"S&M" director slapped for ripping off David LaChapelle
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Much has been made of the "controversy" surrounding Rihanna's new bondage-happy, media-taunting "S&M" video and how its so-called graphic content has resulted in the music video being "banned" in 11 unspecified countries. The video's alleged banishment is actually overshadowing another, more lawsuit-worthy controversy: According to Radar Online, Rihanna's "S&M" video and its director Melina Matsoukas pretty much visually plagiarized pictures that photographer David LaChapelle took for Italian Vogue. The similarities weren't lost on LaChapelle, who tweeted (and then deleted) to Rihanna and Perez Hilton, who cameos in the video, "The next time you make a David LaChapelle music video you should probably hire David LaChapelle."
This isn't the first time Matsoukas has been accused of unoriginality and stylistically stealing from another artist for a Rihanna video: In February 2010, Matsoukas took some heat for ripping off M.I.A.'s "Boyz" for Rihanna's "Rude Boy" video. Looking at the side-by-side comparisons over at Radar Online, it's apparent that the similarities between LaChapelle photos and Rihanna's "S&M" are too striking to be coincidental; it's as if Matsoukas did a reenactment of LaChapelle's photos. Even the mise-en-scene of each photograph is matched up perfectly with each "S&M" still. Like the shot of Rihanna with a latex hood around her head pouring heart-shaped candy in her mouth, a direct knock-off of a similar LaChapelle photo of a woman with a latex mask on and a heart-shaped candy on her tongue. And the similarities don't end there.
david didn't invent wearing cherries.
david didn't invent Japanese style S&M
david didn't invent latex on heads
david didn't invent walking someone on a leash
david didn't invent bright colors
david didn't invent wearing cherries.
david didn't invent Japanese style S&M
david didn't invent latex on heads
david didn't invent walking someone on a leash
david didn't invent bright colors
On set, Perez recalls Rihanna making sure that everything turned out perfectly for the video, co-directing it alongside Matsoukas. "The 'S&M' video is very important for Rihanna. She came up with a lot of the concepts, the shots. She was super hands-on because this was her baby: There were messages she wanted to get out there," he said.
david didn't invent wearing cherries.
david didn't invent Japanese style S&M
david didn't invent latex on heads
david didn't invent walking someone on a leash
david didn't invent bright colors
preesseed.
In ONE video? Come on that's a little too convenient, don't you think?
david didn't invent wearing cherries.
david didn't invent Japanese style S&M
david didn't invent latex on heads
david didn't invent walking someone on a leash
david didn't invent bright colors
preesseed.
no shade, but it's obviously taken from the david la chapelle photoshoot. I think they could at least say where they got their inspiration from.
Lawd have mercy on my soul. these children are running a mock in here and i cannot drag the gorls because of these warning points.. idk what im gonna do lawd help meGIFSoup