Masculinity in Film and Audience Expectation

Since the early centuries, there has been interest in the subject of masculinity. Since the beginning of the "new men's movement" in the 1980s, academic interest in masculinity has increased significantly in the latter half of the 20th century. The second wave of feminist politics prompted the birth of the new men's movement. Numerous academic fields, including literature, cultural studies, sociology, film, and other mass media studies, have seen an increase in the study of masculinity. Studies on masculinity have developed to cover a variety of topics, including critique of the power structures associated with patriarchal society and ideology in gender debate. Studies on masculinity have recently concentrated on ambivalence regarding feminism. Films provide an avenue to analyze the complexities of masculinity. Masculinity is a cultural aspect that many be embraced or challenged depending on what the film intends to depict. Media representations influence the feminine and masculine configurations in the day to day activities. Many times how masculinity is represented in films may shock or appease the expectations of the audience. This paper conceptualizes the concept of masculinity in films by addressing the different ways masculinity is presented in films across the globe. It also analyzes the expectations of the audience on how masculinity is presented depending on culture. The concept of whether films depicted the true concepts of masculinity in these cultures. Since films have the ability to influence behavior, the paper examines the extent of the influence of films in the societies.

Types of masculinity in Films

The type of masculinity presented in films depends on aspects such as age, class, ethnicity, nationality, sexuality and other areas. These aspects vary immensely across the globe hence the concept of a single unified masculinity is unattainable especially in what films represent of masculinity. A wide variety of constructed “masculinities” are portrayed in movies from ‘imperial man’ to ‘new lad.' The representation of masculinity in films varies considerably hence creating the aspect of different types of masculinity. Masculinity is a concept that is composed of “many masculinities” (Beynon, 2002). While all-male have the same body which in point of this discussion even the body comes in different sizes, structures and appearances there are numerous expressions of gender that create different types of masculinity. The fact that masculinity is incorporated by cultural systems, historical perceptions, and geographical location creates the concept of different types of masculinity. In the current society that is influenced by feminists and gay movements masculinity is no longer a fixed concept. The term masculinities showcase a better term to describe the varied term that is masculinity.

Masculinity is an aspect of culture and as such varied at different places, at different times and different circumstances. Masculinity is not a biological aspect rather it is what men acculturate as they develop in ways that culturally acceptable. Many broad generalizations such as gay, black, working class, middle-class masculinities indicate that indeed masculinity is not a fixed concept. In each broad generalizations such as black or gay masculinities, individuals have different experiences, and the presentations in films differ considerably depending on culture (Roberts, 2000). Similarly, different types of masculinity can exist in the same settings and presented differently in films. Research has indicated that the concept of masculine essence is ambiguous rather masculinity alter in context over time.

The concept of new masculinity began in the 1990s that marked the beginning of what most termed the new masculinity. In the “The End of Masculinity” published by John MacInnes, describes that the new masculinity presents a multitude of new opportunities for the male genders as fathers, husbands, partners, and workers. According to him, the rebirth of masculinity presents the idea that the male gender is no longer appeased by prowess in occupational basis only (Beynon, 2002). Instead, the current generation of males is happy to incorporate both domestic and occupational roles. The new masculinity presents a chance for the male gender both heterosexual and homosexual to integrate different roles and help their partners perform domestic chores. The new masculinity presents a greater tolerance for homosexuality as another type of masculinity. In the old masculinity, roles were gender defined, and a man taking female roles would have been viewed suspiciously in the society. As mentioned, concepts like new and old masculinity are rather too broad to capture the perception of different experiences among individuals. Pop culture including films has captured the concept of new masculinity in majority of the movies. Female and male roles are no longer differentiated, and it is common for both the female and male genders to choose from common attributes with inclination to certain attributes more than the others.

For instance, cases of male melodrama have been on the rise in Hollywood for the past seven decades. These movies portray a typical male who faces emotional, psychological and social problems associated with the fact that he is “male.” Instances of the new masculinity including male melodrama can be found in a variety of genres from war films, to road films to sports films. In movies such as Midnight Cowboy of 1969, the last detail and scarecrow of 1973 showcase the melodrama associated with the male characters (Woodworth, 2014). The characters grow from the strong exterior associated with the male gender to forming strong emotional bonds with other male dramas. These movies are spiced with tragic events such as death, imprisonment, and diseases that build on emotionality of the male characters.

