I have chosen to look at the attempted rape scene in "Thelma and Louise" in relation to Laura Mulvey's gaze theory. This scene occurs within the first 30 minutes of the film.
The scene takes place in a dimly lit car park, with the tacky neon lights of the club reflecting off the bonnets of the cars and flashing at the top of the screen. The country and western music is playing in the background off camera, which gives the spectator dirty tacky suspicion that is later confirmed by the later events.
Thelma may be wearing an off the shoulder top but her face and body do not encourage a voyeuristic male gaze. An unnatural light falls on her face in an unflattering way that emphasises how her make up has run down her face. In addition, the fact that she has just been sick, is sweating, and does not look her most attractive make the audience uncomfortable. Thelma's attacker cuts in front of the camera, creating a physical barrier between the audience and Thelma, which gives this great sense of helplessness to the whole scene.
The quick cutting, interrupted with close up shots of Geena Davis's jerky body movements removes any eroticism from the scene (in comparison to the rape scene in Clockwork Orange where the movement is fluent and set to orchestral music.). The shots change quickly between low angle POV Thelma and the high angle POV of her attacker. The audience are positioned as an unwilling witness to Thelma's ordeal. .
There is a huge feeling of claustrophobia in the scene especially when the rapist pins Thelma to the bonnet of the car by holding her arms behind her. There is a quick cut to a low angle shot of Thelma trying to keep her legs closed while the attacker forces the open. This gives the audience a great feeling of helplessness that is intensified by the quick cuts to where she is being pinned down.
Thelma's attacker is made anonymous by the lack of light on his face and that some shots are filmed from over his shoulder and from his POV add to the anonymous power he holds over Thelma and the audience.
