The Male GazeThe Male GazeLaura MulveyLaura Mulvey

““Visual Pleasure and Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”Narrative Cinema”

What is the Gaze?What is the Gaze?

The concept of gaze is one that deals with how an audience views the people presented.

For feminists it can be thought of in 3 ways:

• How men look at women, • How women look at themselves • How women look at other women.

Gaze and feminist theoryGaze and feminist theory

Laura Mulvey coined the term ‘Male Gaze’ in 1975. She believes that in film audiences have to ‘view’ characters from the perspective of a heterosexual male.

Features of the Male Features of the Male GazeGaze

The camera lingers on the curves of the female body, and events which occur to women are presented largely in the context of a man's reaction to these events.

Relegates women to the status of objects. The female viewer must experience the narrative secondarily, by identification with the male.

“Stacy's mom has got it goin' on

She's all I want and I've waited for so long”

Watch the video and then be prepared for questions

Quick questionsQuick questions

What colour top was he and she wearing?

What is the colour of the car in the video?

How many prints are hanging on the wall in Stacy’s room?

What colour is the floating sun lounger?

What is the slogan on the boy’s t-shirt?

Why some of you might not have known the answers to all the

questions.

You were too busy looking at the woman.

Use of the Male Gaze in Use of the Male Gaze in everyday lifeeveryday life

Some theorists also have noted the sexualizing of the female body even in situations where female sexiness has nothing to do with the product being advertised.

Can you think of any examples of this?

Criticism of Mulvey and Gaze Criticism of Mulvey and Gaze theorytheory

Some women enjoy being ‘looked’ at e.g. beauty pageants.

The gaze can also be directed toward members of the same gender for several reasons, not all of which are sexual, such as in comparison of body image or in clothing.

Are there any ‘flaws’ in these arguments?

Categorising facial Categorising facial expressionsexpressions

Women:• Chocolate box• Invitational• Super-smiler• Romantic or sexual

Marjorie Ferguson (1980)

MenMen::•CarefreeCarefree•PracticalPractical•SeductiveSeductive•Comic Comic •Catalogue Catalogue

Trevor Millum (1975)Trevor Millum (1975)

Key theorists beliefs

Jonathan Schroeder (1998), “to gaze implies more than to look at – it signifies a psychological relationship of power, in which the gazer is superior to the object of the gaze.”

Charlie's Angels female Charlie's Angels female empowerment vs sexualityempowerment vs sexuality

Watch this clip and note down examples of female empowerment and sexuality.

Are they mutually exclusive?Does Shroeder’s belief apply to this trailer?