Laura Mulvey - Male Gaze

Male Gaze Theory- 1975

How an audience view people presented
Feminist think of it in three ways
1) How men look at women
2) How women look at themselves
3) How women look at other women

Mulvey believes that in film, audiences have to view characters from the perspective of a heterosexual male.
Females only exist in relation to the male (LINK to bechdel test)

Mulvey states 2 functions of the female role
1) Erotic object for characters in narrative view
2) Erotic object for audience view

This is shown in the indie music video Bad Habit by The Kooks



The female character is dancing around seductively along with the cut away shots of her body which function is to please the characters watching her online through the webcam (also showing voyeurism) and also for the audience both male and women because according to this theory women view people in the perspective of the heterosexual male.

She says 'females act as an inspiration for males to act'
Male = active role (the looker)
Female = passive role (being looked at)

Scopophilia - the love of watching which derives from Freuds study of the 'Phyche'

Female objectification
'person gazed at - seen as an object to be enjoyed. Objectified characters are devalued.