WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND BY THE ‘MALE GAZE’

WHAT IS THE GAZE

• The concept of the gaze is one that deals with how an audience views the people presented.

• The basis of the male gaze- How men look at women- How women look at themselves- How women look at other women

BACKGROUND

• Laura Mulvey discovered the ‘Male Gaze’ in 1975. Her beliefs were that the audience for film or in this case music videos have to view people through the eye of the heterosexual male.

THE ‘MALE GAZE’ IN PRACTICE

• The key features of the ‘Male Gaze’, is that when viewing a female, the camera stays on the women for extended periods, especially on areas that supposedly a heterosexual male would be looking at.

• Events that occur during the music video involving the women, are followed by the reactions of a male.

EXPLANATION• Film has been called ‘an instrument of the male gaze,

producing representations of women, the good life, and sexual fantasy from a male point of view’. From this analysis, I understand that the Male Gaze relates to how more and more Music videos have become about heterosexual male fantasies with the camera shots and angles representing the male point of view, suggesting that what is shown on camera is what males want to see, and how men would look in situations such as those presented in the music videos

EVIDENCE• It is noted that music videos are heavily associated with

scopophilia – the pleasure involved with looking at other people’s bodies as erotic objects. The evidence for this can be seen in many modern music videos. 50 Cent’s music video for the song ‘Candy Shop’ is a prime example as the music video is about 50 Cent dreaming that he went to a playboy like mansion with lots of women wearing minimal clothing and dancing in front of the camera. In other words a heterosexual mans fantasy.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO MEDIA STUDENTS

• This is important for us media students, because it allows us to see how Music videos are slowly changing, along with their contents. We can see how modern music videos are made and use ideas/conventions to put into our own music videos.

ANALYZE MILEY CYRUS’ NEW MUSIC VIDEO – FOCUSING ON FEMALE

REPRESENTATION. DOES IT SUBVERT OR CONFIRM THE MALE GAZE IN

YOUR OPINION?

OPENING SHOT

Bright Red Lipstick gives off a sexual vibe to the viewers. When combined with Miley’s Blue eyes and Blonde Hair, Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory is confirmed as these features are the typical favorite features for a heterosexual man.

This Shot further supports Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory, as it links with the idea music videos link with scopophilia (The pleasure involved with looking at another person as a sexual object). By Miley being fully unclothed apart from some shoes, males will look at Miley in a sexual manner.

The ‘Doc Martins’ in this shot counteract the ‘Male Gaze’ theory, as they are typically very manly working boots.

The Sledge Hammer complements this interpretation, because again a sledge hammer, is a heavy tool used typically by men. This gives Miley a sense of empowerment and makes her appear a stronger women, instead of a sexual object.

This shot heavily supports Laura Mulvey’s concept of the Male Gaze, as a key element to the male Gaze in action is extended shots going over female body parts. In this case, we can see Miley’s bum. The shot is clearly in the music video so that we can see Miley’s bum, as it would excite a heterosexual viewer. The way Miley lays on her back is also quite submissive, making her appear innocent to the viewer.

This is yet another shot that supports the Male Gaze theory as Miley is licking the sledge hammer, which could be symbolized as male the genital. This is one of the key shots that supports the theory as it is a shot a heterosexual male would want to see as opposed to a woman.