A multitude of films since the 1980s portray the male gender as “hybridized masculinity” capable of performing both the traditional masculine roles and domestic roles commonly attributed to females. For instance in the movie “ Table for Five” fathers are presented as taking an active nurturing role in the lives of their children rather than being the traditional aggressive father-figure or absentee fathers (Woodworth, 2014). The lead role is a divorced father that only saw his children a few times a year. When he went on holiday with his three children, he learns that he wants to take an active nurturing role in his children’s life.

Many films portray masculinity in different aspects such as the “tomboy” look. The tomboy look is associated with the adoption of temporary masculine look by young girls. Masculinity is more of a cultural and economic aspect than it is a biological concept (Srinivas, 2002). The mere aspect that in some societies a young girl can adopt a masculine look rather than embrace her femininity indicates the culture of masculinity. Tomboy masculinity in most cases is temporary, but when maintained to adulthood it raises questions on the heterosexuality of the woman. For instance, in the 2011 movie “Tomboy ” a ten-year-old girl moves to a new neighborhood and decides to experiment with her gender identity. It explores the ambiguity of gender and how lines between masculinity and femininity could be easily blurred in different circumstances.

In the modern society, cases of transgender are common especially in pop culture including movies. These individuals may be male or female biologically but adopt the aspect of a “man” or a “woman” depending on the situation and what they desire to showcase. In recent times, the male gender is pursuing professions associated with the nurturing attribute of the female. For instance, the male nurse provides gentle, caring and nurturing services to patients. These attributes were traditionally associated with the female gender.

Hegemonic masculinity describes the best ways of “being a man” at different places in different situations. In this particular aspect, other expressions of masculinity are rendered inferior or inadequate to present the ideal “man successfully.” As such other variation of masculinity is considered subordinate masculinities (Beynon, 2002). Many movies in Hollywood are presented to showcase masculinity in the ideal macho character who showcases his masculinity in both physical appearance and the roles he partakes in both at the workplace and at home. They are associated with aggressive leisure and sporting activities such as car racing. Tensions between hegemonic masculinity and subordinate masculinity are common in several films. Buddy movies such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid of 1969 celebrate the concept of hegemonic masculinist.

In Kimberly Piece’s film, Boys Don’t Cry, the concept of hegemonic masculinity is dismantled, and the characters play the liberator function and normalize female masculinity and gender fluidity. The movie privileges gender diversity and expose the negative consequences of inherent sexual bigotry of hetero-ideology (Cooper, 2002). In the movie young female aspiring to be male transgender escapes his hometown when his ex-girlfriend boyfriend discovered he is biologically female. He settles in another small town and meets a Lana, and they start to plan for their future. However, when his ex-convicts friend learns of his identity, he falls victim of a cruel crime. The lead role faces threats due to his gender identity showcasing a society that is not receptive of transsexual individuals. When he is arrested in the course of the film, he is placed in the female’s prison. The lead role is assaulted and despised and eventually killed. The movie showcases the adverse effects of a unified masculinity that fails to address the opinions and identity expressions of everyone in the society.

Many movies display the concept of working class masculinity which is associated with successful career, compliant women, flashy cars and other technological prowess in the digital era. These men are associated with the capability to adequately provide for their families emphasizing the traditional role of male as breadwinners. In the same concept films associate managers and successful business owners with masculinity. The mere aspect that the manager dominates the men and women under his leadership showcase his aggressiveness an attribute associated with masculinity.

However, as films much present masculinity in different aspects and categories, not everyone is happy with the term masculinities, and some are openly opposed to the concept of masculinity. Some movies portray masculinity as a myth that aims to dictate how male lead their lives and embrace certain societal boundaries (Beynon, 2002). According to individuals that oppose masculinity, the term masculinities increases the confusion and irrelevancies associated with masculinity.

