bcjaslbvfa

1. ANALYSIING A MUSIC VIDEO USING NARRATIVE THEORY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4povfmX144 Kodaline – High Hopes
Within the music video there are three main characters present, two men and a woman. The
opening scene of the video shows the man, played by the actor Liam Cunningham, who is
suicidal and trying to gas himself in a car. This first man, applying Propp’s theory to the music
video, is ‘the princess’ of the video. This is because he is shown to be saved by a woman in
the beginning of the video, she stops him from killing himself and then the two become
romantically involved. By saving the man the woman becomes ‘the hero’, if Propp’s theory is
again used. However, this can be challenged as she is being chased by a group of men and by
getting into Cunningham’s character’s car, he becomes the role of ‘the hero’ who saves the
woman, who would now become ‘the princess’. These men chasing the woman can be given
the title of ‘the villain’. Furthermore, there is a medium close up of a man shouting after the
woman as she drives off in the car which implies that he may have personal connections to
her and it can be implied from that shot that he is the main ‘villain’.
Following the scenes in the car when the two protagonists return to Cunningham’s
character’s house there is a sense of calm equilibrium, as Todorov theorised. In this
equilibrium the characters are learning to love each other and audiences learn to love them
too. However, there is a break and disruption of the equilibrium which is caused by a return
of ‘the villain’ character who shoots both the man and woman. The recognition of the
disruptions occurs when Cunningham’s character wakes up in the hospital to see a nurse
making an empty bed, this gives audiences a false impression that the woman has been
killed. Following this, the attempt to repair damage is skipped as the woman returns and her
and Cunningham’s character are seen hugging and smiling which implies a new equilibrium.
This can challenge Todorov’s theory as not all the stages are there however it is mostly

2. ANALYSIING A MUSIC VIDEO USING NARRATIVE THEORY
connected with his theory therefore the link can be made between this video and his
ideologies.
This music video also briefly touches on the postmodern narrative theme of flashbacks as
when the couple have been shot there is a flashback to scenes previously seen on the beach
and at the dinner table in Cunningham’s character’s house. This is the only time in the video
where flashbacks are used however it is fitting as it links to the common saying “life flashing
before your eyes” when you have a near death experience.