Music Video Analysis (Goodwin)

BEASTIE BOYS – “Sabotage”

This is the music video for the Beastie Boys song “Sabotage” released in 1994, directed by Spike Jonze. The video was nominated for MTV’s music video of the year and is one of

the most recognised music videos ever. The music video conforms to most of Andrew Goodwin’s main features that distinguish the music video as a form. Most notably the intertextuality of the 70’s cop shows as a genre, the whole “Sabotage” music video is a parody of the cop shows that came two decades earlier. The 70’s cop shows are parodied using a number of similar visual features that are exaggerated for comedic effect, for example the use of quick and frequent whip-zooms on character’s faces or actions. Also, the cars are a very important feature of these shows, the muscle cars drifting is definitely an homage to series like “Magnum P.I”. Overall, the mise en scene is parodied for things like the moustaches and sunglasses. Another feature of the video that fits a Goodwin analysis is the fact that there is a relationship between the music and the visuals, this is shown through the frequent “cut to the beat” style editing. Also, the pace of the fast drum-led music matches the rapid camera movement and the police chase happening in the video. Overall, the video definitely amplifies the effect of the music to the audience as it adds to the excitement of the music when the audience can visualise action happening along to the music. There is also a strong relationship between the lyrics and the visuals, the lyrics are about police work and “sabotage”,while in the video we see police chase and spies in disguise as lobby boys. This is obviously a very strong link between the lyrics of the song and the visuals of music video. Contrary to a Goodwin analysis there are no examples of voyeurism in the video as there are no women featured.

THE PRODIGY:- “Firestarter”

This is the music video for The Prodigy’s “Firestarter”. The prodigy are an electronic dance and rave group, rave music as a genre is inherently wild and energetic, The prodigy show through all of their music and music videos a recurring sense of untamed behaviour and anarchy. This is most definitely displayed in this music video through the wild body movement and vandalism using angle grinders, the lyrics also taunt the idea of mayhem as they want to “start fires”. The video is in black and white, this connotes an underlying sense of evil and sinister tones. The setting of the video is what looks like an underground tunnel, this fits the aesthetics of the band as “The Prodigy” started out as quite unknown or “underground”. The underground setting also has connotations of hell or mystery, which link to the dark intentions of the lyrics; As Goodwin points out there is usually a link between the lyrics of the song and the visuals of the music video, either amplifying or contradicting the message. In this music video the lyrics are definitely amplified through the visuals of the video. Goodwin also points out the common link between the music of the and the visuals in the video, this link is very evident in the music video. This is because throughout the song the energy of the rave music is matched by the jump cuts and fast-paced editing of the video.