"How far does a spectator's gender affect their viewing experience in contemporary cinema?"

One may argue that the film Black Swan by Darren Aronfsky, could be seen as a provocative film, however this is dependent on whether or not you view the film through theories such as Mulvey's male gaze. If one was to take on an oppositional gaze, they may view the film as intellectually demanding.

Freud's theories of psychoanalysis and the Oedipal Complex could apply to this film. Freud argued that the 'ID' controls and suppresses the animalistic desires and fantasies. However, if these desires take over, the said person faces insanity and therefore the ID is released. This could apply throughout the film, Black Swan, but most prominently through the lesbian sex scene with Nina, the protagonist herself and her ballet colleague Lily. However, we soon realise that this scene must have been a hallucination of Nina's as Lily denies this situation. This therefore could be a coherent example of the escape of the ID and the animalistic sexual desires. Another way that Freud's theory could apply to the film could be that the typical, innocent Nina is represented as the white swan, whilst her oppressed fantasies and desires (ID) are represented as the black swan. As the film develops, we see aspects of the black swan take over Nina's innocence, this could therefore portray the escapism of the ID. As the black swan takes over Nina, she becomes more promiscuous and therefore loses her innocence.
We can also see aspects of Freud's Oedipal Complex within the film. The Oedipal Complex is the parental modelling and its lack of and effect. Nina is absent of a father figure and therefore throughout the film it could be argued that she is seeking for the fulfillment of this role. We can see this through the role of Thomas, Nina's choreographer. He is clearly older than her and directs her throughout her role as both a dancer and as a person. However, this father figure becomes corrupt when we see Thomas manipulate Nina sexually .

Another way that gender could affect the spectator's viewing experience is Mulvey's male gaze theory. Here, she describes that film is portrayed for and through the eyes of the male, satisfying the man's sexual fantasies and desires at the expense of the woman's. One way that the male gaze could be incorporated into the film Black Swan could be in the lesbian sex scene, satisfying a male fantasy. Another way could be through objectifications. The women in the film, are viewed as sexual objects and are portrayed and sexualised through close ups, whilst the male characters are not. This is clear on the train, when Nina is being winked and blown kisses at by the older man who sits opposite her. This man objectifies and sexualises Nina as merely a sex object. We also witness an aspect of voyeurism throughout the film. It is coherent that Nina has hallucinations throughout, whilst we view the film in her perspective, we see and witness these hallucinations too; making it more difficult to separate the reality from the fantasy. However, voyeurism is incorporated into the film, one being through the audience who watch Nina in the show, and the other being Thomas, who controls and constantly watches Nina. One could also argue that the aspect of mirrors also act as a voyeur; constantly following Nina; always being a reflection where ever she goes. These mirrors represent Nina's mental stability. (Broken mirrors, broken minds.)

Therefore, Lacan's mirror stage theory is very relevant to this film. The spectator gains a god-like perspective of film, creating an omni-potent and omni-present feel; making the camera go everywhere and see everything, without any restrictions. Like the camera, the mirrors in the film, go everywhere that Nina goes. Although these are not necessarily the same mirrors following her, Nina's reflection is constantly surrounding her, developing into her insanity. Lacan argued that who you identify with in film,  is the expression f the suppressed subconscious and fantasies. Creating a distorted idea of who you are. The mirrors in Black Swan could be so significant to the narrative if one views the film as Lily being an extension of Nina. If Lily is not real, but just Nina's darker side/Black Swan whilst, Nina is momentarily the white innocent swan, the mirrors could be foreshadowing her mental state and this major factor. Constantly encouraging Nina to analysis and realise her mental stability. This could link to the ending of the film when Nina believes that she stabs Lily whilst she is dressed as the black swan. However, as the film develops we realise that it is not Lily who Nina stabs, but herself. This could portray the death of Nina's innocence, the black swan killing the white swan, who resembled Nina at the beginning of the film.

Black gaze -> marginalised groups and a sense of community / belonging / brotherhood  -> Django does not give us a sense of brotherhood. The black gaze is not always about the ethnicity of the characters. It accepts that white culture is dominant, and a history of subordinating the other cultures. La Haine has the black gaze.

500 Days of Summer

Submissive Gaze (aligning with other people):

In my opinion, it is difficult for the spectator t align with any other character but Tom, excluding their gender and extra textual reasons. The spectator will mainly and most likely align with Tom as the film is told through his perspective throughout. We are also informed from the very beginning that the relationship ends with Tom being hurt, therefore the spectator is most likely going to view Summer negatively since being told this factor. As we know that Tom's feelings are the ones that are hurt, we are more likely to align and sympathise with this character.

The only point in the film where we begin to witness Summer's side of the story, her dialog is blocked out by the narrator speaking over the top of what she is saying. This therefore results in the spectator being less likely to align with Summer even more so as we do not relate what she is opening up about, as the audience cannot hear this.


Dominant Gaze (Women must suffer if they become the active gaze):

This film is told through the male's perspective only (Tom), therefore we are forced to align with this character. We do not see the narrative through Summer's perspective, therefore we do not see if she suffers. Instead, this theory is reversed, Tom is the dominant, active gaze and suffers as a result of this; through the torture of their break up.


Male Gaze:

One way that the male gaze is portrayed in this film is in the ikea scene. We see Tom and Summer acting out as a married, almost traditional 1950s couple. Where Summer is the housewife and Tom is served. This incorporated the traditional, patriarchal values of the male gaze into the film.



Another key aspect of the film that incorporates the male gaze is the dancing/victory scene. This scene is the mass celebration of Tom sleeping with Summer. As this is portrayed through the male's perspective and seen as a goal post, this coherently incorporates the male gaze. The scene also heavily induces masculine aspects of mise en scene. For example, at the beginning of the scene we see Tom walking past a water fountain which explodes; creating phallic imagery. We also see him hit a ball with a baseball bat which could also symbolise phallic imagery and the fact that sleeping wit Summer is seen almost as a sports achievement. Although it could be argued that the dancers are dressed in blue as this is the colour of Summer's eyes, one may believe this also incorporates the male gaze. In terms of colour psychology, the colour blue is deemed as masculine.