textual analysis on for reasons unknown music video by the killers

1. THEKILLERS–FORREASONSUNKNOWNMUSIC
VIDEOTEXTUALANALYSIS

2. The two previous music video I analysed, there was either a short introduction or instrumental before the lyrics of the
song began. In the Killers music video this is quite different. The first shot is of one of the singers, this direct address
immediately interests the audience especially fans of the band – this adds a form of identity to the video and the audience
are intrigued as this is a video by people they like. Then the camera movement of tracking to the right side is used to
show us the other band members. What is interesting to note is how the camera moves and each band member sings
part of the lyrics. This links the audience to the identity that these are band members and also adds the identity that these
are the main people of the video. At this point it is clear to notice the use of lighting. An effect of black and
white/grayscale has been used. This is interesting as it adds this element of time. The initial lighting of the musician could
be seen quite bright in comparison to the jet black background. In effect this places the musicians to our attention
showing us they’re the main aspect of the video. The camera then cuts to one of the band members. This is shown in a
long shot. We see that the musician is next to a cactus. This is interesting and isn’t something we would ordinarily see.
Gauntlett’s theory about masculinity in crisis could be seen to be a key feature here. The musician are dressed in more
traditional clothing. Suits and the representation of cowboys. This is noted and the mise-en-scene of a cactus prop adds
this element that we’re in a perhaps desert location. This is interesting as commonly an audience sees cowboys as
masculine people and also see them as ‘heroes’ it is clear they’re trying to bringing this to attention to their audience.
When the musician sings ‘one deep breath’ we see smoke around him. What is interesting to note is how this makes him
feel mysterious to the audience as he is slightly hidden in our sight. This interests the audience giving them entertainment
from the video. We’re then cut back to the shot of the same character however he is back in the shot from before. We’re
now seeing that he is riding a horse and from this we can connate this idea of cowboys again as he is carrying a rope.
This could add this idea that they’re going to captivate something bad. What is good to note as Goodwin suggested is
that as he sings ‘move a little bit closer’ the camera has cut to a closer shot. This visually represents the lyrics to the
audience and makes us think of what he is singing about. There is then a cut again. What is interesting to note at this
point is that although we’re in this black and white view again (which adds to Goodwin's idea of looking – as we know in
reality that nothing is black and white hence making us feel like we’re looking back in time and this could be trying to
connote some ideas of the song being older and perhaps more mature than modern music videos to the audience.) In
this scene the lighting behind them is a lot lighter, however it does feel like they’re in fact behind a green screen to make
the audience feel like they’re in a desert. At this point it is interesting to note that it this is a performance. This is shown
through their use of musical props like guitars. What is interesting is how he repeats the previous line of the song yet
pushes the guitar away from him. The contrast is interesting for the audience to note and in ways fits well to the music
beat as it is not too fast or slow paced. We then have the camera movement of what seems to be a tracking crane (slowly
moving upwards) what is interesting is how this is focusing on the musical instruments. This adds the idea to performance
to the audience but also allows them to connect to the music playing. Suddenly in the same camera angle the
background flashes to completely white. What is interesting at this point is how the music video feels like a different
reality to us and this adds this idea again that we’re viewing a music video and not reality.
