Film Theory

Masculinity and Film

Present by:
Ho Yee Zoe (J17025246)
Ng Kah Ying (J18028543)
The Narrator

Tyler [ID]
 Bob

The Narrator

Marla
Today we are going to discuss about the theories by :

● Steve Neale (Masculinity of spectacle)

● Laura Mulvey (Visual pleasure and narrative cinema)

John Ellis

2 Tendencies:

● Dream & Phantasy

● Narcissistic
 Steve Neale - Masculinity as Spectacle

“Ideologies of masculinity involve so centrally notions and attitudes to

do with aggression, power and control.”

“Narcissism and narcissistic identification both involve phantasies of

power, omnipotence, mastery and control.”
Aggression / Violence
Phantasies of power, omnipotence,
mastery and control.
Control / Power
Laura Mulvey argues that:
In the hollywood classical cinema, spectators (audience)
were encouraged to identify with male protagonist and female
were coded as (sex) objects --

to-be-looked-at-ness
The similarity of two theories:

Laura Mulvey = Male gaze

Steve Neale = Male as object of spectacle

Penguin in Fight Club
● The penguin is juxtaposed to illustrate Narrator’s dream of masculinity and
empowerment.
● Penguin is small and incapable of fight.
● It is a symbol/representation of the narrator characteristic - vulnerable but his
unconscious mind = dream = desire (ID) to become powerful

Slide
Women are a problem, a source of anxiety, of
obsessive enquiry; men are not.

Masculinity, as an ideal, Femininity is, by

contrast, a mystery.
Q&A

1. The keywords of Steave Neale theory.

2. The 2 tendencies that John Ellis has stated.
3. What Marla represents in this film?
THANK YOU .
References
Mulvey, Laura. (1975) “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema.” Film Theory and Criticism :
Introductory Readings. Eds. Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen. New York: Oxford UP, 1999:
833-44 [Online] Available at:
www.composingdigitalmedia.org/f15_mca/mca_reads/mulvey.pdf [Accessed: 16 February,
2019].