Media Theory 

Engima (mystery) - 'Engima codes' Roland Barthes.

Heroes and Villains 'binary opposite' Levi Strauss.

Todorov Narrative Theory

In 1969 Todorov produced a theory which he believed to be able to applied to any film.

Roland Barthes

Born 12th November 1915 Cherbourg, France.

 Died- 26th March 1980 ( aged 64)

Roland Barthes: All texts are 'complex' bundles of meaning

• Engima Codes (problem introduced) - usually in 'disruption' stage.
• Open- not resolved at end 
• Closed texts- resolved at end
• Polysemic texts- lots of different meanings. 

Levi Strauss

Born 28th November 1908 Brussels Belgium.

Died 30th October 2009

Levi Strauss was a big part of the structuralism theory and also the structural anthropology.



Laura Melvy:  
Laura Melvey was a lady who had a theory on males and how they look at women in movies or in general. She believes that 'the male gaze' her theory is women viewed as the objects of male erotic desire in film. Women do not plan this the audience is forced to identify the male gaze. Cinema reflects a male dominated society, – phallus (penis) a symbol of power – e.g. in cinema guns = phallus = power.

Objectification is related to the gaze

The persons gazed at are objectified, treated as an object whose sole value is to be enjoyed or possessed by the voyeur

Objectified characters are devalued and their humanity removed.

Patriarchal society = Men dictate the rules

Mulvey argued we live in a patriarchal society in which men set the majority of the rules and construct and represent the ideal visions, roles and male dominance over woman.