Laura Mulvey's theory of representation suggests that traditional cinematic representation is based on the premise of the viewer being male and the characters on screen being female. This is what she calls "The male gaze" of cinema, the topic of her well known "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema". This means that the female characters are objectified and sexualized in order to satisfy the male viewer's gaze. Mulvey argues that this dynamic is reinforced through the use of traditional film techniques such as camera angles and shot compositions that highlight the physical attributes of female characters and present them as objects of desire and causes of visual pleasure.
Viewing is active
Mulvey's theory of representation also emphasizes the role of the spectator in the creation of meaning in film. We are not just passive consumers of narratives but rather active creators of their meaning. Mulvey argues that the spectator is actively involved in constructing meaning through their own subjectivity and desires. This means that the spectator is not a passive receiver of meaning, but rather an active participant in the process of meaning-making.
See also: Gaze Theory Explained
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