MAIN FEATURES OF THE
MUSIC VIDEO:

3. Suddenly the background flashes back to the desert image from before. What is interesting is that this happens as the
lyrics ‘for reasons unknown’ is said, this is interesting and creates this idea that the audience are perhaps not meant to
understand this and is meant to add an element of confusion to the audience. As the next verse song begins there is a
cut this creates an interesting impact and gives this idea of a sound bridge – this is as it smoothly transitions from one
scene to another and works well reinforcing the music they’re singing. In the clip we see a longshot of the singer riding a
horse. This impacts this idea of masculinity to the video and this element that he is being heroic, in fact as the words
‘stride’ are used in the video we see him riding this horse. This adds this idea to the audience that parallel sound is used
and links to Goodwin's idea that what we visually see reflects the music also. It then cuts to another scene, from these
quick cuts it is clear that perhaps the video is reinforcing flash cutting to display the idea that this is perhaps a fast paced
and energetic song. This is interesting a contrasts the mise-en-scene of the old fashioned characters and location. In this
scene we have a medium close up of the main singer and a guitarist behind him. This refers to Goodwin’s idea of visually
representing the musicians to the audience. As the words ‘flew’ and ‘flied’ are sung we get a change of background
behind the characters. Although the characters don’t move, the background image is moving at a fast pace in a tracking
motion. What is interesting about this as it adds pace and this idea of flying is connoted as it’s like the musicians are
traveling all over the place. However, it’s important to note that all the backgrounds are of desert and cowboy styled
areas, so it’s clear they want to perhaps portray masculinity to the audience. It then cuts back to the shot of all the
musicians playing together, this adds this element of performance to us – introduced by Goodwin and allows the
audience to identify with the band, the fact that the main singer is using an outfit which is white instead of black perhaps
indicates to the audience that he is the role model. We can connote this idea of white with the idea of innocence which is
interesting especially as it is in a western timeline. It then cuts back to the singer next to the cactus once again. This
references this idea that although we’re stuck in this western time period, we keep going back and forth. This is an
interesting concept and this idea of reusing old clips interests the audience as it allows familiarity to be linked throughout
the music video. We then cut to the band members riding on horses once again however the shot is focused on the main
singer. As he sings an emotional part of the song ‘my heart it don’t beat – it don’t beat the way it used to’ is referenced
visually as we see the singer have difficulty and see upset. What is interesting as the audience we can clearly see the
song is about broken love yet the video is situated in western times. This could denote to the audience that males want to
mask away their fear and pretend to be the heroes, when in fact they want somebody to save them not the other way
around. There is then a jump cut to a shadow, this is interesting and it is what seems to be an owl. In this shadow it is
moving in a jolting fashion. This impacts the song about the heart not beating the same anymore, and could refer to the
fact that it causing the musician physical pain also. It then cuts back to the performance element. It is interesting how they
keep referring back to this as it adds the concept idea that they don’t want the audience to forget about them and that
they’re a band. In this part of the video it seems that the singer is using direct address to the audience. This reinforces the
uses and gratifications model further in this idea of identity and that the audience are connecting with him. Another jump
cut is then used to an image of what looks like a skull of a skeleton. What is interesting about this is it links into the idea of
a western timeline once again and this references the audience adding to their information of the music video. As it goes
to this skeleton of a head the singer sings the lyrics ‘And my eyes don't recognize you no more’ what is interesting about
this is as it seems to reference the lyrics visually as Goodwin said how saying his eyes don’t recognise and displaying a
dead skeleton shows perhaps the pain the singer is feeling as if he cannot see because he is in fact dead inside. This is
only shown for a brief moment and we’re cut back to a close up shot of the singer. This visually references the band to
the audience once again intriguing them in.

4. As it bridges to the chorus, we visually see the video presenting this transaction by using a sign rather showing the
musicians. The sign we see says ‘have u ever seen the light with an s?’ what is interesting about this is the audience
are slightly confused by it. By doing so this references back to the lyrics ‘for reasons unknown’ it is unknown what
this means. Perhaps it means what it is telling us or perhaps it has a deeper meaning. This confusion is interesting to
the audience and engages them to watch the music video more. As the chorus is sung we get the editing of a
montage in the video. This is interesting an focus primarily on the band and the main singer. Whist is interesting
about this is the music video doesn’t really have a narrative but rather than a concept for the audience to follow. By
making the chorus about the band it intrigues the audience as we’re seeing who the song is by, it could also
reference Gauntlet's theory of manhood in crisis. We see the montage of these characters playing guitar, drums etc.
in a fast pace. This idea adds perhaps masculinity as well as their costumes of cowboys. This adds an effect to the
audience that the band are their heroes making them idolise them and see them as role models giving the audience
a sense of identify. What is interesting about the video is the conceptual and impressionistic ideas, in the next shot
we see the guitarist in the full shot however at the left hand bottom we see part of the guitarist. There is this idea that
the guitarist is visually pleasing to the females in the audience unlike the drummer who is perhaps less appealing.
This is interesting and adds a impressionistic style to the video. The camera then jolts on the ground. This matches
the pace of the music and this repetition of visually referencing the lyrics that Goodwin suggested is placed again.
