Film Theory

This paper reflects my understanding of film theory because I don't just repeat Laura Mulvey’s classic framework about the "male gaze" turning women into passive objects; instead, I combine it with critical race and spectatorship theories from bell hooks, Manthia Diawara, and Hamid Naficy to show how Jordan Peele’s Get Out flips these traditional rules on their head. I argue that the "gaze" in this movie transcends sexual difference to become a weapon of white supremacy used to objectify, trap, and control Black bodies. I demonstrate my strong research and analytical skills by synthesizing diverse scholarly perspectives and connecting their abstract concepts directly to a formal, scene-by-scene visual analysis. For instance, I break down how the bright, high-key lighting at the garden party hides Chris's entrapment, how the rectangular window of the Sunken Place mimics a movie screen to force his passivity, and how shaky, handheld camera movements visually disrupt the family's control when the camera flash goes off. Ultimately, by conducting a rigorous close reading of how different characters either enforce this racialized look or use an "oppositional gaze" to fight back, my paper proves my ability to evaluate complex texts critically and show exactly how filmmakers use camera angles, lighting, and editing to challenge systemic racism and shatter normal audience expectations.