Audience Theory

Feminist Film Theory and Audiences

Laura Mulvey

• British feminist film theorist 
• Professor of film and media studies
• Published essay in the influential journey screen entitled 'Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema'

Laura argues that we live in  patriarchal society and therefore cinema, television and other media cultures reflect a patriarchal society. 

The male gaze

The gaze of the camera is the male gaze. The male gaze is active, whereas the female gaze is passive. Within the narrative male characters direct their gaze towards female characters. 

This clip clearly shows the active male gaze and also provides an example of the triple gaze...

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The triple gaze 

The spectator is made to identify with the male gaze.

Audience -->  Camera --> Male --> Female 

The Audience

The audience is constructed in such a way that they are compelled to 'gaze' from a male point of view. Women are forced to look at the text as though they were a male member of the audience; thus linking back to suture. 

Agency

Unlike the passive female character, the male protagonist has agency in classical hollywood cinema. He is the active and powerful agent around whom the dramatic action unfolds; as he moves the plot forward. The female character however, is only the object of desire for the protagonist and the audience. 

There have only been a few rare occurances where the agency rule is broken, including the example of Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games. 

 Erotic Desire

Mulvey also argues that women have two roles in classical cinema

1. As an object of erotic desire for the characters 

2. As an object of erotic desire for the audience

Not only is this seen in films but can also be used to describe music videos.