Study Task 1: Triangulation

Summary

In Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema, Mulvey (2009 [1975]) discussed about the difference between the roles of men and women in films, in a way that the male protagonist keeps the narrative going, while women disrupts the flow of the diegesis. Active-male and passive-female roles both contributes to the development of scopophilia for the audience. The female figure integrate sexual pleasure in male audiences and the male protagonist projects an ideal ego 'giving a satisfying sense of omnipotence' (Mulvey, 2009 [1975]), which leads to 'misrecognition' of themselves on the screen (Storey, 2008). However, McDonald (1998 [1979]) dismissed the idea of intentional sexual objectification of women in narrative cinema as he pointed out the inclusion of 'looks directed at the male body and also looks between male characters' in films. Nevertheless, he clarified that contradiction between star's image and the concept of eroticism could overturn the effect of constructing a look that eroticises his body. The women figure connotes the to-be-looked-at-ness, which is why when 'a woman performs within the narrative; the gaze of the spectator and that of the male characters in the film are neatly combined without breaking the narrative versimilitude' (Mulvey, 2009 [1975]). McDonald's argument reiterates Mulvey's male gaze theory in relation to the content offered by popular cinema as a male-dominated industry. Hence, the patriachal influence apparent in the narrative flows as means of escape from an 'unpleasurable re-enactment of the original castration complex' and to 'salvage pleasure' as proposed by Storey (2008).

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Class Discussion: Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema

Harvard reference

Mulvey, L. (2009[1975]) Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema in Visual and Other Pleasures, Basingstoke, Palgrave.

Contextual Facts about Laura Mulvey

• Article first published in 1975 coincides with the Women's liberation movement that started on the late 60s and persisted until the late 70s.
• Mulvey is a feminist film theorist, also an academic.
• Director of films in the field of avant-garde art cinema. An idiosyncratic persona.
• This essay is the most famous work produced by Mulvey because it is highly controversial gender-based critic, and it has been critically analysed and/or referenced by many other theorists, including those who wrote the other two articles.
• Uses psychoanalytic theories of Freud and Lacan as a 'political weapon' to critic Hollywood Films.
• She does not fully agree with the psychoanalytic theories. What she does is selectively choosing parts from the theory and tweak it to form new concepts which supports her tone of voice.

Key points

• Active/passive heterosexual division of labour in cinema.
• Active-male and passive-female according to male audience's perspective.
• Patriachy has its effects on culture. For instance, old pervasive potrayal of gender stereotypes based on the director's preference. It also affects how the layers of meaning in films are formed.
• Male gaze (the way in which the visual arts and literature depict the world from a masculine point of view, presenting women as objects of male pleasure)
• To-be-looked-at-ness of female physique extends beyond the narrative 
• Ego ideal projection of self into the protagonist male characters on screen.

Cine-psychoanalysis

Harvard reference

Storey, J. (2008) Cine-psychoanalysis in Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: An Introduction, 5th ed., NJ: Prentice Hall.

Contextual facts about John Storey

• Emeritus Professor in University of Sunderland's Center for Research in Media and Cultural Studies.
• Relevant research interests: cultural studies, especially cultural theory and cultural history and theoretical and historical approaches to popular culture
• In Cine-psychoanalysis, he analysed Mulvey's essay and explained the connections between the essay and the real world context.
• His book 'Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: An Introduction' is continually updated so that it is up to date to the current social context.

Key points

• Scopophilia involving sexual objectification and narcissism are manipulations apparent in popular cinema.
• Scopophilic elements in popular cinema is driven by male's defense mechanism against castration complex.
• Calling for film-maker to be objective, and make films that contains intellectual stimulation.

Stars and Spectators

Harvard reference 

McDonald, P. Reconceptualising Stardom in Dyer, R. (1998 [1979]) Stars and Spectators in Stars, pp.187-188, London: BFI.

Contextual facts about Professor Paul McDonald

• An academic, currently the Head of Department for Culture, Media and Creative Industries at King's College London.
• One of his research interests is commercial and legal dynamics of conglomerate Hollywood.
• Wrote a handful of books that accounted critical analysis of culture, media and film industry.

Keypoints

• Evidence shows scenes in movies contains recurring shots directed at the male body and also looks between male characters.
• Disavowal of the look diverts the potential of sexual objectification of the male characters in films
• Contradiction between star's profile and the concept of eroticism could overturn the effect of constructing a look that eroticises his body.