A2 Media Studies

1. ‘Blue Jeans’ – Lana Del Rey
MUSIC VIDEO ANALYSIS

2. ‘Blue Jeans’ music video by Lana Del Rey consists of conventional characteristics you would find in an indie
pop music video; and these characteristics usually revolve around love, relationships and heartache.
Overall, the song and music video convey a female refusing to let her love interest forget that she will
always love him despite his ‘bad boy’ tendencies – chasing money and selling drugs.

3. There is also little reference to intertextualising – as
an audience we are aware of ‘James Dean’ and his
persona and this is what the male character is
described as in the video, thus his ‘bad boy’
characteristics are confirmed through the
encounters we see him partake in. This shows the
representation of a male’s masculinity, illustrating
to the audience what the female is attracted to.
Immediately, the audience can
identify a recurring motif; the male
character in the video has appeared
in previous videos; ‘Born To Die’ and
‘West Coast’. The extreme close ups
of him smoking and his tattoos
draws a connection between the
visuals and lyrics. The tattoos
contribute to this ‘bad boy’ persona
and reminds the audience of his
recurring presence.

4. Perhaps, the male character is used to
show the contrast between Lana and her
love interests; firstly, through mise en
scene, the audience can identify that the
female character is depicted as a demure
and classy woman. In terms of costume,
she is in a white bathing suit and the
connotations we associate with the colour
white are purity and being chaste.
However, this is subverted
through the regular close
ups we see of the female,
she is almost seen as a
female predator, lurking
and watching the male
character undress.

5. In addition, to support the view of
the female portrayed as a predator,
there are alligators swimming in
the pool alongside her. The
symbolic code proves the music
video to be highly conceptual as it
shows a different side to her
persona – thus arguably this motif
of the same male character is used
to show her rebellious nature.
Nevertheless, like any other pop music
video, the female character is highly
sexualised – an extreme close up of the
male sticking his fingers into her mouth in
an eroticised fashion, conforms to typical
conventions we are likely to see in this
particular genre.

6. There are many connections between the
visuals and lyrics and ultimately reinforces the
idea of her attraction towards the male
character but how he is not a good influence
on her; ‘you know you make my eyes burn.’
The word ‘burn’ has connotations of
destruction and sexuality, thus implying she is
sexually attracted to him but at the same time,
their relationship is destined to be destructive.
This is supported by the ending
scene of the two sinking into
water; the male character’s arm
is wrapped around her, bringing
the two down. This is highly
symbolic – arguably, he is an
anchor bringing her down.

7. Moreover, the low key lighting and the black and white filter establishes the tone and atmosphere; gloomy
and melancholic – like their relationship. In conclusion, the message of the video is that the female is blinded
by the male’s persona, but he is a negative influence on her, bringing her down physically and emotionally.