The Music Video That Super Disturbed Me And Made Me Hug My Stuffed Toys Afterwards

Today we will look at "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons

Let me just say first that I am extremely disturbed by stuffed toy violence. Like, the most disturbing scene in Black Swan for me was when she mistreated her toys. So, this video was very, very hard for me to watch and I had to hug my toys a bunch afterwards and tell them I would never let this happen to them. I guess it helped that in the end they get their revenge, and also knowing that they can always be sewed back together. The other reason this video is horribly awesome for me is that I have a pink bear, Pinky, who is as old as I am. Basically she's also awesome and exploded buy guys with her laser eyes many times in the past.

Okay, back to the video.

Elements we see

• Stuffed toy violence. Even though it's humorous, it also kinda gives you the chills.
• The band, as well as the poor stuffed toys, are trapped by the evil fight rink guy.
• The evil champion is a Muppet of some kind.
• The underdog of the story is a pink bear with superpowers.
• The mysterious girl who brings the pink bear also rescues the band and the other toys.
•  The evil fight rink guy, as well as some other minions, get theirs in the end.

Elements we interpret

• The mysterious girl who is the keeper of the pink bear may also have superpowers. Maybe the pink bear is her creation.
• The mysterious girl went to the fighting rink to save the band with her bear, hence she has some connection to them. She also saved all the other toys.
• I can't think of anything else.

Further thoughts

• This video combines humor and disturbingness perfectly (I know it's not a word, but it's what applies the best). Not only does it make you laugh, but it also makes you feel upset.
• The video cleverly combines scenes of the band playing and development of the story line.
• The actress they picked for the mysterious girl is a good cast, with her luminous eyes and intense gaze.
• The pink bear is also perfect, since it's very cute and fluffy but also has a hint of strength and creepiness.
• The purple monster's sound effects and the squeaky toys at the end of the video add a lot to the atmosphere. 

The Music Video That Made Me Love Pleather (it was the 90s after all)

Today we have "Oops!... I Did It Again" by none other than Britney Spears

Yes folks. It's Britney, b***. But when she was super cool, wearing red pleather and dancing around Mars. She had blue eye shadow, and pink lipstick. It was the 90s. Now let's analyze this!

Elements we see

• Let's start with costumes. They are tacky by today's standards, but at the time they were super cool. Flashy and pleathery while making sense and not being overdone. The red, black and white really pop against the red Mars setting. She only had three outfits, which is enough to set her character but isn't like a fashion show.
• The hair is pretty awesome too. Again, it sets her character because it doesn't change like ten times. 
• The dancing is pretty catchy, and the set choreo for the chorus is neat. 
• Especially love the floor dancing as viewed from above. At the time, I don't think I'd seen this before. It's a very cool new perspective on how to observe dancing.
• The closeups on her signing are good and not overdone. 
• The whole Titanic bit is pretty corny, I know. Like, who thought of that.
• The video accomplishes what it means to. It's bright, catchy, with lots of movement and energy, like the song. It stays in your head, obviously for a long time. It adds to the song without subtracting from it.

Elements we interpret

• Okay, well, there isn't much here. There's an astronaut, he goes to Mars, Britney Spears lives there clothes in red pleather and she breaks hearts, the end. It's pretty literal.
• I guess we can interpret that someone liked Titanic. Or thought it was funny to add that pop culture reference, or something.

Further thoughts

• I've said most of what I needed to say for this video. It's silly, but a classic. Just like the 90s.

The Video That Made Me Want to Write This Blog

I have loved music videos for a long, long time. I always thought they gave life to the visuals and movements I had seen in my head for songs I loved. Frequently, I loved a song more after seeing its music video. Instead of thinking they are superficial or cheap, I see the potential for music videos to add an experience to the music. When done well, they give artists another canvas to express whatever they intended to do with their song. Plus, they always look like so much fun to film! On a side note, I have always wanted to dance in a music video. Maybe some day!

Today we have "Elastic Heart" by Sia

This music video really pushed me forward to write this blog. I'd been thinking I should do a blog on music videos, but this video in particular sold me on it. Let's analyze:

Elements we see

• Two people within a cage, sometimes violent and sometimes tender towards each other but always reacting to one another.
• An empty room.
• The cage constricts the people but not the space, in fact one is able to leave.
• Both seem as if they've been trapped for a long time, especially because of their unkempt aspect.
• It seems more important to engage the other person than to attempt to escape the cage.

Elements we interpret

• The age and gender of the people really does not seem to matter. The relationship between the two people isn't romantic, or family oriented. In fact, are they really people at all?
• Because the girl is able to escape the cage, we can ascertain the cage is not for her. This isn't really her fight, or her story. The man is the one who is trapped. But because she's connected to him, his situation leaves her trapped in the end as well.
• The girl may actually represent something, like freedom, or success, or validation. Or maybe she's just a part of the man, a part that he wishes to reconcile with but it eludes him. Or a part that he wishes to tame, a wild part of his mind.
• There is no conclusion or solving of the problem in the end. We are left thinking the man is still trapped, albeit less energetic about fighting it.

Further thoughts

• Needles to say, the dancing is pretty great. I always like dancing in music videos cause, well, they are music videos.
• I really like that they go for the weird facial expressions and do things that look and feel weird. Modern art in action! But it makes sense. It's not pointless modern art.
• Apparently, Sia had a lot to do with directing, which is really neat.

See you next time for another video analysis!