Analyzing "Some Like it Hot" in Light of Laura Mulvey's Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema
Film is a relatively new art form, though it is solidly based in other forms, like writing, theater and painting. Some people see it as a uniquely different form of expression, while others see it as an extension of other forms, especially narrative. Criticizing film is a very recent phenomenon, and potential critics are testing all possible avenues of criticism and methods of analysis. Laura Mulvery tried in her essay Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinemato base a feminist analysis of film in Sigmund Freud's theories of penis envy and sexual deviation.The problem of analyzing the film "Some Like it Hot" in relation to Laura Mulvey's writing is that she does not prove her point very well in her essay. Her stated point is to prove that psychoanalytic theory can be used to demonstrate the way the unconscious of (our) patriarchal society has structured film form. (Gehring, Wes 1988 p 297) While this is certainly a provable theory, Mulvey does not prove it. In fact, it is difficult, indeed, to ferret out her points in this essay. What she does prove is that directors and cinematographers have, at times, been masterful in enhancing the narrative of the writer(s) who come from the patriarchal society of the time frame of these Hollywo
Mulvey's assertion that females are portrayed as sex objects in film, while men are portrayed as power brokers is challenged by this film. Why else would feminists lay such stress on altering the dictionary, unless they believed that with a new vocabulary our culture would perceive women differently and thereby would form a different reality altogether. So do the visual techniques used in this film effectively sell the idea that Monroe is an ideal among women? No, because the definition of ideal in contemporary society has changed. However, such interpretation does not identify the actual effects upon the audience, nor does it provide a compelling reason to change the form of narrative film. There are definitely supports for the theory proposed by Tan, which better states something Mulvey was aiming at, when she simply got too caught up in psychological theory and rhetoric to state clearly. Would we also have to remove the close-ups of men and male body parts? Applying a psychological interpretation on top of cinematic techniques may pose possible explanations for the techniques used, and may even uncover certain hidden motives of the artists. La Cosa Nostra, who literally had power over life and death, also constantly carried phallic symbols of guns, which is so obvious that it seems to be a joke, which is not exactly out of place in a comedy. This is not to say that narrative film has had no effect upon perpetuating anti-feminist mores and attitudes, but when people become aware through media literacy, it has little effect. The danger of impotence flowed from the patriarchal Italian society group, La Cosa Nostra, and not from the women. Pointing to Freudian reactions is a little too analytical, even when it appears to fit. Kurt Hoffman's direction reminds one of Sternberg in his treatment of light, shadow and spaces. However, rather than being merely sexually explicit and exploitive of women, this comedy spoofs the cliche gender roles and associations, including those applied to women which have incited reactions form the feminist groups. If they represent some kind of fetish, this is also not evident. Would eliminating sexy close-ups of women have the desired effect of countering the objectification of women as sexual objects, or would it simply make viewers perceive them as less desirable. "In that essay, Mulvey, building on the work of Lacan, Metz, and others, takes for her point of departure the notion that "the paradox of phallocentrism in all its manifestations is that it depends on the image of the castrated woman to give order and meaning to its world" ( Mast and Cohen, eds.
Common topics in this essay:
Marylyn Monroe,
Tan Mulvey,
BF Skinner,
Cosa Nostra,
Tony Curtis,
Studio System,
Laura Mulvey,
Mast Cohen,
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Gogh Movies,
directors cinematographers,
marylyn monroe,
media literacy,
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jack lemmon,
narrative film,
patriarchal society,
cosa nostra,
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changing form,
body language facial,
language facial expression,
society la cosa,
visual techniques film,
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