Females: Mulvey's 'Male Gaze' Theory

Is Hollywood finally succumbing to feminism?

Last year women such as Emily Blunt and Sandra Bollock were cast in roles originally for men. This seems to be the case in the forthcoming blockbuster reboots of Ghostbusters and Ocean's Eleven, where the females are replacing the men in lead roles.  One of the huge hits of 2015, Mad Max: Fury Road, Charlize Theron's Imperator Furiosa overshadows the titular Max (Tom Hardy). This prioritising of women over men has not been universally acclaimed.
However let's investigate the extent to which women are actually empowered in Mad Max, using the acclaimed 'Male Gaze' theories of Mulvey.

Laura Mulvey is one of the most frequently cited theorists in both film and media studies. Mulvey suggested that the mainstream cinema institutionalises the male gaze; that is, the most films are shot from a male's perspective. Her analysis remains useful in exemplifying how texts are inherently ideological, more specifically, it helps demonstrate how mainstreams cinemas are patriarchal in nature.

Mulvey suggests patriarchy is inscribed in mainstream cinema by ensuring that men are the 'bearer of the look' whilst women exist 'to be looked at', primarily as sex objects for both male protagonists and the spectator in the audience. Therefore do we automatically view women in film through a 'male gaze'? Mulvey also suggested that women's bodies are often fragmented, through the use of close-ups, giving women the 'quality of icon' rather than the active agents in three-dimensional space. Men are seen as active agents according to Mulvey "forwarding the story, making things happen" in contrast to women.

So applying this to Mad Max, Charlize Theron, is a very beautiful women actress. However as Furiosa in Fury Road, her looks are not emphasised. George Miller's camera refuses to objectify her! For example, in the first glimpse of Furiosa we see is of the tattoo on the back of her neck, however as she walks away from the camera, the shot cuts away before her backside enters the frame. The sight of her backside would have suggested the shot was intended for the heterosexual male gaze. Again, later in the film, she talks convincingly about mechanical aspects which is thought to be a typically male topic.

However despite her dominance through the DVD cover features Mas as the dominant; he has a gun and Furiosa is looking on from behind:

Furiosa isn't however, a woman who simply adopts the male gender role,  in the movie she cries and asked Max for his name, typically female traits. 

So is this a feminist narrative?

Applying Mulvey's theory suggest that Fury Road can be seen as progressive in its representation of women. Director and Co-Director George Miller also includes older women who give as good as they get in the action sequences. Max Mad is a blockbuster that does actually break the rules. Furiosa can therefore, take place in that rare pantheon of female action heroes. 

Credits to: Nick Lacey. April 2016