Applying the male gaze

I will be applying Mulvey's 'male gaze theory' to a film, scene in the Transformer's movie where Megan Fox's character Mikaela checks the engine, is a prime example of sexualising a completely un-sexual scene for the viewer's pleasure.




This scene in particular conforms to most, if not all the points which is stated in Laura Mulvey's male gaze theory.
The scene opens up with Sam kicking his friend out the car so he could give the hot girl who goes to his school a lift home. The theory then comes in when Mikaela starts to sort out Sams 'broken' engine.

 

As you can see from this screenshot, Sam cannot take his eyes off of Mikaela's body. The audience watching can see Sam's eyes are not on his engine but on Mikaela, which then makes the audiences eyes lead towards Mikaela's body. However, not only sexualising a women with how the camera points at different angles but objectifying things males find pleasure in. In this instance, cars and being a mechanic as this is a stereotypical male job role.














In these particular shots you can see the way the camera is sexualising Mikaela. The close up of her stomach with the sun glaring off her skin and how the camera doesn't move when she is leaning over the car engine.

Not only do we see the camera sexualising Mikaela, but in this shot you see Sam 'trying to contain himself' as he is looking at everything Mikaela has to offer. As Mikaela is trying to tell Sam what is wrong with the car but we never see him make eye contact with Mikaela as he is too busy and occupied.





Within the whole scene the camera angle is almost always eye level