[DF] Deconstruction - Music Video (2)

Genre & Narrative


Red Hot Chili Peppers - 'Can't Stop' (Mark Romanek, 2006)


What are the forms and conventions evident in the video?


Here we can use Andrew Goodwin's six categories outlined in 'Dancing in the Distraction Factory' (1992, Routledge):

1. Genre characteristics: 'Can't Stop' by the Red Hot Chili Peppers is a funk rock song made in 2002. The genre's characteristics include quirkiness, comedy, energy, parody and generally anything light-hearted and fun. These characteristics are certainly represented in this video, with the band members all dancing around playfully doing odd and comedic things.
2. The relationship between the music and the visuals: The music and visuals are only loosely related, in that the music is fast and energetic and so is the action. The actual performance aspect integrated into the video could also be said to be a more direct link.
3. The relationship between the lyrics and the visuals: The repreated lyric "can't stop" may be mirroring their ongoing and crazy stunts, but apart from this the lyrics are only reflected in the spirit and tone of the video, rather than illustratively.
4. Close-ups of the artist and visual motifs: Throughout the song there are many close-ups of every band member, but especially of Anthony Kiedis, the lead singer (known as 'meat' shots). In terms of visual motifs, Kiedis is often seen in all the band's videos including this one without his shirt on. Another recurring motif is simply the quirkiness and energy of all the band members, as they dance around in their videos doing comedic things.
5. Reference to the notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, mirrors, etc.): We see many almost voyeuristic shots of the band members, for example near the beginning of the video where the camera shows Kiedis from behind looking through the tube singing into where the camera previously was. There is also a shot of a mirror showing the reflection of Kiedis singing, which follows this notion of looking.
6. Intertextual references: The main concept of the video is, in fact, an intertextual reference. A sign in the video says 'Inspired by the "One-Minute Sculptures" of Erwin Wurm", which are spontaneous, temporary and often human sculptures, which are emulated during the video, with Flea directly referencing a particular piece when he puts pens up his nostrils.

Band member Flea emulating one of Wurm's 'One Minute Sculptures'

Is this video an example of illustration, amplification or disjuncture? 

The video on the whole is an amplification of the song. The video captures the mood of the song, as well as following some of its lyrics illustratively ("can't stop" while they run around, "to be part of the wave" as they pretend to move like a wave).

 

'To be part of the wave can't stop'

Could this video be considered art?

Music videos are often seen (and used) as purely promotional tools. In many ways, they all inherently are, as they advertise the song and, by extension, the album. However, the video is based around Erwin Wurm's sculptures which are considered art, so perhaps the video could be as well. In this way the video may also be considered postmodern, as it borrows elements from other texts (pastiche), and also captures the light-hearted feel of postmodernism. Furthermore, the shot near the beginning showing Kiedis looking into the tube where the camera previously was, as if it was still there may be a self-reference - another feature of postmodernism.
 

The sign citing their inspiration