Film fascinates us through images and spectacle. Mulvey uses psychoanalysis to discover where and how the fascination of film is reinforced by pre-existing patterns of fascinating already at work within the individual subject. = spectator. She says she is using psychoanalytic theory as a political weapon. Suggests that women's bodies are fragmented by the camera for the pleasure of the male. Hollywood; codes the erotic into the language of the dominant patriarchal order.
Scopophilia; pleasure in looking
-examples of the private and curious gaze, children's voyeurism, cinematic looking
-looking at the human form and the face and breaking it down.
'women as the image, men as the bearer of the look'
-pleasure in looking split between active/male and passive female
-women connote – 'to-be-looked-at-ness'
-the visual presence of women 'works against the development of a storyline, freezes the flow of action in moments of erotic contemplation'
The woman functions as both erotic object for the characters within the screen story and erotic object for the spectator within the auditorium (object of fantasy). The spectator is led to identify with the main male protagonist. 'the power of the male protagonist as he controls events coincides with the active power of the erotic look'. The male gaze and fetishistic scopophilia in le mepris/vivre sa vie
scopophilia is the force driving the movements and positioning of the camera the gaze is male,
and the spectator is led to identify with this male gaze the cinematic apparatus is not gender-neutral (in later readings, camera can also register differences of sexuality)
MULVEY ANALYSIS
the first clip here shows the scene in 'Mean girls' where they do a 'sexy' dance for the christmas concert. Scopophilia and fragmentation is demonstrated here through the use of fast cuts and rhythmic editing to accentuate certain actions, for instance; whenever the girls slap a body part, or pull a provocative pose to the rhythm of the music, the camera cuts to a closer shot, to get a better look, or they simply change to a reaction shot. When you see how her parents react when they slap their legs, you feel more vouyeuristic seeing as you have access to viewpoints beyond the reaches of the audience in the film. When the girls move their butts in a sexual way, the camera also cuts to a shot from behind.
By using dolly panning shots, we are also subconsciously objectifying the women. These shots are associated with adverts and the presentation of products, such as cars turning on a stage on a quiz show, or a slow pan of a product on tv. The lights around them and the spotlights especially which provide backlighting, create an angelic look, almost putting them on an unattainable pedestal, which is emphasised by the fact they're on a stage.
The sound in this scene also emphasises the scopophilia. Every time they slap something the sound is heard very clearly, whereas if some other dance was presented in a film, they would usually edit it out and increase the volume of the music. This is done to create an awkward effect, it encourages the viewers to come to terms with the brutal awkwardness of the overtly sexual 17 year olds doing a stripper-esque dance in front of their parents.
Friday, 20 January 2017
LACANIAN THEORY
THE LACK
Initially Lacan proposed that the mirror phase was part of an infants development from the age of 6 to 18 months. In the early 1950's Lacan's concept of the mirror stage had evolved, he no longer considered the mirror stage as a moment in the life of the infant, but as representing a permanent structure of subjectivity, or as the paradigm of "imaginary order". Lacan created the idea of "lack" and that it causes desires to arise.
"desire is a relation to being to lack. The lack is the lack of being properly speaking. It is not the lack of this or that, but the "lack" of being whereby the being exists"
This is similar to the Freudian approach of ID acting on the hedonistic lifestyle whereas the superego acts on moral principles and what "lack" related to is the ego which is in between. from a Freudian approach, the "lack" of hedonistic features strive us to act on moral principles and vice versa. A lack is something you can never fulfil. The lack drives the desire. Forever out of reach.
GRIZZLY MAN Analysis
He feels he has to die to achieve what he wants. Geade describes it as his paradox. He thinks he needs to mutate to become one with the bears.
Constantly trying to talk to them expecting a response. Or expecting them to understand.
He's deluded himself into thinking he knows the animals, he sees a fox and names it 'Spirit'. In a video a few days later, he sees another fox, and says "Oh hey it's Spirit". It's not the same fox. By making these videos he has an outlet by which to delude himself. If he were there alone, he'd probably still be talking to himself(the camera) just as much, however with the camera there, he's actively convincing himself of everything he's saying.
