A liquid crystal display element comprising two transparent substrates, at least one of which is transparent, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the two substrates. A plurality of pixels and active elements for driving the liquid crystal at the plurality of pixels are incorporated into at least one of the two substrates, and an optical axis of an incident light beam upon the liquid crystal layer is present in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to a direction of orientation of liquid crystal molecules on at least one of the two substrates, and the incident light impinges upon the liquid crystal layer in a direction which is inclined by a predetermined angle to the direction of the normal line of the substrate. With this arrangement, a desired phase modulation is obtained through slight motion of the liquid crystal molecules, thereby greatly reducing the liquid crystal drive voltage.