Theorists Notes

Kaplan

. Kaplan argues that the spectator aligns with the male in film. She argues that the spectator must make a conscious decision to align with the female in film.
. This theory therefore can link to my previous point, as the spectator wants to align with Summer, he/she must make a conscious decision to do so.
. For example, one may align with Summer consciously as she does not gain a voice, however if we only view the film through the subconscious male gaze, the spectator may not align with Summer, as the audience cannot hear her perspective.
. One may adapt to a negotiated reading of the film; if the spectator is not white, male and straight.
. If the audience take a conscious decision to take a woman's perspective, then the reading of the film is negotiated.

Mulvey

. Based upon the theories of Freud, Bellour and Metz, Laura Mulvey focuses on the male gaze and how women are the subject of the film, only there for visual pleasure.
. Summer is introduced through close ups of her body: the narrator describes her average height etc, making her an object of viewing pleasure only. The narrator goes on to explain ''The Summer effect'' in which displays of voyeurism are presented. Example is the bus scene. An allegiance may be formed with Summer and the female spectator.
.When Tom has sex with Summer for the first time, the next morning he breaks out into a dance sequence in the middle of the street. Although this is a comical part of the film, it displays the male gaze on a large scale, a large celebration of Tom conquering Summer with his penis, making Summer the subject and Tom regains his masculinity.
. Male spectators would feel allegiance with Tom due to the fact he has gained a sense of power over the women, confirming to the stereotypical Hollywood film.

Williams

The female gaze becomes the dominant gaze, the strong female character is usually punished and there is a struggle to align with them, because of their break out of the conventional role. This isn't applicable to 500 day's of summer. In the film, Summer is strong, independent and isn't intentionally looking for a relationship. She doesn't get diagetically punished but she gets punished in terms of spectator response. The scene where she talks about her past lovers shows she is dominating him sexually, as well as the conversation. So diagetically, Tom is punished because Summer gets married to another man and he ends up depressed. For example, the scene where he criticises her appearance in the same way he complimented her appearance earlier in the film. At the end of the film, the day counter resets to zero when Tom meets Autumn, which could indicate the cycle of punishment is going to happen again.