Week 5 - Psychoanalysis & the Gaze
Philip Golub Reclining
Sylvia Sleigh
1971
My first response while viewing this painting during this week's discussion showed my unconscious knowledge I have about nude paintings. The instant I saw this painting I thought it was a woman and the fact that it could be a man never crossed my mind. This proves that in society we have an idea of nudity and that immediately goes to women. Even though I am a woman, this is also where my mind goes immediately. This painting is also just stunning to look at. I love the color palette and details in the background and Philip's face.
This week's reading, Visual pleasure and Narrative Cinema by Laura Mulvey discusses the types of characters women play in traditional film and what they mean for audiences. Women are seen as visual objects there for visual pleasure for the viewer. They are not the main character. They are often a love interest or something the man in the film saves then becomes the hero. The James Bond 007 franchise is a great example of this in my mind. James Bond is the main character in every movie, but there is always a different girl he uses as his side piece in each of the movies. No matter the situation, whatever girl Bond wants, he always gets. Whether he is saving her from some sort of other men, or if she is just there to accompany him to a party, they use the female actress as visual pleasure. The older James Bond movies are better examples of this, as in my mind they are way more sexist. Mulvey brings up Freud and his idea of scopophilia which is the pleasure of viewing something. Freud discusses that men have sexual and ego drives that feed into male desire. The visual of a woman provides both pleasure yet is a bit threatening to a man. The anxiety of castration while watching a film refers to the unconscious fear that overcomes the viewer when traditional gender roles are challenged. It is especially visible when male characters' power is challenged, most of the time by a female character.
Camera moments, close-ups and angles all enforce gender roles in a multitude of ways. After some research, I found that higher camera angles give for a belittling look. It is meant to decrease the amount of authority they are holding. These are often used for women. Lower camera angles on the other hand tend to elevate male characters by making them look more dominating and taller than they really are. Close up camera angles also are different for men and women in film. Close-ups on men characters are often filmed to show a man in deep thought, where women characters are often filmed up close to depict dramatic emotion and beauty. This frames them more as an object than a character thinking about their next move. Women are also often shot in shadowy light to show mystery or danger, while men are shot with clear bright light to show strength. These differences are a direct reflection on our society's gender stereotypes and we see them not only in traditional moves, but also in movies today.
The ideal viewer for traditional cinema is a white man. This means that traditional cinema was made to have their interests and reflect their experiences. This is why we see so many films with a hero that is a man and romantic roles that are played by women. Today, the ideal viewer has shifted a bit to make films for a global audience. Races and genders of lead roles are often not white men anymore, instead they appeal to women and LGBTQ+ members in some cases. The age of social media has changed how we view films. Whether it is streaming platforms or apps on our phones, filmmakers have a much broader reach and can achieve lots more engagement if they appeal to more than the white male.
Overall, the film industry is making a shift for the better, but it is still very visible that it is based around gender roles and pleasure of men a lot of the time. This is just not about film though, other types of art are effected by gender roles as well.
Hi, Paige!
ReplyDeleteYou provided some very interesting information about camera angles and lighting. Admittedly, that's not something I really paid attention to, but I know these things do across in the subconscious.
I also agree that the rise of the internet has contributed to the rise in narratives that appeal to more than just one or two demographics. Do you think there are times when screenwriters and directors may go a little overboard with it to the point where they may be more focused on "pandering" as opposed to creating quality stories that will truly resonate with the intended audiences?
Awesome post. :)
Hi Alicia! Thank you for your comment! The camera angle and lighting information was not on my radar either until I really looked into it, it became super interesting. I think screenwriters and directors can definitely go overboard with camera technique and forget about the storytelling aspect of the film. I believe that a balance of good angles and lighting in addition to a quality story would make for the best film.
DeleteYour post was a great read for me! I agree with much of what you wrote, and also think it's interesting that you thought the painting "Philip Golub Reclining" was of a woman. I assumed it was a woman at first, too, and realized there was a painter in the background and maybe some other features that were "off." I maybe suspected the main character might be a man, but was still surprised like you were that it was not. I think that maybe something has shifted over time to allow somewhat feminine portrayals of men because I suspect that they eventually grew jealous of the fantastical spotlight women had which they did not, and wanted some of the same "gaze" upon them. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Zee! Thank you for your comment. Those are great observations that I definitely should have picked up on while viewing the painting. Your point about feminine portrayals and men becoming jealous is a very interesting perspective that most definitely happened.
DeleteHello Alex! Thanks for your kind comment. I did not know that either! I found it very interesting that even down to the smallest details women are set up to be perceived way differently than men.
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