Published in a 1975 issue of the film journal Screen, "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema" has become a foundational work of cinema studies. Drawing from psychoanalysis, the essay introduced the idea of the male gaze: the idea that movies can reinforce gender roles, specifically patriarchal divisions. Even nearly 50 years later, Mulvey's argument remains a cornerstone of film criticism, forever changing the way we think about movies and their relationship to society.
Although written in precise academic language, Mulvey's work is clear that Mulvey intends her analysis to be a weapon. She believes that educating readers about the operation of male-centric movies will help women better...
