Open Lectures - The Literal Male Gaze in ‘The Silence of the Lambs’
Open Lectures Our Open Lectures series celebrates the research, projects, collaborations, events and professional practices of our teaching staff at the Centre for Open Learning. Our courses are designed and taught by an extraordinary range of talented and dedicated academics, practitioners and professionals. Many enjoy long and distinguished careers whilst others are in the early stages, perhaps in the midst of their postdoctoral study or working on their first book or exhibition. Our new series will bring our learning community together to listen and engage with our tutors, as they reveal the story behind their own practices and research, perhaps through a funded project, a commission or continuing professional development. The Literal Male Gaze in ‘The Silence of the Lambs' What do Laura Mulvey and Hannibal Lecter have in common? In this lecture, Jonathan Demme’s 1991 masterpiece The Silence of the Lambs will be analysed through the prism of feminist film theory, specifically Laura Mulvey’s concept of the male gaze. The Silence of the Lambs is a film about the eyes: what the eyes see, what they choose to avoid and windows to the soul. Jonathan Demme’s penchant for full-frame and centered closeups on actors is used to maximum effect in this film, often having their eyes looking directly at the camera. There are so many levels to the way eyes are used in this film, but one can easily start by drawing parallels between the film’s themes of voyeurism and a literal male gaze. Looking at four specific scenes, this lecture will explore how the film’s beautiful cinematography can be repurposed as symbolism for the strong feminist message underlying the film. Andrew Rooke Andrew Rooke is an award-winning Canadian filmmaker and Teaching Fellow at the University of Edinburgh Centre for Open Learning. His work has been screened in film festivals and public television around the world. Andrew currently teaches the Introduction to Filmmaking at the Centre for Open Learning which offers a comprehensive look all aspects necessary to create a short film. Ticket and Event Information The event is free and open to the public. To secure your place, tickets have to be booked in advance via this page. The lecture will take place in a lecture theatre which is accessible to wheelchair users and equipped with an induction loop system.
read more