by acting in pornographic films, with her then getting her star by appearing in Exploitation films like The Puritan II. However, the fact that she is a controversial sex icon in Hollywood draws a clear parallel with Theda Bara’s life.
The career trajectories of Theda Bara and Maxine Minx are also similar, with both having immensely rapid surges in popularity. After appearing in one film in 1914, Bara became an instant star in 1915, appearing in 10 films that year. Almost all of Bara’s major films were released between 1915 and 1919, with her career ending soon after. Although the end of Maxine’s career is not seen in MaxxineThe film shows that The Puritan II Causes her to break out as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, launching her career incredibly fast.
Theda Bara is a callback to Pearl in X
Pearl’s alligator is named Theda
Maxxine Actually, this is not the first time that Theda Bara has been referenced in The X Series, like the Hollywood Walk of Fame star actually functions as a recall to Pearl. in the Pearl Prequel, Pearl has a pet alligator that plays a big role in the story. The alligator is named Theda by Pearl, with it being a clear reference to Theda Bara.
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The fact that Pearl is an aspiring actress and the fact that the film takes place in 1918 means that the name of the alligator must be reminiscent of Theda Bara, further linking the actress to the themes of the franchise. Theda Bara is connected to both Maxine and Pearl, with her story having major parallels to both characters in Pearl And Maxxine.