Affective 'malfunction' : erotic film beyond patriarchy and unfulfilled liberation

Abstract

This dissertation explores the significance of sex in erotica through the lens of affect theory, examining how sexual affect interacts with patriarchal structures and ideological frameworks. By analyzing Basic Instinct (1992), Nymphomaniac (2013), and In the Realm of the Senses (1976), the research illustrates how sexual affect both entangles with and transcends patriarchal ideology. The concept of affective ‘malfunction’ is introduced to demonstrate how affect interrupts traditional storytelling and offers new ways of unfolding stories. I begin the study by distinguishing erotica from pornography to underscore the unique role of affect. Through an analysis of Basic Instinct (1992) and Nymphomaniac (2013), I examine affect’s potential in perversion and its constrained "function" within ideological norms, which results in unfulfilled liberation under patriarchy. Furthermore, by analyzing In the Realm of the Senses (1976), I present affective ‘malfunction’ as a rejection of linear, rational narratives, allowing affect to flow freely and subvert ideological control. Finally, by integrating Guy Debord’s concept of the spectacle, I extend the application of affective ‘malfunction’ to a broader scope, emphasizing fluidity and alternatives over fixation and control.