Mulvey's theory of the "Male Gaze"

The whole theory is based around how the audience views the people that are involved in the movie.
The Theory suggests that in film he audience is set up into looking at the women from a mans point of view. However it is also states that it is also based around how women view themselves and how women view other women

She also believed that the audience are put in a place where they have to view the characters from a heterosexual males perspective.

The main features of her theory about the "Male Gaze" are as follows:

She believed that in film the camera lingers over the curves of female body and whenever a female is on screen they are automatically reduced to am object for mens gratification

Also in order for females to really get the movie and enjoy it as much as possible they would almost have to have a male view on the film.

However looking at this theory I can see that there are many flaws.

The first flaw is that this theory is quite old and has not been updated and film has advanced a lot since the time of Laura Mulvey first writing her theory.

Secondly the way that women are portrayed in some films is how some women like to be viewed, for example women that perform in beauty pageants like to be looked at as they think they are beautiful.

Thirdly the way the male body has been used in films recently has challenged this theory, for example in Twilight one of the main characters (Taylor Lautner) appears in the film numerous times without a top on in order for female gratification.