He doesn’t stop til he's dead. This attitude is a part of his personality, he mentions how his obsession before the bears was alcohol, and he says it would have killed him. In this sense, by turning to the bears, he found a way to channel his obsessive personality to another high-risk, potentially lethal pastime.
He had one aspiration to be an actor and when that lack wasn't fulfilled he changed it.
It's hard to connect the technical aspects of this film to the laconian theory as it's found footage, however, the way that Treadwell lingers in the shot well after he's spoken, and the silence during this, shows there's this huge space he's constantly trying to fill.
MIRROR STAGE
Another thing that Lacan created was the 'Mirror Stage'. It's a theory that suggests that infants development revolves around their own image, and their discovery of this. It developed from this into a; representation of a permanent structure of subjectivity, or as the paradigm of 'imaginary order. This suggests that the more a person explores their own image, the more lost they become in their own identity. A great example of this projected onto film is the mirror scene in the matrix.
Visually, you see Neo become more interested in his own reflection, the diegetic music features sustained high pitch violins, which encourages suspense and intrigue. Then he touches the mirror, and it literally attaches to him, suggesting that he's become ensnared into coming to terms with his own image, and the way he sees himself. This is especially fitting since this scene marks the point in the film where Neo is officially reborn into the real world, he's having to start seeing things differently.
After Neo pulls his hand away, and he's officially 'tainted' with the mirror substance on his hands, the camera cuts to the very first shot of the room, through the reflection of the mirror which has become warped, this shows that - as Lacan suggests - Neo has been forced to reevaluate his image, and now the camera is illustrating how everything from now on is different.
Initially Lacan proposed that the mirror phase was part of an infants development from the age of 6 to 18 months. In the early 1950's Lacan's concept of the mirror stage had evolved, he no longer considered the mirror stage as a moment in the life of the infant, but as representing a permanent structure of subjectivity, or as the paradigm of "imaginary order". Lacan created the idea of "lack" and that it causes desires to arise.
"desire is a relation to being to lack. The lack is the lack of being properly speaking. It is not the lack of this or that, but the "lack" of being whereby the being exists"
This is similar to the Freudian approach of ID acting on the hedonistic lifestyle whereas the superego acts on moral principles and what "lack" related to is the ego which is in between. from a Freudian approach, the "lack" of hedonistic features strive us to act on moral principles and vice versa. A lack is something you can never fulfil. The lack drives the desire. Forever out of reach.
GRIZZLY MAN Analysis
He feels he has to die to achieve what he wants. Geade describes it as his paradox. He thinks he needs to mutate to become one with the bears.
Constantly trying to talk to them expecting a response. Or expecting them to understand.
He's deluded himself into thinking he knows the animals, he sees a fox and names it 'Spirit'. In a video a few days later, he sees another fox, and says "Oh hey it's Spirit". It's not the same fox. By making these videos he has an outlet by which to delude himself. If he were there alone, he'd probably still be talking to himself(the camera) just as much, however with the camera there, he's actively convincing himself of everything he's saying.
He doesn’t stop til he's dead. This attitude is a part of his personality, he mentions how his obsession before the bears was alcohol, and he says it would have killed him. In this sense, by turning to the bears, he found a way to channel his obsessive personality to another high-risk, potentially lethal pastime.
He had one aspiration to be an actor and when that lack wasn't fulfilled he changed it.
It's hard to connect the technical aspects of this film to the laconian theory as it's found footage, however, the way that Treadwell lingers in the shot well after he's spoken, and the silence during this, shows there's this huge space he's constantly trying to fill.
MIRROR STAGE
Another thing that Lacan created was the 'Mirror Stage'. It's a theory that suggests that infants development revolves around their own image, and their discovery of this. It developed from this into a; representation of a permanent structure of subjectivity, or as the paradigm of 'imaginary order. This suggests that the more a person explores their own image, the more lost they become in their own identity. A great example of this projected onto film is the mirror scene in the matrix.
