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Unveiling The Male Gaze: Impact on Cinema and Society

Explore Laura Mulvey's feminist perspective on the male gaze in film, its impact on gender roles, stereotypes, and women's representation in media. Discover how society's changes influence media portrayal and examples of feminist resistance.

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Unveiling The Male Gaze: Impact on Cinema and Society

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  1. Feminism & The Male Gaze Laura Mulvey

  2. Introduction • Laura Mulvey (born August 15, 1941) is a British feminist film theorist. Mulvey is best known for her essay, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”, in which she uses psychoanalytic theory to identify the influence of patriarchal society in relation to the film.

  3. Influenced by Freud & Jacques Lucan, Mulvey sees the representation of woman in film & literature (and therefore society in general) as being dominated by a male point of view. Her belief is that the world is a patriarchy and that men have the ‘active’ roles and woman ‘passive’ To look is seen as active

  4. Traditionally • Men play active roles which drive the narrative • Women play passive roles and are seen as erotic objects which slow the narrative • Men far outnumber women • Female roles are sidelined • Lead roles for women scarce

  5. Stereotypes • Bimbo • Female’s physical attractions such as figure • Easy • House wife • Mother • Intelligent yet willing to settle down

  6. Male Gaze • Two distinct modes of the male gaze of this era: voyeuristic (an obsessive observer of sordid or sensational subjects) and fetishistic (excessive attention or attachment to something). • Mulvey argued that women where given two characters types - sexually active female & powerless female • Films presented images of women that were produced simply for the gratification of male viewers • Various studies in the 1970s found men to be the dominant characters and decision makers in film and TV production

  7. Importance? • Where women had important roles they were far more likely to be shown as… - frightened - in need of protection and direction - offering support to the male lead character(s) - not independent or self driven - generally weaker - still objectified sexually • “Women, in any fully human form, have almost completely been left out of film….”L Mulvey

  8. Fighting Back • Ripleys role is reflective of feminist ideology. Throughout the Alien series, we see her character grow, change, develop and mature to meet and tackle each situation placed before her. • Challenges cultural norms • Lt Ellen Ripley introduced viewers to their first self-reliant and successful science-fiction heroine • Ripley encounters difficult situations which challenge her femininity • Still shown as sexual object to both audience and characters • She has to fight against the patriarchal ideology of the Company, different kinds of male figures and of course, against the Alien • Distinctive references to gender roles, especially to women's status in the world and to motherhood

  9. Changes in society • As women's roles change so does media representation. Still objectified but also likely to be… • Career driven • Intelligent • Confident • Empowered • Able (violent) Remember changes may be made cynically and in order to make money rather than change ideologies • How many female action stars who are not attractive?

  10. A Terminators Feminist Timeline • T1 – Sarah Connor is hysterical, screaming, in need of rescue • T2 – Strong, empowered, able to hold her own against Arnie • T3 – We have female terminator TX (uses femininity to advantage) • Terminator: Sarah Connor chronicles – save the world

  11. A Modern Representation?

  12. Uma Thurman represented as powerful and dominant and independent • Adopts male characteristics of aggression • Not masculinised yet in masculine roles • Use of low angles, and a masculine performance

  13. Conforms to Mulvey’s theory - job of seeking revenge family is given to the female character thus conforming to stereotypes where women are seen to be possessed with family and emotional • Tight outfit allows objectification • Voyeuristic pleasures by watching Thurman on her killing rampage • Remember male director/industry may still mean male ideologies

  14. Other Examples…. Vs Vs Evidence of the female gaze?

  15. Misogyny • What is it? ….

  16. TV Drama Example • Gene Hunt (TV Detective from Life on Mars, set in 1970’s Britain) talking about politics: 'THERE WILL NEVER BE A WOMAN PRIME MINISTER AS LONG AS I HAVE A HOLE UP MY A**E.'

  17. Misogyny • Misogyny – the contempt or hatred of women and girls. • Misogyny can be manifested in numerous ways, including sexual discrimination, denigration of women, violence against women, and sexual objectification of women.

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