The document discusses the concept of the "male gaze" in film theory. It was first proposed by Laura Mulvey in her 1975 essay, where she described how women in cinema are often presented as objects of desire from the perspective of the heterosexual male viewer. The male gaze suggests that women are portrayed and viewed as weak and for the visual pleasure of men. Examples are given of how camera shots often focus on the curves of a woman's body and how their actions and roles are viewed through a male lens.

1. Alex Harris

2.  In film, the gaze occurs when the audience is put
into the perspective of a heterosexual man. A
scene may focus on the curves of a woman’s
body, putting you the viewer in the eyes of a
male.
 It’s a concept which was originally used in film
theory in the 1970s but is now used more widely
with media theorists.
 “The male gaze” can be traced back to Mulvey’s
essay “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”
which was published in 1975.
 Mulvey describes women in film as objects of
the gaze – meaning women on screen are seen as
the objects of desire.

3.  Mulvey believes that film audiences have to
view characters from the perspective of a
heterosexual male and this is the reason
women were seen more as objects.
 In the era of classical Hollywood cinema,
audiences were encouraged to identify with
the protagonist of the film- who was usually
male.

4.  Camera concentrating on the curves of the
female body.
 Anything that happens to a woman is presented
largely in the man’s reactions to this event.
 The film degrades the woman to the extent of
making her an object or possession.
 Female viewers must experience the narrative
secondarily by identification with the male.
 The gaze suggests that women are weak and
defenseless.

5.  Men looking at women:
Men tend to look at the ‘curvy parts’ of women. Like the
idea that men don’t tend to look women in the eyes, but
at other parts of their bodies. (Camera in films sometimes
focuses more on the women’s bodies.)
 Women looking at themselves:
Women are made to look at themselves in a negative
way, picking fault with parts of their appearance
when they see how women look in the media; when
they have been airbrushed. It triggers a lack of self
esteem and makes women aspire to be like models in
magazines or on TV. Women become reflective.
 Women looking at women:
Women can look it other in a sexual way. But mainly
they judge and compare themselves to other girls.
e.g. Looking at what another girl is wearing and then
comparing it to your own clothing.

6.  Two and a Half Men episode-
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query
=megan+fox+two+and+a+half+men+&aq=f
 Starring Megan Fox
 Mid-Shot/ Close-up Shot of Prudence Shots focus
on her looks and figure.
 Clothing-revealing/ figure hugging
 Charlie and Alan – Men are literally drooling
over her
 Staring at Prudence… can’t keep their eyes off
her.
 Even Jake (young boy) is shown looking at
Prudence… implies all men treat women like
objects.