Analysis of REM's 'Losing My Religion'

1. A LEVEL
MEDIA
MUSIC VIDEO
ANALYSIS
A D A D Z A M I C

2. VIDEO
PRODUCTION
• Stylistically, visual approach for this video could be defined as the typical ‘80s
video style in which artists try to be symbolic, moody and ‘clever’
• The video was directed by Tarsem Singh, who built his career as a famous
director of commercials. REM’s lead singer Michael Stipe initially wanted a
straight performance video, but Singh suggested another approach, inspired by
certain styles of Indian filmmaking where everything would be "melodramatic
and very dreamlike".
• Some reviewers also claimed that Singh drew inspiration as well from the Italian
painter Caravaggio and Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky, in addition to
using some more ‘obvious’ religious symbols such as 'Saint Sebastian’.
• "Losing My Religion" by REM incorporates all three conceptual themes of a
music video:
-Abstract
-Narrative
-Performance

3. MISE-EN-SCENE
• Lots of use of religious imagery, for example, the fallen angel.
• It is not quite clear whether this means losing faith in God or losing faith in another person, such as a
loved one (as the lyrics indicate).
• The colouring and scene framing in this video owns a lot to the Renaissance, especially if we assume
that Caravaggio was an influence, but also because of colour hues used in the video like the neutral
colouring of the main room or the overall ‘sfumato’ effect with human figures (everything is a bit
blurry). The colouring style really does bring the associations to great works of art from this period,
especially 'Mona Lisa’.
• An interesting highlight in the video is the mandolin. It has a prominent role for the song’s main
melody/hook, but I think associations go way back to Renaissance not just because of the sound, but
also the look. It does look a bit archaic, especially with the way the camera and the scene framing work.
• Band members’ clothing is another symbolic device, coloured in the similar monotone and not clearly
defined by a particular fashion period, although they are vaguely modern. However, they could be
both from the beginning and end of the 20th Century.
• The room in the video itself is barren and empty, as if to symbolise the song’s lament about
"unrequited love”. The lack of props focuses the viewer on the characters while at the same time
projecting feelings of emptiness and uneasiness, of being lost or being ‘boxed in’, having no choice.
There is something claustrophobic in the video. Michael Stype also sometimes sits on a chair with his
back towards us, projecting solitude. A symbol of having no one to turn to, as in the line of lyrics
saying he feels he is ‘at wits end’?

5. EDITING AND
LIGHTING
• The editing is relatively minimal. It preserves some elements
of realism, but ‘flash’ transitions between shots still give it a
moody, mysterious and even a bit spooky atmosphere.
• When Stype is wearing angel wings, these flashes help give
the effect of flight. Overall, the editing creates a dream-like
feel, corresponding with the symbolism of the lyrics, but
also maybe the director’s nod to his Indian references.
• Most of the video uses low-key lighting, to create the
feeling of isolation and depression. It turns people in the
video into almost silhouettes. Sometimes it blends them
partially into the background. But, in some scenes, high-
lighting is used on some symbolic figures that look partially
religious, as if to suggest that they should have some
meaning and importance for the video’s narrative. Light is
here also a symbol.
• As the music reaches a climax, and the narrative becomes
more agitated, fast-paced editing begins to be used, feeling
becomes more frantic, which could be used to show how
the protagonist is coming to his ‘wit’s end’.

7. CAMERA AND
MOVEMENT
• This is largely a long-shot music video. One is initially
used to introduce the whole band in one scene. This
shot is most often used on Michael Stype, as the
focus of the band and the video, but is generously
used for other scenes as well.
• Close up shots are also quite frequent, e.g. hands on
Stype’s shoulder, squeezing them in a reassuring
gesture. Face is also frequently in close-up to convey
emotions.
• An interesting close-up shot is of Stype’s eye, along
with the line ’the distance in your eyes’. Obviously,
camera and movement were used to also emphasise
the lyrics.
• The camera also often tracks the characters as they
move around their scenes, which helps to focus the
audience’s attention on the narrative and to build