Laura Mulvey's Male Gaze theory, introduced in her influential 1975 essay Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema, critiques the way cinema traditionally presents women as objects of male desire and power. Mulvey, a feminist film theorist, argued that mainstream cinema is structured to cater to a male, heterosexual audience by positioning women as passive objects to be looked at, while men are portrayed as active subjects in control of the narrative.

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The Male Gaze is based on three key components:

1. The Camera's Gaze: In traditional cinema, the camera often adopts the perspective of a male character, emphasizing the sexualized gaze upon female characters. This creates a visual experience where the audience, particularly male viewers, are invited to share in the voyeuristic pleasure of looking at women as objects of desire.

2. The Male Character’s Gaze: In addition to the camera's gaze, the male characters within the film also act as the subject, controlling the narrative and viewing women as objects to be desired, possessed, or acted upon. This reflects broader societal power dynamics, where men hold dominance over women both in the diegetic world of the film and in real life.

3. The Female Gaze: Mulvey suggests that the female character, by contrast, is often constructed as passive and objectified, existing mainly for male pleasure. This representation limits women's roles in cinema, reducing them to mere objects of the male gaze, with little agency or subjectivity.

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Mulvey’s theory has been hugely influential in feminist film criticism, shedding light on the power imbalances inherent in visual media. It has also inspired further exploration of alternative forms of representation, calling for more diverse and empowered portrayals of women on screen. Critics have expanded on her ideas, exploring how the gaze operates not just in film, but in other visual media as well.

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1. What is the Male Gaze, according to Laura Mulvey?

2. How does the Male Gaze theory explain the representation of women in traditional cinema?

3. In Mulvey’s theory, what role does the camera play in creating the Male Gaze?

4. How does the Male Gaze relate to power dynamics between men and women in film?

5. What is the difference between the "male character’s gaze" and the "camera’s gaze" in the Male Gaze theory?

6. How does Mulvey argue that women are often portrayed in cinema, and what is the impact of this portrayal on female representation?

7. Can the Male Gaze be subverted or challenged in films? Provide an example or explanation of how this might be done.

8. How has Mulvey’s theory influenced modern film criticism and representations of women in media?

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Applying Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory to the film posters for James Bond: The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) and Spy (2015) reveals distinct ways in which gender and power dynamics are represented through visual media. The Male Gaze theory, which argues that women are typically portrayed as passive objects for male desire, can be seen in both posters, but with different outcomes reflecting each film’s tone and approach to gender.

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James Bond: The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)

In the poster for The Man with the Golden Gun, the Male Gaze is strongly evident. The poster prominently features Roger Moore as James Bond, standing in a confident, powerful pose, with his gun in hand and a sensual woman—Mary Goodnight—leaning suggestively against him. The female character is positioned to enhance Bond’s masculinity, emphasizing her sexual availability rather than any agency of her own.

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• Camera's Gaze: The composition of the poster invites the audience (particularly male viewers) to admire both the male hero and the sexualized female character. The woman's body is framed in a way that accentuates her curves, with her face looking up at Bond in a submissive, almost worshipful pose. This reinforces the idea that women are objects for male pleasure and admiration.

• Male Character's Gaze: Bond's gaze is directed slightly off-screen, exuding confidence and dominance. His stance and positioning indicate power, while the woman’s body language signals submission. Her physical closeness to Bond places her in the role of an object of desire, with little active role or agency.​

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This poster reflects the traditional representation of gender in action films, where women are typically seen as trophies or passive objects to be won or saved by the heroic, male protagonist.

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Spy (2015)

In contrast, the poster for Spy, directed by Paul Feig, takes a more satirical and subversive approach to gender roles, particularly through the lens of the Male Gaze theory. The poster features Melissa McCarthy’s character, Susan Cooper, in a bold and comical pose, with her arms crossed and a determined look on her face. She is positioned at the center, surrounded by male characters, but in a way that challenges the typical power dynamics.

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• Camera's Gaze: Although McCarthy’s character is in the center of the poster and dressed in a slightly glamorous, spy-like outfit, the gaze is not sexualized in the same way as it would be for a Bond film. The camera angles and composition do not emphasize her body or sexual appeal. Instead, the poster focuses on her as a strong, capable character, subverting traditional representations of women in action films.

• Male Character's Gaze: The male characters surrounding her on the poster (including Jude Law and Jason Statham) are secondary to McCarthy’s central position. While their gaze may still be directed toward her, they appear more as support roles rather than the primary source of the narrative drive. McCarthy’s character is portrayed as both comical and competent, overturning the usual trope where women are depicted as secondary, sexualized objects in male-dominated action genres.

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In Spy, the film and poster challenge the Male Gaze by focusing on the female protagonist’s strength and agency, instead of her being defined by her relationship to male characters. This subversion is key to understanding how the Male Gaze operates and how it can be contested in modern cinema.

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Conclusion

The James Bond: The Man with the Golden Gun poster clearly reinforces traditional Male Gaze dynamics, with the woman positioned as an object of male desire and the male hero at the center of the action. In contrast, the Spy poster uses McCarthy’s character to challenge these conventions, presenting her as a powerful and central figure, which diminishes the focus on sexualization and emphasizes a more active, comedic role for the female protagonist. Through these two posters, we can see how Male Gaze theory can be applied to reveal gender dynamics and how modern films are starting to subvert traditional representations of women.

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