Friday, 2 March 2018

Mulvey's Male Gaze Analysis

The Male Gaze Theory is constructed around Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema which is an essay written by Laura MulveyThis is an essay which continuously spoke upon the term “Male Gaze” which soon went on to become a very well know and discussed theory. In film, the male gaze occurs when the audience is put into the perspective of a heterosexual man; this often means that a woman will be objectified through the use of angles within the camera, showing off the curves of a women's body, putting the viewer in the eyes of a male. These curves and angles are often complimented with specific conventions of film such as slow motion, deliberate camera movements and cut aways.

This video portrays The Male Gaze Theory demonstrated in Movies and TV Shows:


Many films demonstrate Mulvey's Male Gaze Theory due to it capturing the attention of most males, which is often through the objectifying of a woman through the use of angles within the camera, showing off the curves of a women's body; these curves and angles are often complimented with specific conventions of film such as slow motion, deliberate camera movements and cut aways.

In teen movies Mulvey's theory is displayed in either groups of girls or a single girl being objectified for the pleasure of males. In the video above it display's various teen movies that portray Male Gaze, this is through the use of minimal clothing, corsets, angles of the body in order to capture the eye of the male species.

Example of a film that portrays Mulvey's Theory:
  • Mean Girls: This scene from Mean Girls demonstrates the specific traits of Mulvey's Male Gaze Theory.

This specific scene from Mean Girls demonstrates the specific traits of Mulvey's Male Gaze Theory perfectly due to it portraying various angles of the body, focusing upon the female assets a male audience will find pleasure within, these assets are often shown in slow motion to make it more pleasurable for the male eyes. The camera also acts as if it is the eyes of the audience as it always follows the flattering curves in these ladies bodies. Mulvey's Gaze Theory focus' upon the objectifying of a woman and woman in film are shown in a seductive way for the pleasure of men. The girls also use their arms to push their boobs together to further emphasise them and create a line in between them which makes their boobs to appear bigger.

These are displayed through provocative dance moves within this specific clip of Mean Girls, each girl bends over revealing their cleavage which is pushed up to their chests emphasising their assets further. The girls also stick out their bums while the camera follows behind as if someone is standing behind them or they are preforming the act for the male audience, the camera follows them using a 'Medium Long Shot', this shot was used in order to focus on all 4 girls. A certain dance move that displays the most provocation is when the girls squat down with the legs open, showing the audience their pants. Applying Mulvey's Theory to this would suggest that the girls are inviting the males eyes and hinting upon sexual acts, making the four girls seem like objects to men.

The colour 'Red' is often linked to negative moods such as anger, danger and violence but in this clip the colour 'Red' is worn due to the holiday Christmas, however it the colour 'Red' could be linked to passion, desire and excitement all words that would describe the emotions that the male audience would feel during the duration of the provocative dancing conducting by the four girls.

The minimal provocative clothing, is suggestive that it is there for the viewers eyes, specifically for the eyes of heterosexual males. The slutty clothing is also complimented with provocative dancing displayed by the group of girls, every dance move shows off a different angle of their bodies. All four girls are emphasising their assets by pushing their bums out and sticking their chests out, to emphasise what they already have; this is in order to direct the males eyes where they want them to be.

Specific Shots:
  • Medium Long Shot: A Medium Long Shot also known as a {Three-Quarters Shot}. This shot frames the whole subject from the knees up, an intermediate shot between the long shot and the medium shot. This shot shows the subject in relation to the surroundings, and may be used when you have 2 or 3 persons in the frame.  

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