Visually, you see Neo become more interested in his own reflection, the diegetic music features sustained high pitch violins, which encourages suspense and intrigue. Then he touches the mirror, and it literally attaches to him, suggesting that he's become ensnared into coming to terms with his own image, and the way he sees himself. This is especially fitting since this scene marks the point in the film where Neo is officially reborn into the real world, he's having to start seeing things differently.
After Neo pulls his hand away, and he's officially 'tainted' with the mirror substance on his hands, the camera cuts to the very first shot of the room, through the reflection of the mirror which has become warped, this shows that - as Lacan suggests - Neo has been forced to reevaluate his image, and now the camera is illustrating how everything from now on is different.
Thursday, 19 January 2017
SPIRITUAL THINGS TO INCLUDE IN FILM
Lots of quotes on her wall
Always reciting quotes to other people
Long shot of her looking at nothing from behind to show she's a bit off
Roommate asking her when she's gonna get a job and she's like no I need to find myself first
No other visible people in the film to convey her loneliness
Keeps seeing signs from 'God' in mundane things
Subscribed to weekly things and gets an email saying congratulations you have officially reached enlightenment.
More and more extravagant spiritual things as the film progresses. She joins the breatharian cult and ends up starving herself, she's sat on the bed all ill and gets the email
Always reciting quotes to other people
Long shot of her looking at nothing from behind to show she's a bit off
Roommate asking her when she's gonna get a job and she's like no I need to find myself first
No other visible people in the film to convey her loneliness
Keeps seeing signs from 'God' in mundane things
Subscribed to weekly things and gets an email saying congratulations you have officially reached enlightenment.
More and more extravagant spiritual things as the film progresses. She joins the breatharian cult and ends up starving herself, she's sat on the bed all ill and gets the email
Friday, 13 January 2017
Friday, 6 January 2017
Thursday, 5 January 2017
NARRATIVE IDEAS FOR FILM
-My film features the Id and Conners is the Ego. The superego features in both films.
-Main character has a lack. He's always wanted to travel the world and finally has enough money, he arrives in Iceland for the first time, and it's not that great.
-Guy hates his family and girlfriend and wants to live alone and be self sufficient, living off the land or something. Whole film is about him hating being around other people, he then quits his job, breaks up with his girlfriend, and goes to live in Iceland. He gets there and he regrets it, and wants some company.
Ties in with ^^^^^vvvvv
-The guys girlfriend is obsessed with him and follows him around, is suicidal when he breaks up with her, she follows him to Iceland and just like watches him or something.
-Documentary on bjork
-Obsessed with spirituality and finding themselves only to meet themselves and find out they're a bit of a dick
-Post apocalyptic, discussing weather they can stay alive - Freudian
-Leif ericson
-Main character has a lack. He's always wanted to travel the world and finally has enough money, he arrives in Iceland for the first time, and it's not that great.
-Guy hates his family and girlfriend and wants to live alone and be self sufficient, living off the land or something. Whole film is about him hating being around other people, he then quits his job, breaks up with his girlfriend, and goes to live in Iceland. He gets there and he regrets it, and wants some company.
Ties in with ^^^^^vvvvv
-The guys girlfriend is obsessed with him and follows him around, is suicidal when he breaks up with her, she follows him to Iceland and just like watches him or something.
-Documentary on bjork
-Obsessed with spirituality and finding themselves only to meet themselves and find out they're a bit of a dick
-Post apocalyptic, discussing weather they can stay alive - Freudian
-Leif ericson
RESOURCES FOR FILM
Cellar
Small bar
Canal boat
Iceland
-blue lagoon
-hotel room
-boat
-northern lights
Large house
Car
Train Station
Small bar
Canal boat
Iceland
-blue lagoon
-hotel room
-boat
-northern lights
Large house
Car
Train Station
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