Audience Expectations depending on culture

Audience expectations on films are based on their culture. Viewers differ not only in religious, class, social standings but only in age, gender and background. For instance, majority of the Hollywood movies are shot in Europe and the USA. The audiences in most cases expect a single storyline focused on one or two major themes. “Bollywood” on the other hand focuses on a variety of themes that are mixed in efforts to appease the desires of their fans. Bollywood caters to a diverse audience in regards to culture. The Indian government recognizes more than 16 languages which indicate the diversity of the Indian film audience (Srinivas, 2002). Most Indian films are melodrama with comedic elements and strong romance. Hollywood, on the other hand, may focus on a theme that is not necessary unified such as war. The Indian viewers consider these movies a spiced mixture. Indian viewers expect various music and dancing in their movies which are not expected in Hollywood and Nollywood. It is clear that audience expectations vary considerably across different cultures and societies.

As such, audience expectations of the male characters and what they represent in films showcase both psychological perceptions and cultural constraints. Historically the audience expectations of the male characters have been based on traditional values associated with the male gender. The expectations of the audiences were based on attributes that are deemed fit to describe a man such as stoicism, controlled emotions, physical feats capabilities and aggressive leadership roles both at home and in the workplace (Bainbridge & Yates, 2005). The Bollywood viewers expect song in movies that aim to showcase masculinity. Indian movies are musical despite their genre. For instance, the Film Border that has its mains subject as the Indo-Pakistan conflict manages to incorporate the songs as the dreams and memories of the Indian soldiers at the forefront of the battlefield (Srinivas, 2002).

If a Hollywood movie based on the theme of war, for instance, the flight of the American soldier on fighting terrorism, it would meet a lot of criticism if the masculine movie would incorporate singing and dancing in their plot. In Bollywood, singing does not affect the masculinity of the character and appeases the desires of the expectations of Bollywood audiences. Masculinity in Bollywood is not based on a single theme, the lead role is expected to be a father, husband, lover and as well as incorporate singing and dancing in the film. This is not the case in the expectations of the lead roles in Hollywood. In Hollywood, the lead role is merely expected to propel the theme of the film. If the movie focuses on hybridized masculine, performing both domestic work and running a successful corporation, the lead role is merely expected to portray such. Many Indian movies viewers consider the male characters in English movies to lack emotions that are displayed through singing and dancing in Bollywood (Srinivas, 2002). It is clear from the audience perceptions of Bollywood and Hollywood that masculinity expectation in movies varies based on culture.

Since culture influences masculinity, such broad generalizations of Bollywood and Hollywood do not capture the expectations of all the viewers in different societies. For instance, in the reception of the infamous ‘boys don’t cry’ movie, the audience Kimberly Pierce was concern that the audience will not sympathize with the heroine or hero since she aspired to be he (Cooper, 2002). The film is based on a true story and narrates the flight of transsexual individuals. However, the movie was well received especially by the conservative mid-western USA where the story takes place. It is evident while the movie was contrary to the audience expectations it addressed the issues that individuals face as they choose who they want to be in the “free America.” Movies that focus on the day to day problems involves oppression and violence based on sexuality were particularly well-received especially in when released since many transgendered and homosexual individuals were not adequately protected.

In recent times it argued that the American and the European societies are experiencing a masculinity crisis. The basis of this crisis is represented in the shift to a more reflexive and emotional masculinities that is in contrast with the traditional values of masculinity. The representation of male trauma has been a common theme in films since 1990 (Bainbridge & Yates, 2005). Postmodernity has led to the loss of the traditional patriarchal order. The securities associated with masculinity in the earlier centuries are no longer valid hence prompting cultural anxieties that have been explored in contemporary films in discourses of trauma for the male characters. Movies in the 1990s such as Momento, Fight Club and The end of the affair showcased the cultural manifestation of masculinity crisis in the postmodern society through the depiction of men in trauma and other extreme states of emotionality. It is clear that masculinity transition was a common aspect of the society at the end of the 20th century. However, the depictions of films varied across societies

Representation of masculinity in films and reality

Films may be fictional or non-fictional in nature addressing true stories or merely fantasy. However, in most cases, the inspirations for films are usually based on past events, the current events or how the future is anticipated. Films in masculinity may be fictional or non-fictional. For instance, the Bollywood Border movie is the representation of the Indo-Pakistan conflict, and the Boys Don’t Cry movie was based a true story (Cooper, 2002). However, the ‘males’ in these movies are depicted a clear representation of masculinity in reality. The concept of singing and dancing in ‘Border’ probes the question of whether the Indian men are that expressive musically in real life. Indeed Indians are expressive musically, and therefore musical masculinity is appreciated by the audience since it showcases the Indian culture.