This allows the audience to think of the lyrics once again but references this idea of the killers visual music video
style. So what could be seen as bizarre could be said to be the bands style of not conforming to normal music video
conventions. We’re then placed back to familiarity and this repetition of props when the music is transitioning to the
verse is used once again this is effective and could be seen as a sound bridge and allows the audience to symbolise
the next part of the song. We now see the image of the skeleton head once again, this looks like an animal and
references back to this idea of western times. What is interesting is that nobody in the music video has told us
anything about cowboys yet the audience use intertextuality references of films where wild animals are skeletons and
deserts to connote that this is based on that time-period. As the verse starts and the music video says ‘It was an
open chair’, we see all the band members go to some deck chairs. What is interesting about this is they are doing it
in time linking to the music rhythm and pace of the video. Furthermore, if we look more closely at the mise-en-scene
of this shot we see palm trees behind the musicians. What is interesting about this is that it takes away this idea of
masculinity and care freeness. This could reference the idea that the band has an older atmosphere to their music
but they’re in modern society. This idea of care free is shown when they all lay down on these chairs and put on
sunglasses. This is shown when the lyrics say: ‘We sat down in the open chair’ what is interesting about this is he
says ‘we’ and it feels as if he is referencing the whole band and this intrigues the audience as once again the video is
focusing on the band as a whole. As the main chorus starts again there is a cross cut back to the close-up of the
singer that we have seen in previous parts of the video. This adds familiarity to the audience, adding this
performance element to the music video adding this idea that they’re more than just a pop band and they’re perhaps
outside the normal conventions. It then cuts from individual shots of the band members – by doing so we can see
who is a part of this band and shows it is not just the singer. It then has the longshot of all members playing once
again. What is interesting about this is the background behind them zooms in and out very quickly. This is interesting
and adds the rhythm to the music, this adds movement to the video footage however the characters themselves are
not moving. It is interesting this change in background is good and as we cross cut back to the close-up of the singer
we see the background quickly change

5. This effect is interesting and represents this idea of looking to the audience as it shows it is not real as this
would not happen in reality. The singer uses direct address to the audience while singing: And my eyes -
they don't see you no more. What is interesting about this is the musicians attention is on us and then
there is jump cut to the horses feet. This indicates a response from the audience and creates this idea that
it is symbolising that he is moving away from this past love. It then cuts to the horses snout/mouth. This is
interesting and could add humour to the audience reminding them that The Killers are not completely
serious and go against ordinary conventions. What is interesting is that this is shown when the singer says
‘and my lips they don’t kiss’ this means the audience find this humorous however it connect visually to the
song. This is a familiar pattern throughout the music video and makes us think of the song in more detail.
We then cross-cut back to the shot of the singer before, in terms of uses and gratifications model this is
symbolising this idea that they don’t want the audience to forget who the band are and this creates identity
with who the audience should connect with. We then see a match cut from one shot to another. This is a
smooth transition. As he is singing about negative things he shakes his head, as it cuts to the next shot of
him playing guitar (with the other band members in the background) we see him shake his head in the
same formation. This is interesting and connects them together, this is used effectively as the audience
don’t really recognise that the scene has changed. It then cuts to a close-up of the singer – this adds
identity to the audience that this is the main singer and he is driving the music video as without him there
would be no lyrics! This shot is familiar to the audience as we have seen the same close-up shot of him
from earlier on. This is placed once again to visually represent the lyrics (as Goodwin said) ‘And my eyes
don't recognize you at all.’ What is interesting to note about this shot is as he sings about his eyes we see
him move his eyes side to side and blinking. This is used in time to the pace so the rhythm of the music is
shown through. What is more interesting is that what is connoted from this is that he is trying to avoid the
person he is singing about. It then cuts back to the guitarist and the drummer in the background. This is
interesting as it indicates to the audience that the guitarist is placed in our main focal as he seems more
masculine in comparison to the drummer, this adds to this idea of men in crisis and want to show that even
though this is an emotional song about love they’re still masculine and strong. We’re the cut to a shot
which is something we haven’t seen before. This idea of masculinity is showing through here in the cowboy
stereotype. They have caught some meat and putting it on a fire. This could show they’re fierce, however
the audience are filled with humour in this shot as it is the singers head on the chickens body. This visually
represents ‘for reasons unknown’ the audience are seen to find this humorous as they know this band isn’t
serious and makes them think of the lyrics which are being sung. This idea of humour is continued as a
close-up shot of this is demonstrated. What is interesting to note is the band members in the background.
