The Laura Mulvey Theory (Male Gaze)

Male Gaze

Laura Mulvey

The gaze is one that deals with how an audience views the people presented.  It can be viewed in 3 ways:

1. How men look at women
2. How women look at themselves
3. How women look at other women

The male gaze occurs when the audience is put into the perspective of a hetrosexual man. A scene may focus on the curves of a woman's body, putting you, the viewer, in the eyes of a male.

However, it is only the Male Gaze theory if these curves are highlighted with specific conventions, such as slow motion, deliberate camera movements and cut aways.


The theory suggests that the male gaze denies women human identity, relegating them to the status of objects to be admired for physical appearance. This 'masculinizes' the audience.

The theory suggests women can more often than not only watch a film from a secondary perspective and only view themselves from a man's perspective.

Often a female character has no real importance herself; it is how she makes the male feel or act that is the importance.

The female only exists in relation to the male.