Helter Skelter (2012) – How mass media unconsciously patriarchal order effect toward women

(Use “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” by Laura Mulvey and “The Mirror Stage” by Lacan as the source to support the essay.)

In the Japanese movie Helter Skelter (2012), the main actress, Liliko is a young and pretty, famous celebrity and film star. However, her whole body and face are made from plastic surgery, so she is very insecure that she will lose everything as time goes by. As a movie star in the film, the camera is always close up on Liliko’s face and body, which she always dresses so little to show off her body. Moreover, when her magazine is sold out and everyone loves her because she is pretty, so she believes that only to be objectifying can fulfill her self-worth.

Above all, I hope to use Laura Mulvey “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” to support the film Helter Skelter (2012), with how Patriarchy Consciousness affect Liliko. And how the audience in the film connects to scopophilia, etc. Also in the film, there are a lot of scenes that have a lot of mirrors, like Liliko find out she is aging by looking into the mirror, or when they are having sex with a room full with mirrors that can connect with “The Mirror Stage” by Lacan that reference by Laura Mulvey.

When Liliko has sex with Takao Nanbu in the restroom that is full with mirror, she sees how herself been controlled by man through the mirror. Moreover, it shows that she identify herself by using her body to attract others. On the other hand, when there is no one to have sex with her, she can’t feel her own existence and value.

When Liliko sees herself through the mirror that she ages and getting black spot on her skin, she gets really nervous because it means Liliko’s self-conscious will also degenerate or even disappear. Since Liliko thinks her looks and self-value is connected together, it shows that the media nowaday still materialized consciousness of some kind of patriarchal order towards female. When women who do not participate in the patriarchal order, they will lose the appeal of mainstream viewers and get abandon.