Instead of being motionless we actually see who they are. One of them is laughing and the other is
pretending that the ‘chicken’ is tasty. This is an interesting effect and gives the audience identity with the
other members of the band – even though the main singer is still in the main focal. The words reasons
unknown are really indicated at this part of the music video. Adding a humorous but linking to the lyrics is
interesting and really intrigues the audience in. Further, we cross cut back to the image of all characters on
the deck chairs. A goat look-like creature is then moved in front of them. It is motionless yet moves across
the screen This is humorous however there is no explanation this indicates the lyrics once again and
allows the audience to be entertained by the video shown to them.

6. This humour is then stopped as we hear the beat of the song slow down. There is a cross-cut used back to the singer
on the horse from before showing emotion. What is interesting is how he is captivating emotion however is trying to be
the stereotype of a cowboy. Perhaps this is linking to this idea that the band goes against the normal stereotypes. It
then cuts to a guitarist which lines the audience up with the beat. What is interesting about the background of the
guitarist is that it is rapidly changing to different shots that we have seen in the music video previously What is
interesting about this is it indicates this idea of looking to the audience showing that everything that they have seen
has not been reality it has just been footage. At this point the audience are seeing the random shots being put into
place and this makes them understand more. Quick editing starts to happen and a shot of the floor to the characters
on the horses are quickly cut together. This is interesting and reveals to the audience that the beat is about to get
faster – entertaining them. We then zoom into the bands performance and the singer is using direct address especially
when he is singing about his eyes. We then get a fast tracking shot and picture of a horses eye. This once again
seems quite random however it is playing into that stereotype of cowboys and masculinity. We then see a long shot of
the band playing as one. Behind them there are various clips. These add to the pace of the music this doesn’t allow
the audience to keep track and entertains them as they can’t keep up with what is going on conceptually. As a quick
zoom is used however the clips in the background makes it feel like the camera has moved. This makes the audience
feel out of place and focus as if they don’t know where they are or where the music video is going. The video uses the
effect of a montage however, they still keep the band in full focus this is an interesting effect and we’re demonstrated a
fast video but the full attention is on the band. This montage then stops and at this point the audience can feel the
video coming to an end. It then cross-cuts to scenes the audience have seen before. This allows placement for the
audience as they recognise these from before. In these shots we see a match-cut between different shots. As the
singer is singing the lyrics, we see these transition the same in different shots. At this point we see him going to
different points. Going from performance to singing on the horse showing this idea of emotion once again. This is
interesting and allows us to mainly focus on the song as we have heard these lyrics before. A close-up of the singer
that we have seen before is then used. It is clear that repetition is clear in the killers music video style. This refers to
the lyrics as they’re quite repetitive and this means that the video is visually showing this repetition of the rhythm, lyrics
etc. As the singer repeats the main chorus lyrics of ‘for reasons unknown’ we see a long shot of him placed with the
other band members. This indicates to us that although he is the singer the audience need to identify the band by all
the members and not just the singer. The western stereotype is then shown through again as we see a pan of the
empty location and then cutting to them on horses. What is interesting is how they’re supposedly meant to be manly
and at the beginning of the video we expected to see some masculinity like fighting yet we have seen none of that.
Perhaps this masculinity is just an act and the song is their inner thoughts. We then have various shots of the band
playing and the different musicians. This allows us to get a true identify of the band before it ends. What is interesting
at this point we’re visually seeing the beat of the song being played. In the background we see it zooming inwards and
outwards this gives pace and interest for the audience even though they know the video is already ending. The videos
final shots refer to the lyrics visually. We see the main singer get on and off the horse while it is going at full speed this
adds rhythm but also confusion as to why this is, perhaps it is indicates their masculinity to the audience one last time.
It then match cuts to the chicken from before adding humour before it ends. As the music ends we see the long shot of
all the band members. What is interesting to note is that there is tumble weed behind them. This refers to this western
idea but could also be indicating that this song is older than other songs we may perhaps see today. It finally cuts to
them riding away on horses, this indicates to the audience that the video has ended.