women as seen through the male gaze in film

a video essay as part of my final project for my Cinema & Media History class ...

[son]

I love these tiny videos with no views getting recommended to me by the algorithm. You make good content!

[erinrising]

there's also a test called the Mako Mori test (after the Pacific Rim character) the criteria are:
a) at least one female character;

b) who gets her own narrative arc;

c) that is not about supporting a man’s story.

[lrt]

Nice video! I needed a more condensed version of the male gaze and it's effect on women in cinema for some projects I'm in, so this was really helpful.

[daniellaalouf]

Cut to 2023: “The Idol”.
Beautifully made video.

[carbonatedmayo]

I didn't know what the "male gaze" was till I heard it from a woman. I just see everyone as someone I don't care to interact with.

[alanaadornato]

Nevermind some of the sexist comments. You brought up fantastic points and great research to back them up! Keep up the good work!

[anthonykelly]

Today we have the opposite. Now all women are convinced they can beat up a group of trained men.

[jaehaywardkent]

great video!! even after 4 years studying film theory, i learnt a thing or two from this. great job👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[FightingTorque]

Good general overview of the concepts, but I don't think Jessica Rabbit belongs beside your other examples. Yes, she's putting on a performance in the scene you depicted where she is knowingly objectified (albeit one where she very much has agency over the men whose gaze she is under), but she's far more than a sexy lamp in the rest of the film; her conscious decisions and actions actively progress the plot.

[Ion_Motion]

I don’t see how this would help teach women how to look better

[joaodecarvalho]

What's wrong with being the object of desire?

[Zero-fhwb]

I feel like films that are structured around the male gaze, its more about exploiting the desires of heterosexual men more then it is for serving them. Its purpose is for attention grabbing, which is what films survive off of. Its essentially compensating for its shallow written stories.


I say this because the male gaze does the opposite of actually serving heterosexual men, it limits and hinders them if anything. The framing of women as sexual object, as objects of desire, can be seen as a disavowal, a form of avoiding any responsibility or obligation of desiring women for their overall human qualities rather then physical qualities, because of the baggage that comes with that attachment.


In addition to this, objectification isnt something unique done to women by men. Objectification in the US is something that the society promotes, this extends to concepts, ideas, groups, etc. Objectified, static things, are easier to exchange and sell.

The way things are structured in the west not only promotes objectification, but it most importantly, INHIBITS, humanization.

Humanization in its literal sense, and in the sense of accepting the fluidity and changing quality of things/ideas/concepts

[rishnasrasheed]

If women dont cover up, there is literally no way to change what ur saying. No wayy... even if films stop... if they walk on the roads men are ganna look. Not arguing they should. But what is womens solution to the male gaze?