Male Gaze- music video analysis
Male Gaze- Music Video Analysis
Laura Mulvey introduced the 'Male Gaze' in 1975, the concept of the gaze is one that deals with how an audience views the people presented. Laura Mulvey believes that in film, audiences have to 'view' characters from the perspective of a heterosexual male.
For femenists the 'Male Gaze' can be thought of in 3 ways:
1. How men look at women
2. How women look at themselves
3. How women look at other women
Some features of the Male Gaze include; The camera lingering on the curves of the female body. And women are relegated to the status of objects.
The videos below all include the Male Gaze. Mise-en-scene is used, the setting and clothing items worn in the music videos are creating a mood and reflecting the emotional state of mind of the singer. Some of the videos use frontality, where the singers are directly looking at the camera, providing the feeling that they're looking straight at the viewer.
Video 1- Taylor Swift Bad Blood
This video is empowering for women as it shows women in control and that they are capable of beating out men. The video is mainly aimed at women because there are not very many men in the video. Although, the video is about men giving women 'bad blood'. This video does contain the male gaze as the women are wearing limited clothing.
Video 2- Justin Timberlake Tunnel Vision
This video contains the Male Gaze as there are many unclothed women in the video, exposing their bodies. This video can be seen as empowering and degrading towards women, depending on what you believe. Feminists would think it would be degrading because it shows that women are good for nothing other than their bodies, almost as though they are objects that men can play with. The men are in control in this video, the women are shown often, however are only showed in the back and they do not open their mouth or show any signs of control. The video seems to be generally aimed at men as the song is about loving a women and shows many naked women in the shot.
Video 3- Rihanna Pour It Up
This video is empowering for women as it shows women are in control and can make their own living, not many men are in the video which hows independence and control towards the women. The Male Gaze is still however there as the women are wearing very little clothing items and are dancing in very seductive ways.
The Mise-en-scene, costumes, background and such are very interesting in that they're very influencing and empowering, the mise-en-scene shows Rihanna to be the lead role as she is constantly in the middle, wearing the fanciest, most eye catching clothing of all the girls. She leads them, leading the dances, the singing and the props for instance; the pole dancing.
The video is directed at men and women. It is directed at men because of the Male Gaze, and is directed at women because it can be seen as empowering to them
Laura Mulvey introduced the 'Male Gaze' in 1975, the concept of the gaze is one that deals with how an audience views the people presented. Laura Mulvey believes that in film, audiences have to 'view' characters from the perspective of a heterosexual male.
For femenists the 'Male Gaze' can be thought of in 3 ways:
1. How men look at women
2. How women look at themselves
3. How women look at other women
Some features of the Male Gaze include; The camera lingering on the curves of the female body. And women are relegated to the status of objects.
The videos below all include the Male Gaze. Mise-en-scene is used, the setting and clothing items worn in the music videos are creating a mood and reflecting the emotional state of mind of the singer. Some of the videos use frontality, where the singers are directly looking at the camera, providing the feeling that they're looking straight at the viewer.
Video 1- Taylor Swift Bad Blood
This video is empowering for women as it shows women in control and that they are capable of beating out men. The video is mainly aimed at women because there are not very many men in the video. Although, the video is about men giving women 'bad blood'. This video does contain the male gaze as the women are wearing limited clothing.
Video 2- Justin Timberlake Tunnel Vision
This video contains the Male Gaze as there are many unclothed women in the video, exposing their bodies. This video can be seen as empowering and degrading towards women, depending on what you believe. Feminists would think it would be degrading because it shows that women are good for nothing other than their bodies, almost as though they are objects that men can play with. The men are in control in this video, the women are shown often, however are only showed in the back and they do not open their mouth or show any signs of control. The video seems to be generally aimed at men as the song is about loving a women and shows many naked women in the shot.
Video 3- Rihanna Pour It Up
This video is empowering for women as it shows women are in control and can make their own living, not many men are in the video which hows independence and control towards the women. The Male Gaze is still however there as the women are wearing very little clothing items and are dancing in very seductive ways.
The Mise-en-scene, costumes, background and such are very interesting in that they're very influencing and empowering, the mise-en-scene shows Rihanna to be the lead role as she is constantly in the middle, wearing the fanciest, most eye catching clothing of all the girls. She leads them, leading the dances, the singing and the props for instance; the pole dancing.
The video is directed at men and women. It is directed at men because of the Male Gaze, and is directed at women because it can be seen as empowering to them
Some excellent points. EBI: Consider Rhianna's video and the message behind it relating to power. How is she constructed as the powerful lead role through mise-en-scene? Using media terminology effectively will help you to develop your analytical work further.
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