Female Gaze vs. Male Gaze - Has There Been a Change?

It’s no secret that women have long since been objectified in Hollywood films. Surely though, in 2010, you’d have thought all that was behind us? Laura Mulvey’s still controversial article ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’ published in 1975 first coined ‘The Male Gaze Theory.’ The theory highlighted how, in the majority of mainstream films, the audience are required to view the film from the males perspective.
However, slowly trickling in are examples of ‘The Female Gaze.’ A nod to the female audience. This however, is much, much rarer. Why? Because big blockbuster Hollywood films are generally manned (no pun intended) by men, meaning the films themselves are naturally more masculine.
A phenomenon of late, Twilight (2008), is a film that has the Female Gaze. Directed by a woman, Catherine Hardwicke, with the screenplay written by a woman, Melissa Rosenburg, adapted from a book written by a woman, Stephenie Meyer. With all the significant ‘creatives’ behind the film being women (which is a rarity) the film has a distinctly female feel to it. Lingering shots on Edward’s (Robert Pattinson) eyes, and even Bella’s (Kristen Stewart) clothing is comfortable and pretty, as opposed to clingy and sexy, which is what you expect of the female characters in films these days. The Female Gaze in Twilight is subtle, with emphasis on the eye connection and loving stares between Edward and Bella, this is hugely contrasted by the sequel, New Moon (2009).

The contrast stems from something obvious - the director was male. The Twilight Saga: New Moon director Chris Weitz took the helm of the franchise knowing its core audience are females, so to appease them, he too tried to put in the Female Gaze. This was done by scene after scene of half-naked Werewolf action.

This actually got a lot of stick from both critics and non-fans, but the blatant use of showing off their bodies is no different to how women have been portrayed for years. Take Transformers (2007) for example, Megan Fox’s character doesn’t really bring a whole lot to the plot or narrative of the film, she is there to look hot whilst working on cars or running away from the Autobots, and to be the prize girlfriend of Sam Witwicky (Shia Labeouf.) The nerdy kid bagging the hot misunderstood chick - there’s hope for you yet, Fanboys. All blatant Male Gaze.


However, Hollywood bosses are taking note that women watch films just as much as men, therefore, even in predominantly male targeted films, they’ll be the odd bare torso to keep the ladies happy. Or in the case of 300 (2007), lots of bare torso’s, even though the film was violent and bloody and very much male orientated, the fact Gerard Butler had no shirt on for practically the whole movie evened it out a bit.
Similarly, in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), Angelina Jolie see’s Daniel Craig naked in the shower. Did that have to be one of Daniel Craig’s first scenes in the film? Was it a pivotal scene? No, but it was there as part of the Female Gaze, in a film bursting with Male Gaze (Do Lara Croft’s clothes really need to be that tight?)
Staying with Daniel Craig, in Casino Royale (2006), the director Martin Campbell, replicates the beach scene in Dr. No (1962). However, this time it is James Bond, a man, that walks out of the sea in just his little speedo’s, opposed to the 1962 first Bond film where Sean Connery’s James Bond (and all the male audience) can get a good look of the female actress, Ursula Andress, in her little bikini. This was done to re-establish the Bond franchise among a modern audience, an audience that wouldn’t warm to the misogynistic and womanizing Bond of previous films, therefore both the character and the way the films were constructed had to change to attract a new audience, including women.
The magazine Empire said ‘A triptych of some of the best of Bond gratuitousness (a quantity never in short supply). It's the witty twists on a Bond standard that make this one: from Ursula Andress' original encapsulation of everything a Bond girl needs (beauty, bikini, knife), through Halle Berry's orange update, to Daniel Craig's feminist inversion.’


And of course, the classic ‘Rom Com‘, or ‘Chick Flick’ either way they are most definitely films targeted towards women. Chick Flicks tend to be films about love and relationships, or shopping and fashion, things all women care about, apparently. However, even in Chick Flicks there are still instance of the Male Gaze, for example in Pretty Woman (1990).

This film was directed towards women and was supposed to be a story about love and relationships. But, when you look at it closer, Julia Robert’s character is pretty much always dressed scantily clad, and yes, her character is a prostitute, but showing off her body at any chance they can is blatantly Male Gaze. This is because most directors and writers within Hollywood are men, and the style and way they make movies has been ingrained in everyone so deeply it is just the natural way for people to both make and view a film these days.