Hollywood is
the most popular and respected film industry around the world. It has many
variations of film. But it was studied intensely in the 1970s, when the first
French and then British and American film theorists began applying
psychoanalysis to film in an attempt to discuss the spectator-screen
relationship. As well as the textual relationships within the films, this essay
focuses on theorists like Laura Mulvey, E.A Kaplan and Linda Williams. Theorist
Laura Mulvey (1975) believed that the world of cinema is dominated by men,
therefore women are on screen only for visual pleasure. She debated by
demonstrating the domination of the male gaze, within and without the screen,
at the expense of the woman's; so much so that the female spectator had little
to gaze upon or identify with. Her theory was challenged by theorist E. Ann
Kaplan (1983), who believed that in mainstream Hollywood cinema, it is men on
the whole who can act on the desiring gaze. She debated that the spectator has
to make a conscious effort, in order to feel aligned with the female character
on screen. Both Mulvey's and Kaplan's theories were explored further by theorist
Linda Williams (1984) who believed that when the woman is powerful with the
dominant gaze, the woman's gaze is punished. She will have to pay for it with
her life if she's dominant. Thus, the spectator usually would not want to align
with the on screen female character as she suffers. These theories have been
explored in Marc Webb's Romantic-comedy, 500
Days of Summer (2009). It is about a woman, Summer, who doesn't believe
true love exists, and the young man, Tom, who falls for her. The short outline
of the story gives away the exploration, and automatically supports Mulvey's
theory. The young man, Tom falls for her, therefore, this tells the audience
that they will be watching the "man" who will be desiring the
"woman"; does he get her or not? This is what drives the story of the
film.
Theorist,
Laura Mulvey argued that women are on screen for the visual pleasure of men as
films are made for men to watch, by the male dominant industry. Whether the
person is a writer, producer or director, all these jobs are handled by mostly
by men. Therefore, Mulvey invented the term Male
Gaze, which means that the audience (male or female) are looking at the
woman on screen, through the eyes of the male character on screen. The man is
always the subject who desires the woman, the object. Thus, the audience and
the spectators see, feel and align with the male character on screen. This is
very clearly explored in Tom's imaginative and descriptive scene, on Summer. Tom's
yearning for Summer is very clear when he lists the "perfect" Summer.
He thinks about her appearance and lists her body parts and her smile. While he
describes her, we are shown his thoughts, where the camera (cinematography),
shows close-ups of her breasts, knees and smile, which makes the scene sexualised.
Hence it makes Summer a visual pleasure for male spectators watching her.
However, as the film is from Tom's perspective, the audience (male or female)
align with Tom and see it as pleasure as well. But this scene can also be taken
as either preferred reading or negotiated reading, depending on how the
spectator feels while visualising this scene. The same scene is repeated later
in the film, however this time Tom disapproves her beauty and calls her
breasts, knees and smile ugly. Again, the audience align with Tom as the
objectified woman he desires, is being seen negatively by him, followed by the
audience. However, as she's sexualised exactly like the previous desirable
scene, some male spectators may not agree and align with Tom. As they might see
her attractive the way they did before. This depends on the negotiated and
preferred readings, yet again and on how the spectator views the scene and who
they align with. Is it the subject (Tom) or the object (Summer), who is defenceless,
as she cannot do anything about the way she's being desired and looked at? This
then links with E.A Kaplan's theory on the submissive gaze and alignment.
Kaplan had
argued that women are not active but are submissive. They are objectified on screen,
and it is the spectator who has to align with the female character consciously,
in order to understand them and not just see them as objects on screen. In 500
Days of Summer, Kaplan's theory is explored during the expectation versus
reality scene. As we know what Tom is desiring, however we are unaware of
Summer's thoughts and feelings. The scene deliberately makes the audience feel
aligned with Tom, as the screen is split in half, with "expectation"
and "reality" written underneath the screens that are being
portrayed. Because as the audience we know what Tom is thinking and feeling, we
automatically feel for him and align with him. We feel distressed the way Tom
does and does not think about Summers thoughts and feelings. On the other hand,
it is the spectator who will consciously make the decision of aligning with
Summer, and try to understand how Summer must be feeling, during Tom's
expectation versus reality scene. This could possibly depend on the
oppositional reading, and how the male/female spectators view the scene from
their perspective. Another scene that
exemplifies Kaplan's theory is after Tom and Summer have consummated, and Tom
exits the streets, while dancing. This particular scene is centred around him,
as he celebrates his 'conquer of Summer' and his masculinity. Following
Kaplan's theory, it is very clearly shown that Summer is not active in this
celebration, which leads the spectators to consciously question how she feels
about the current situation. However, Tom is portrayed very feminine in this
scene, with him dancing and singing away, while imaging the Disney animations.
But he has phallic objects (fountain), around him, to make the audience
celebrate along with him. Yet, the sense of femininity within the scene,
consciously makes the spectators think about Summer, and what her thoughts may
be.
Webb's 500 Days of Summer, also explores
theorist, Linda Williams' theory, who argued that when women have the dominant
gaze in films, they are often punished because of their "active gaze".
Therefore, the spectator does not align with the dominant female, because she
suffers. Throughout the film Summer is shown to have more power over Tom, thus,
this challenges Williams' theory instead of supporting it, as Summer has a
fairytale ending by the finale of the film. Another example of Summer's power
is explored, when she describes herself as 'Sid' and Tom as 'Nancy'. By doing
this, she reverses the typical male and female roles, as she makes herself
dominant by comparing herself to a male complexion. Therefore, Tom is left
being seen as the 'damsel' character, who sobs when he doesn't get what he
desires. This is because of his fragile femininity and desire for love. But,
Summer is still 'punished', in terms of response. The audience aligns with Tom
throughout the whole film, which leaves us disliking her character because we
feel the way Tom feels. The reason being for this is the film being shown
through Tom's point of view, which again links with Kaplan's theory. This is up
to the spectator to consciously make the decision of aligning with the female
character (Summer), and understanding her point of view. Through this, not
everyone in the audience will feel completely aligned with Tom, and dislike
Summer.
Overall, the
three theorists and their theories have a strong point while challenging and
debating each other's theories. All three theories are significant, however
Laura Mulvey's Male gaze and Kaplan's Submissive gaze theories seems to be the
two dominant theories used throughout 500
Days of Summer. Evidently because the whole film is from Tom's perspective,
the audience are deliberately forced to feel the way Tom does. However since
the film is a central imagining film, it has purposeful use of micro elements
to incite feelings for the spectator. This is why the film is seen through the
eyes of Tom.
