Zoolander (2001) is a satire of the fashion industry, but the fact that the gender representations in this film are meant to be a funny parody does not make them less valid as object of analysis. Drawing on the work of academics such as Laura Mulvey and Steve Neale I hope to demonstrate how while seemingly contradicting prescriptive gender codes - with the male being effectively rescued by an intellectually superior female and being passive in his actions – the film actually reinforces them by showing us characters in reversed roles that then change to fit their proper place in patriarchal society by the end of the narrative.
Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) is a feminized character in that he is overly preoccupied with his appearance and acts in a delicate manner in spite of his physical fitness. The fact that the film is all about male spectacle can also be seen to put his character in a feminized position of being looked at as opposed to bearer of the look.
Right at the beginning, moreover, we are presented with the symbolic castration of Zoolander. As his rival Hansel (Owen Wilson) wins the “Male Model of the Year” award. Derek is deprived of his power which lies solely in popularity, and is left helpless and defeated. He then tries to remedy the situation by going back to his hometown and working in the coalmines with his father and brothers. By trying to fit into their world, however, Derek only furthers this feeling of castration as he is scorned for what he does, and his lack of popularity renders his very existence meaningless and drives him to ask himself “who am I?”
According to MacKinnon (2003: 37) masculine identity is linked with the use of the body as an instrument of power and control. In spite of only using aggression at the very end of the film when he nearly murders the prime minister of Malaysia, Zoolander uses his body throughout to exert his influence and depends on it to advance his career. His trademark look “blue steel” stands in for physical power, as it is what he uses to control and succeed. In the climax of the film, when he uses “Magnum” for the first time, it represents the next level of power and achieves what physical masculine aggression normally would.
Laura Mulvey (1975) describes ‘fetishistic scopophilia’ as the pleasure of looking at another person as an object. The main idea that runs throughout the film is that this is exactly what models are there for, to be looked at, to be empty vessels, objects of that gaze (this objectification is rendered easier still by the low intellect of the model characters). The interesting thing about Zoolander is that in this film the models that we get acquainted with are all male, and according to Mulvey fetishist scopophilia cannot possibly apply to males in cinema. In the Walk-off challenge though, we are presented with a spectacular “fight” that mimics epic scenes from films such as Rocky (enter year) The Matrix (enter year) and any number of Westerns. This turning of a situation into spectacle privileges the fetishistic look, which, according to Ellis (1982: 47) ‘has much to do with display and the spectacular’ as it objectifies the characters.
Derek’s version of Masculinity is not seen as the norm, however, as several others are introduced in the film. The miners in Derek’s hometown represent traditional working class masculinity with a clearly homophobic attitude demonstrated in his father’s statement that he is “dead to him” because of his feminized profession – a statement identical to what you would expect if Derek had declared his homosexuality. However, just like in Billy Elliot (enter year), the father who initially considers the son’s vocation to be a feminine one ends up feeling proud of him. In neither film, however, is the son actually homosexual, so the father is never asked to deal with homosexuality per se, just the impression by the choice of career that the son is indeed less masculine than could be wished. Fatherly approval signifies the “happily ever after”, that everyone in patriarchal society should aspire to achieve.
‘The world of heroes is often homosocial’ (MacKinnon 2003:38), and Zoolander is no exception, as most of Derek’s friends and people he socializes with are male. Yet in spite of the camp attitude of some of those men, male homoeroticism is disavowed mainly through heterosexual relationships. The only homoerotic moment is the fight between Kantinka (Milla Jovovich) and Matilda. When Matilda punches Katinka, she licks the blood on the corner of her mouth and gives Matilda a lusting look. I could be implied that because Matilda has shown a masculine aggressive side she has made herself attractive to Katinka. Suggesting Katinka’s lesbianism implies that strong phallic women are not “normal”.
