Tuesday, 20 July 2010

Radiohead - just

The single's video was directed by Jamie Thrives, who was hand-picked by the band after they saw several of his experimental short films. It was shot near Liverpool Street Station in London, and intersperses footage of Radiohead playing the song inside an apartment with scenes of a middle-aged man who lies down in the middle of the pavement just outside of the apartment building. People start to gather, thinking

That something must be wrong with the man and the band is shown looking out the window at the events below. This is in a way putting the band and the viewer above the events as spectators and portrays them as being in a way better than the normal people who are panicking. A heated (subtitled) conversation between the man and the crowd develops, as the people start demanding to know what the man is doing and why he is lying there. the people gathered around him start to become anxious and very worried about the events that could unfold however as the viewer you are left inquisitive and don’t feel the same emotion .In subtitles, the man finally gives in and says, "Yes I'll tell you, I'll tell you why I'm lying here... but God forgive me... and God help us all... because you don't know what you ask of me.” this leaves the audience in suspense as they are about to get what they have wanted all the time and find out the reason The camera zooms in on his mouth as the man finally gives the answer, but the subtitles have suddenly stopped, so the reason is not revealed to the viewer. As the camera zooms back out, it shows the pavement covered with the crowd of people, all lying down just like the man. Radiohead members have yet to reveal what specific words the man was intended to have said. So it gives the band a certain mystery. The video persuades people to buy the track because it leaves the audience wanting more. The hypodermic syringe model states that an audience is passive and therefore will thrive to know the words said. Furthermore if an audience believes that they can work out the reason that he is lying down it will compel them to purchase it so that they can work it out. Also the fact that in the video the band is placed above the drama in the literal sense of the words instils a sense that the fans of the band will also be in that ‘superior’ position.

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