Indeed most movies in masculinity are a clear representation for the issues that the society at large is dealing with. For instance, in the film, N Bandito which was initially presented at the Cannes film festival in 1946 drew a large number of viewers across the country despite the mixed reviews. A large number of viewers bought tickets for the entertainment aspect including the star power of Nazzari and Magnani, the gangster glamor and shifts of setting and style (Ben-Ghait, 2005). However, the audience was also drawn in with the reality aspect that the movie presented. The move depicted Italy as it was working down the street and having conversations with friends. One review indicated that the movie was meant to speak to the spectators rather to critics. It was meant to paint the masculinity transition that the society has seen as the world crumble between different time spans (Ben-Ghait, 2005). The movie showcased the Italian manhood that can only be addressed with the acceptance of the different in memories and experiences in the war. It depicted the coming in terms with the era of dictatorship and the war experience of the father, husbands and the brothers. Indeed the film provided insight on the notion of Italy at the end of the Second World War. A majority of masculinity films conceptualizes the identities of the individuals in the society that these movies are produced.

Impact of masculinity movies to the society

While films may not represent the values and norms of masculinity in the vast majority, they represent ideals of a certain percentage of the society. These movies do not provide solutions to the dilemmas of contemporary masculinity, they provide a setting in a cultural background and underpins how masculinity unfolds in these societies. Films are important in offering insight to the vast majority of the aspect of masculinities. Movies impact the daily activities of individuals in the society. Pop culture has spread throughout the world in different societies (Ben-Ghait, 2005). It has influenced the behaviors of individuals in these societies. For instance, Indians are not opposed to Hollywood, in watching Hollywood they may be influenced by the themes that these movies depict. In sub-Saharan Africa, most young people are influenced by the themes expressed in masculinity movies. The cultural working through which the themes of movies unfold have implications for the societies depicting the experiences of a few individuals to the cultural context of masculinity.

Masculinity influences the experiences of individuals. Concepts of domestication of the masculinity have been embraced in many areas across the globe due to the influence of films on the perceptions of these societies. Masculinity is a concept devised by cultural constraints that can be influenced by media especially pop culture like movies. The extent at which masculinity films influence cultural perceptions of a society majorly depending on the standings of these communities and perception of media influence. In western society, the aspect of media influence is an issue that affects almost all aspects of growth and development especially for the young people (Bainbridge & Yates, 2005). Hence, it is essential to realize how masculinity movies that depict different types of masculinities influence the lives of individuals and their perception of masculinity. The influence of masculinity movies on culture can either be positive or negative depending on the themes the movie address and how they address them. For instance, in the movie Boys Don’t Cry, it is clear the movie advocates for the right of self-identity in America.

Conclusion

Films provide a way to express the complex issues associated with masculinity especially in the post-modern society where many believe that masculinity is in a crisis. Masculinity is no longer a unified concept rather it is under transitions with several groups of “masculinities.” These groups could be broad such as the new and old masculinities, the black masculinity, the gay masculinity or the hegemonic masculinity. However, in each broad category, individuals are exposed to different experiences depending on their societies and culture at large. In the movie, Boys Don’t Cry; the lead role is exposed to assault and eventually death due to his masculinity. Her experience is different from other transgender individuals. Culture and masculinity are incorporated themes. Masculinity is majorly influenced by culture, and as such, audiences have different expectations of masculinity movies based on their culture. While some may embrace certain themes associated with the male character, others may find them ultimately feminine. For instance, in Bollywood singing and dancing is expected of the male characters while that is not the case in Hollywood. It is clear that in most cases movies conceptualizes the ideals of the societies regarding masculinity. In the N Bandito movie the spectators identified with the themes of the movie. Films are an important in depicting complex issues in the contemporary society and inspire deeper insight among the audiences and society at large.

References

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