Madonna- Hung up by Johan Renck

Madonna’s track Hung up was stimulated by the 1970s disco era, thus her music video displays the conventions of a disco/dance genre:

• Dance routines and largely performance based but can have some narrative.

• Male gaze or female gaze. (Laura Mulvey theory)

• Bright lighting and very colourful scenes. • Range in camera shots.

THE DISCO ERA

• At the start, the viewer observes Madonna switching on the lights of the dance studio. Bright lights flicker on and this kind of lighting is certainly typical for the dance/disco genre. Subsequently, she begins to dance in the isolated studio in solitude, wearing a pink leotard with high stilettos. The mise en scene here is significant in female representation; it represents Madonna as being feminine, as well as sexualising her, making her look seductive which promotes her star image. Her outfit also resembles fashion in the 1970s.

• The choreography of the music video too resembles the moves in the 1970s, films such as ‘Saturday night fever’ display this. The radio also flickers with various colourful lights, which adds to the light-hearted tone of the track, the viewer gets a sense that although Madonna is getting over a guy; she is trying not to let that get in the way of her mood.

CAMERA

• There are various different shots of the artist, from long shots to close ups, giving the video its music video quality and makes it more exciting. There are also different angles; the low angles in the video represent Madonna as being influential and important, exerting a kind of power over the audience.

GENERAL • There are cuts between Madonna dancing in the studio to the actors dancing and

free running in the outside world. Outside it is sunny and seemingly there is a whole community of people dancing together, thus the cut back to Madonna in the studio is important as the two different locations are juxtaposed in a way which highlights Madonna’s isolation.

• Here, the viewer might then conclude that Madonna is secluded as so although she claims to be ‘hung up’ on this guy and ready to move on, she may not be as strong as she suggests. The music video then takes a drastic turn and we see a progression in Madonna’s character, slowly reaching to this independence that she claims to have shortly after she says ‘I’m done/ I am hanging up on you’. She leaves the studio with a change in attire, wearing a tight leather jacket with jeans, walking directly towards the camera, conveying her confidence. It is also typical for the main star to change costume in music videos, especially in pop, dance and disco genres.

• There are also various quick shots capturing all parts of Madonna’s body, which supports the male gaze theory by Laura Mulvey. The camera does in fact put us as the viewer into the perspective of a heterosexual man.

Examples of male gaze

The front view, back view and side view of Madonna gives a feel as though a male spectator is watching her. Especially the low angle in the top left corner only shows her body which sexualizes and objectifies her, supporting the male gaze theory by Laura Mulvey.

• There is then yet another change in location, which is common in many music videos. She now meets the rest of the people in what appears to be a disco with red lights and glowing white circles prancing around the room and a strobe light (flashing lights), giving a disco vibe. The music slows down at this moment so simultaneously the cameras also goes onto slow motion, which conveys the dance moves more clearly. It also captures and dramatizes the intense moment, where Madonna has seemingly moved on for she is getting close to another guy. When the beat quickens again to its fast tempo, it is also reflected in the music video, for we see a return to normal motion and Madonna dancing amongst a large crowd, fulfilling each and every moment. Unlike the beginning, she is now dancing within the community, which shows how she is not alone in this process. All the dancers at this point begin doing the same choreography as Madonna. The fact that the viewer witnesses the actors in the video dancing and feeling the beat in encourages them to also get up and dance. Therefore, the choreography in this disco genre is important in promoting the artist and the song as such songs would be played in discos or in clubs.

Theme

• Reoccurring theme of time being wasted. • Shown through mise-en-scene. There is a road

sign saying ‘SLOW’. We then see a cut to a man working in the restaurant looking at the clock, suggesting that he is wasting his time.