Laura Mulveys' theory

Laura Mulvey and the male gaze summary

Laura mulvey and her theory of the male gaze influenced by the works of Freud,is key to the feminist film theory movement and has been of great influence since the mid 1970's. mulvey argues that in classic hollywood films in particular women are merely represented to provide visual pleasure to mem, and the audiance is constructed in a manner where they are all expected to be men. this male gaze is both voyeuristic and fetishist. her concept of "to-be-looked-at-ness", exemplifies that women are merely shown on screen in classic hollywood in order to provide men with visual pleasure and have an erotic impact. Mulvey argued that the typical key protagonist, by identification, admiration or aspiration. therefore the audiance member gains narcissistic pleasure (gratfication) from identifying with the films protagonist, placing themselves "in the shoes" of the films hero. Further the influence of freud an influential phychoanalytical theorist to Laura Mulveys theory is the idea of castration anxiety which is what a person unconsciously thinks. For example if a woman was not objectified in the way she was in classic Hollywood or placed in a postion of lower authority, a male would not feel as powerful. this unconscious idea is that a males power and dominance over a female is his penis, nd his dominance is threatned by a woman if she does not arouse this.