The Piano
I can honestly say I've never seen a movie quite like "The Piano". As a guy, I mostly only watch "guy" type movies. I am not a big fan of "chick flicks" or any movie lacking comedy and/or action for that matter. I would assume that I have almost never watched a movie directed by a woman. Jane Campion's film was my first introduction into the world of feminist movies and it was not what I expected.
I was so used to the “male gaze” perspective of viewing films that I was a little confused and yes, weirded out by Jane Campion’s ideas and methods. The “Female gaze” as it was presented in “The Piano”, portrayed us men in a negative light for the most part.
All of the male figures in the movie were shown as clueless brutes whose job it was to serve the women in a grudgingly manner. The movie began with the crew of the boat helping the Ada and her daughter to land by carrying them and all of their things. Ada’s new husband is gone most of the time doing work and other chores while Ada goes about doing whatever she feels. The Husband seems to be a stern, hesitant man who doesn’t have much care for his new wife’s needs. Baines comes across as a pervert who has no respect for women. The only positive male figure is ironically Baines in the end. Somehow, Ada falls in love with Baines. Afterwards, Baines is no longer a pervert, but a respectable gentleman.
I had a hard time understanding why the men were presented to the audience a more or less negative way until I realized that this movie is seen through Ada’s eyes, the “Female Gaze”. In this film, the camera looks through the female character’s eyes and the male character is looked at. Perhaps the female gaze is most noticeable when the film turns towards sexuality.
The first major instance is when Baines first acquires Ada’s piano. After seeing Ada play the piano, once she leaves, he strips off his clothes and slides his hand over the piano. The audience sees Baines fully nude. In most films, the male character won’t get naked unless there is to be sex and even then, we don’t see much of his body, it’s always the females. Later on in the film we will see Baines naked again, and this time we see “every inch” of his nakedness. Although we also see Ada nude, it’s not as prevalent and focused as it is with the male characters. One instance in which I winced was when Ada was stroking her husband’s backside. A male gaze would never focus directly on the male’s bare butt because the majority of guys don’t want to look at another man in a sexually provocative manner. I was uncomfortable looking at the husband in that way. I wonder if that’s how women feel in most movies where the camera focuses its lens on other females.
I believe that Jane Campion accomplished something with “The Piano”. It definitely changed my outlook on cinema and the portrayal of the sexes. I think that after watching this film, I will be able to better analyze all films in general, whether they were directed men or women.