1. Feminism & The Male Gaze
Laura Mulvey

2. To look is seen as active
Introduction
Laura Mulvey – Male Gaze
Influenced by Freud & Jacques Lucan, Mulvey sees the representation of woman in film & literature (and therefore society in general) as being dominated by a male point of view. Her belief is that the world is a patriarchy and that men have the ‘active’ roles and woman ‘passive’
To look is seen as active

3. Traditionally Men play active roles which drive the narrative
Women play passive roles and are seen as erotic objects which slow the narrative
Men far outnumber women
Female roles are sidelined
Lead roles for women scarce

4. Stereotypes
Bimbo
Female’s physical attractions such as figure and breasts to overpower the male
Easy
House wife
Mother
Intelligent yet willing to settle down

5. Male Gaze
Two distinct modes of the male gaze of this era: voyeuristic and fetishistic
Mulvey argued that women where given two characters types - sexually active female & powerless female
Films presented images of women that were produced simply for the gratification of male viewers
Various studies in the 1970s found men to be the dominant characters and decision makers in film and TV production

6. Importance?
Where women had important roles they were far more likely to be shown as…
- frightened
- in need of protection and direction
- offering support to the male lead character(s)
- not independent or self driven
- generally weaker
- still objectified sexually
“Women, in any fully human form, have almost completely been left out of film….” L Mulvey

7. Fighting Back
Ripleys role is reflective of feminist ideology. Throughout the Alien series, we see her character grow, change, develop and mature to meet and tackle each situation placed before her.
Challenges cultural norms
Lt Ellen Ripley introduced viewers to their first self-reliant and successful science-fiction heroine
Ripley encounters difficult situations which challenge her femininity
Still shown as sexual object to both audience and characters
She has to fight against the patriarchal ideology of the Company, different kinds of male figures and of course, against the Alien
Distinctive references to gender roles, especially to women's status in the world and to motherhood

8. Changes in society
As women's roles change so does media representation. Still objectified but also likely to be…
Career driven
Intelligent
Confident
Empowered
Able (violent)
Remember changes may be made cynically and in order to make money rather than change ideologies
How many female action stars who are not attractive?
How many older female stars V male?

9. A Terminators Feminist Timeline
T1 – Sarah Connor is hysterical, screaming, in need of rescue
T2 – Strong, empowered, able to hold her own against Arnie
T3 – We have female terminator TX (uses femininity to advantage)
Terminator: Sarah Connor chronicles – save the world

10. A Modern Representation?

11. Uma Thurman represented as powerful and dominant and independent
Sword stands in for and castrates phallus
Adopts male characteristics of aggression
Not masculinised yet in masculine roles
Use of low angles, and a masculine performance

12. Conforms to Mulvey’s theory - job of seeking revenge family is given to the female character thus conforming to stereotypes where women are seen to be possessed with family and emotional
Tight outfit allows objectification
Voyeuristic pleasures by watching Thurman on her killing rampage
Remember male director/industry may still mean male ideologies