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1 Arguments, Objections, and Replies in “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” Students Name Institutional Affiliation Course Instructor Date

2 Arguments, Objections, and Replies in “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” Laura Mulvey’s Main Arguments Laura Mulvey's groundbreaking piece "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema" recasts the conversation about representation and gender in film for academics and audiences. The idea of the "male gaze" in Hollywood blockbusters is central to her case (Mulvey, 1999). Mulvey uses psychoanalytic theory to show how Hollywood movies uphold patriarchal values by serving as a medium for perpetuating stereotypical power dynamics and gender roles. Mulvey stresses the contrast between male protagonists, who drive the story and carry the gaze, and female characters, who are passive observers. According to her, "Women are displayed as sexual objects is the leitmotif of erotic spectacle: from pin-ups to strip-tease, from Ziegfeld to Busby Berkeley…" (Mulvey, 1999, p.837). In her analysis of the male gaze, Mulvey distinguishes between fetishistic scopophilia (in which the female form is fetishized and transformed into a spectacle) and voyeurism (in which women are viewed with a controlled and interested gaze). These techniques are used to further women's objectification and male superiority. The mechanics of power are at play here, not just erotic gratification. Mulvey explores the role of cinema as a representational medium in Section II. She contends that women in conventional narrative films are portrayed not as active participants in the narratives they are shown in but as passive subjects of male desire, viewed through the authoritative and voyeuristic lens of the male character and, consequently, the male audience. The author also states, "True perversion is barely concealed under a shallow mask of ideological correctness — the man is on the right side of the law, and the woman is on the wrong" (Mulvey, 1999, 841). The statement implies that female characters in media are there to serve as subjects of the male gaze instead of as active individuals with their agency and desires. Psychoanalytic

3 principles, especially Freudian notions of scopophilia (the pleasure in gazing), lend credence to Mulvey's argument. To satisfy human curiosity, she believes, the cinema provides a safe space in which viewers can enjoy their voyeuristic impulses. Typically, men look, and women are just there to take it all in Hollywood films (Mulvey, 1999). Mulvey concludes that the dynamic has serious repercussions for the film industry since it normalizes and reinforces a patriarchal worldview in which women are permanently relegated to a subordinate role. Therefore, Mulvey's argument is more than just an analysis of recent film trends; it is a critique of a pervasive system of portrayal that serves to sustain gender inequality and strengthen patriarchal power dynamics. Film That Supports Mulvey’s Argument Michael Bay's "Transformers" (2007) is one movie that can be analyzed in light of Laura Mulvey's theory on patriarchal cinema and the masculine gaze. Although it is largely a science fiction action picture about a conflict between two alien robot factions, the movie is an excellent illustration of the pervasiveness of the male gaze in modern Hollywood, particularly in genres that tend to be targeted toward men. The fictional character of Mikaela Banes, played by Megan Fox, is presented in an archetypal scene of Mulvey's "to-be-looked-at-ness." At first, the character is shown leaning over the bonnet of a car at a sluggish pace while the camera focuses on her figure, revealing her midriff (Purse, 2020). Mikaela is a talented technician, but her intelligence and competence are downplayed in favor of her attractive looks and her status as the love interest of the male main character, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf). The representation is consistent with Mulvey's argument that women are typically presented in media as sexual objects for male viewers and characters. The camera repeatedly lingers on Mikaela throughout the Transformers film, establishing her as a target of masculine lust (Purse, 2020). Male characters, especially Sam, are shown to be voyeuristically fixated with her, a point emphasized by Mulvey.

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