Transformers - Male Gaze

This scene opens with Megan Fox's character walking away from Sam and the car wearing tight and short skirt with a small vest top on. As we see a POV from Sam looking at her from behind the appeal for the male audience is instantly noticeable by both the costumes and also the body language of her character as she walks swaying her hips as if she was trying to attract a male that was behind her which due to this POV shot is you. Placing you in this position attracts the male audience massively due to Megan Fox being the girl she is who many males love for her looks but it also attracts the female audience who aspire to be like her. This is called the Male gaze which was created by Laura Mulvey. This is where the text places you in a position where you are forced to watch and have no choice against it which can be really draw some audiences in as this scene does for males but also for females that aspire to be like her. This scene then carries on to Sam driving Megan Foxs character to a sandy cliff side with a sunset often signifying romance. As she gets out to check the engine we get a shot of her waist and Sam in the background gazing at her exposed waist. Although this is not a POV shot we are dragged into his line of sight. This has also got a rule of thirds type shot die to the focal point which is Megan Foxs waist is off centre and further right of the shot, drawing us in. We then have a panning shot that pans up from her thigh and upwards through her body sparing no detail while sweat is on her forehead. This shot freezes narrative flow and forces us to 'gaze' at her body even though it hasn't got a massive part in the narrative of the film. She then bends over and the shot pans back from her head back to her legs as the shots go over her curved, sexual body language. Almost as if she wants to be looked at as a sexual object which is a major appeal in this film for male audience. The mise-en-scene of the setting also adds to this gaze on Megan as the setting is a hot outdoors and due to the hot weather having an effect on what she wears and how she acts. Her exposure of body is what drags the audience in and forces them to gaze at her body. Lastly when she is getting out of the car she turns to Sam and says "You think I'm shallow huh?" this is almost as if she is worrying about how she is seen by other males and wants to look and be the best woman she can be. This ties into the male gaze. For feminists the Male gaze can be thought of in 3 ways which is; How men look at women; in this scene as sexual objects to gaze at almost as if they are owned and controlled by them. How women look at themselves; Women worrying about how they come across ("You think I'm shallow huh?" How women look at other women; Women aspiring to be as sexy and appealing as Megan Fox's character.