The Male Gaze Analysis

Rihanna- Pour It Up

In Rihanna’s music video Pour It Up, you can see some very blatant aspects of the male gaze. I would say its male gaze because it has pole dancers in it wearing very little and Rihanna herself also isn’t covering up too much. This would appeal to men because they would see the video as quite sexually influenced and the male gaze simply defined is how men look at women. It is also related to how women would look at themselves and also how women look at other women. This relates to the video I selected as the women who watch it may want to be like the girls in the video and the video would appeal again I mention to the men because of the lack of clothing and sexual movements throughout.

In this tube chop paused image you can see how all the audience of the video will see is the body of woman. You can’t really see anything covering her up other than a very loose piece of material. This will give the illusion to some men that she is naked. Another point about this image is that it is a very plain colour. This meaning that there are no other distractions for people to look at. I think that this is a key thing for the male gaze as all they want to focus on is the attraction of the female body.

 

In this frame you can see that the camera has panned down to see Rihanna’s breasts. This is clever in a way because it only appears for a very short amount of time. Rihanna is really featured as a visible part of this video but she is, she is presented in a sex related way. Boobs out, not much clothing, and also her make-up has been done in a more ‘flirtatious’ style. This is because of her bright red lipstick, dark eye make-up and what appears to be moisturiser. Her body seems quite shiny and smooth, giving a sense of pleasurable skin. In the image you can just about see Rihanna’s mouth and it is slightly open and teeth are visible. This would suggest to the audience a sense of lust and want for the opposing sex and sex itself.
The way that Rihanna expresses herself and lets her body go is also key to this presentation of the Male Gaze because it shows that she has no self control and respect for herself. This also meaning that men and in some cases women looking and watching this video will take Rihanna's body for granted rather than respecting her and her body. It also gives he audience a sense of pride that she doesn't care and maybe even that she wants sexual activity with someone so badly she will do anything to get it; this including showing off and flaunting areas that she probably shouldn't.

 

This is an image from 47 seconds into the video and it shows a woman with very little on, ass out. She is dancing in water in the scene, splashing around and ‘twerking’. This would appear to the audience as quite a naughty dance, attracting male viewers. This scene would draw them into the video further and may also turn any of the male viewers on due to the female dancer’s wetness. The lighting that is used in this frame is very dull but when the girl splashes the water around with her bum it makes it more visible and dirty.

At this point in the music video, 1:00, you can see a full body view of Rihanna herself. You can see she is wearing very little amount and she is also positioned herself in a very sex gaining manner. Her legs widely apart, chest visible, and her hand is directing the audience’s attention to her vagina. In this scene she is also body rolling as if she was having sexual activity with someone and is going through the need for ‘more’. This makes her appear sexier to the audience and it makes her appear to give an invitation for someone to join her. This is also shown by the way she is sat and not just by her movements.  She is wearing sun glasses as well that adds mystery to her actions and never takes her eye away from the camera to prove that you are the ‘victim’ and she is the sex goddess.

We are presented with a full body shot of someone at about 1:43 and this shows a very intimate scene between a woman and either water, or something in it. It could suggest that she is trying to portray feelings and emotions to someone through the song and possibly so that we ourselves feel something for her. The area around this scene looks as if it would be an old house and that it has been flooded. This could be showing a lack of care while the person in the image has sex or the feelings of need for it. In this frame it also makes it look like Rihanna herself because of the hair, this could have an effect on the audience and the male gaze because they know her through other music and it would make them have a feeling and urge for more of her. The person in this image is also bare skinned and that would mean that the light could reflect of the skin making her body seem more appealing to the audience.  

After this the camera changes slightly and shows a shot of Rihanna with her legs very widely spread apart. This also would link to the feelings of sex and lust for it. With the water around her and the lighting effects we as an audience automatically presume that that sex is the music videos main relation and it isn’t about anything else. Yes, the video does make it quite obvious through the water being used as a metaphor for a woman being wet due to sexual activity.