Fluorescent Adolescent-Artic Monkeys

Presentation

The video begins with the intro music, and a hand held camera shot in the car following another car. The shot appears film like and from the viewers point of view it seems like they are included, as you would do in a film or TV programme. The hand held long shot continues as the camera man steps out of the car and begins to run and chase some clowns from the other vehicle.

The lyrics are basically reminiscing how they used to be and speaking from the past, possibly back dating to the 70/80’s which then links in with the music video. ‘’nothings as pretty as the past though’’, also linking to how they are bringing up and remembering the past.

There is a behind hand held shot following the clowns to a crowd of easily distinguishable groups. Clowns versus ‘’Mob’’ like gang. Because of this we are able to notice group differences, which could mean that they are either fighting because of a feud or because of their differences.

The lyrics begin and the rival leaders come face to face. The shot begins with an over shoulder shot of the gang leader and then it turns to the clown leader, time seems to slow and everything around them blanks out, which leads us to see that they have a past and the whole fight originated from them. The clown swings for the gang leader and they begin to fight with a variety of close up

and long shots.

The clip cuts to the other gang members fighting, getting more violent. It’s almost like the groups are having a ‘showdown’ and whoever wins will have ‘victory’ of the other gang.

Camera cuts to someone getting violently hit by a clown, the camera moves almost flinching with every shot. Again film like camerawork.

There is then a wide slow shot of a man hitting the wall with a chair, almost hitting his opponent clown.

There is another cut back to the leaders fighting; a panning shot follows the leader running away with a case, which is obviously the object that the gangs are fighting for. Hand held shot again, the whole scene and the theme of it appears to be set in the 70’s, for example the car and how the ‘’mob’’ like gang dress. The fighting seems to be like some gangster/ crime film, for example, Green Street and the dress seems like the television series Life on Mars.

The case which they are after

The next cut flicks back to the main clown and gang leader, the cuts switch between the clown hitting the man , the cuts keep flicking between the clown and the man, with over the shoulder shots to low angle shots. The shots change once the clown’s fist reaches the screen, the camera is hand held again.

These are some cuts which show the alternating camera shots,

Subtitles appear as the clown reads out ‘’how could it come to this’’ followed by a flashback of the clown and man as children. Front shot of them swinging and then a behind shot showing the scene around them. They are still dressed differently but seem to be friends at this point. Linking to the songs story of how things used to be but change. A close up of the clown child miming ‘’where did you go’’, which mixes in with the lyrics playing at the moment of the music video.

There is then a cut to the gang child smiling. The swings show their closeness whereas the next clips shows them riding their bikes together then showing that they are gradually getting further apart and their friendship is fading.

The next sequence involves images of young children, possibly from the band member, also showing the viewer that this story is about a childhood friendship which had fallen apart and they have become enemies, just like the gang leader and the clown in the music video.

Cut back to the main fighting in the building with more close ups of each member fighting against each other. Panning shot follows the room as we then notice the gang leader running behind all the fighting. He continues to run and the camera follows him. Hand held shot continues to follow him cutting back to the clown.

He now has the case, but its importance seems less once he sees the gang leader as he throws the bag behind him. The shots vary at this point from over the shoulder to wide shot to close up and then back again. Camera shot inside the car again as we are able to see the clown, a close up of his face as he realises what is about to happen. The car speeds towards him and a panning shot follows the clown as he runs away trying to escape from being knocked

down.

The camera follows the clown as he looks down, hand held shot, again like a film. As the clown drops the lighter onto the puddle near his feet, there is a low angle shot of the lighter falling to the floor, as it hits the ground the camera follows the flame towards the car. Slow motion as the car explodes into flames. Close up hand held shot focuses sound the clown’s expression again, it pans around him and then a flashback occurs.

’Falling about you took a left off  using ‘’Last Laugh Lane’’ the ‘laughing’ could be the representation of the clowns, which is why they have been chosen, as well as the clowns being used as a good contrast against and ‘’ordinary’’ male. The violence of the music video also links in with the lyrics, ‘’bloody Mary’’ and ‘’ Likes her gentlemen not to be gentle’’ this explains the use of the violent fighting and the use of all male cast.

The video ends with a flashback of the two boys dancing, than another cut back to the clown, with the camera still rotating round him as it reaches to over the shoulder point facing the car.

 

The genre of the Artic Monkeys is alternate rock, which would normally feature live clips, like their previous single. I like how they have used the hand held technique to make the music video look almost film like and allowing the audience to feel included, again being film like. The low angles also achieve good clear fight clips, and because of the film like appearance the camera flinches and gives it an effect that you wouldn’t be able to get with a normal shot.