A Look @ Music Videos: Is This the Real Life? Is This Just a Fantasy?

When I watched the music video, my first thought that was how relatable it was.  I related to the area they lived in, I laughed at the way the joked with each other, and I felt confused and nervous when watching one of the kid's being beaten by another random kid. And the military everywhere? It looked as if they lived in a police state. Overall, it was also quite nostalgic, the video managing to make you feel reminiscent of the summer, or what it stands for- simplicity. It makes no sense for me to feel that way, seeing as I'm living that time period of teenhood, so there isn't much for me to reminisce, but Spike Jones, the genius director of this music video, brought his Hollywood chops along with him as he evoked emotions that weren't felt in the first place. His skill and ease at transferring from film to music videos is astounding, to say the least.

The Principles of Media Arts tend to be:

duration

hybridization

interactivity

point of view

In this music video, most everything was sequential. Only the beginning, when we see the ginger boy battered and bloody collapsing behind a dirt hill, do we see a short glimpse of the future. This story did not take place over months or years, but in one day. 

There was not much hybridization in the art form, aside from the fact that this was a music paired with video. One great aspect was how the video did not seem superfluous in regards with the song. While the song is good, the music video only compounds that, as it manages to mystify and prompt us into reading the lyrics for a double meaning.

 Because this was a music video, this was not an interactive form of art. The most form interaction we can participate in is the empathy we feel for these characters living such an inexplicably haunting life.

Physically, the camera's point of view stayed at eye level, though the camera was not smooth at all times. Often it felt prying, the camera acting as a person who lurked on the outside looking in.

Honestly, I believe that the musicians created the video because it was a single. Though, there is something to be said for artistic expression, and how Spike Jones did not hide that he was, in fact, inspired by the band. Their lyrics must have prompted him to make a music video such as this. Themes of regret, of loss, and of temporal and uneasy happiness pervade the video. Because these themes do not reflect positively nor negatively on Gospel Values, it cannot be said if it is accordance with them or not.

War torn countries or those being steadily demolished by their ruling powers may have influenced this video. Many people, specifically those in developed countries, are desensitized and unable to connect to the horrific images we see of wars around the world. They see wars as something they read in history books, not a history that is being made in many places worldwide. Maybe the thought of our comparatively boring (suburban life is nearly synonyms with boredom, after all) life- and I say that not to crassly downplay the atrocities performed on millions, but as a extremely simplified description for the sole purpose of this blog post- compared to that of other countries made an interesting contrast. It is possible he simply wanted to see these two cultures- this militant, totalitarian culture and our more stable, pacified culture- collide.

The whole video was slightly washed out in colour, its paleness adding to its ominous feel. The ways the teens were with each other seemed normal, from the way the weaved their bikes close together, to that one couple who kept to themselves just on the edge of your group. Storyline was a bit dodgy, as we really don't know anything other than what we are seeing, but it was well-executed regardless. The only special effects that were added were the armoured helicopters that flew in the sky as the kids watched on, and while it wasn't quite realistic, it only made the video more surreal. The lyrics seem do go hand-in-hand with the video with lines like /But by the time the first bombs fell/We were already bored/. The music's eerie quality further agreed with the lyrics and video, being its main driving and unifying force. The visuals enhanced the song for me, making the song more fascinating to listen to with the corresponding video.

I enjoy this song more because of this music video. I do not see myself putting this on my iPod, but I do see myself stopping myself and watching the music video if it came on the boob tube. The music video appealed to me more than the song did, to be frank. I definitely enjoy the song more now that I've seen the video, and picture it whenever I hear it played simply to remember the emotions I feel when watching the music video.

 Simply because a) more music can't hurt, and b) I was debating between these two songs and something extremely old school (Bohemian Rhapsody maybe... Wonder what drivel I can pull up from that music video), here is another music video that intrigued me:

Lonely's Lunch - You Say Party

Beauty - Is It Really in the Eye of the Beholder?: I'm so Beautiful, I'm Gonna be a Supermodel!

 *Some esplainin': Today's title are lyrics from the song Supermodel, from the movie Clueless. Fitting, no?

The media is a complicated creature, with it's wily ways of deception (I sense a rhyme coming on...), projecting images of perfection. Their level of physical perfection makes us want to emulate their looks, while not acknowledging that behind each beautiful celebrity is a team of makeup artists, Photoshop, and a whole lot of time. Part of the selling point for actors, actresses, musicians and the like is the way they look. They have to spend a lot of time and money on keeping up their appearance, which often times average citizens just don't have at their disposable. It would hardly be fair for us to compare ourselves to those whose main job consists of keeping up their good looks. The companies around the world know this, and exploit the idolization we hold for these people. They drown us in advertisements in an effort to make us buy the products that gave these stars their beauty. They shove useless information down our throats, and now we have grown to gobble it up; buying into their their paid programming and purchasing their new products. We have fallen victim to the media's thirst for money.

Regarding commercials, and billboards, and radio ads, and magazine ads, and newspaper ads, and any other possible type of advertisement possible (product placements becoming more popular), I really have become desensitized towards it all. They have become a regular addition to everyday life. If one seems particularly interesting, I'll bring it up, or show interest in purchasing their product. If their catchy jingle gets stuck in my head, I will sing it. If it makes me laugh, I'll show it to others. It is possible that I am buying into their propaganda of sorts by participating in such activities- after all, they are all the kinds of promotion that these advertisers want us to do. But I'd also like to think that being aware of how I act puts me a step ahead of them. If only. I know that the way I act is a direct result of all of the advertisements I'm surrounded by, but I also like to think that me knowing that I am participating in it gives me more power over the "control" it has over me. This makes me feel less affected by the images around me, as I give conscious thought into why I sing that song, or what caused me to think of it in the first place.

Retouched photo of a girl in a beauty pageant

I believe that doses of a harsher reality are needed to reduce the number of young men and women who are effected negatively by media. They need to know the truth; as the much overused adage goes, no one is perfect. They must come to terms with and accept their own imperfections- it is what gives them that inherently unique quality we all have. It is what keeps us from becoming the same through our mutual unique qualities. They also have to learn that others have just as many imperfections. Teaching these young people to accept their "flaws", which really should not be viewed in such a negative light to begin with, is the most that can be done.

 If I saw a magazine with a model that was not subject to a complete makeover, I would be shocked, to say the least. Society has some weird, severely made-up image of beauty, and so countering that ideal by being natural comes as a shock. While disappointing, it is a truth which we have to face; the natural  has become unnatural. I don't believe that society would necessarily become a more natural environment, but I do believe that many people would agree that natural is more simple, a fact which appeals to everyone. I cannot imagine that society as whole would unanimously stop dolling up their models, or not promote the sale of cosmetics. Yet, it does not go unnoticed when actors or actresses appear in magazines with a fresh face that's a clear of make up, for a change. While it is blatantly a self-plug of sorts, used to stress how similar celebrities are to "regular people", it still is something that people comment on, and speak about with others. And while society and culture does put such a huge pressure on the young men and women of today, frankly, they shouldn't. The need to beautify, should not come from the necessity of fitting in, or some other drivel. It should come from a passion for beautification, or the need to express yourself, or even for it's simple joy. We should want to change for ourselves, because of ourselves. Not due to others. So, society should definitely change and become a accepting place for people of all shapes, sizes, skin colours, and any other definitive factor. The fact of the matter is, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 For the sake of itself, I'm redirecting you to a video of a model wearing a year's worth of makeup, in one day. Click here.