Laura Mulvey's theory of the male gaze argues that in film and on camera, the audience perspective defaults to that of a heterosexual man, resulting in the objectification of women. Women are often depicted as erotic objects to be looked at and admired for their physical appearance, which denies them a human identity. The male gaze theory suggests that women can only watch films from the perspective of being viewed by men.

1. Laura Mulvey’s Theory
THE MALE GAZE

2.  Visual pleasure and Narrative cinema was an essay written by Laura Mulvey.
 The essay contained the term ‘Male Gaze’ which soon went on to become a very well
known and discussed theory.
 On camera and in film, the Male Gaze occurs when the audience is put into the
perspective of a heterosexual man. In the scene the camera may focus on the curves of a
woman’s body. This puts the audience in the eyes of the male.
 However it would only class as the Male Gaze theory if these curves are highlighted with
certain conventions such as slow motion and deliberate camera movements.
 The Male Gaze theory suggests that women are always seen in the perspective as being
objects to be admired for physical appearance. It also denies women of having human
identity.
 The theory also suggests that more often than not women can only ever watch filming of
their gender from a mans point of view, from a secondary perspective.

3. Mulvey states that women have two functions in a narrative piece of filming…
 As an erotic object for the characters within the narrative to view.
 As an erotic object for the views of the narrative to view.
Female objectification…
 This is linked in with the gaze.
 The women who are gazed at are objectified, they are treated as an object who's sole
value is to be enjoyed or possessed by the voyeur.
 Objectified characters are devalued and their humanity is removed.