Intertextual references of specific media texts in music videos
Material Girl - Madonna
Madonna's video for Material Girl blatantly references this famous Marilyn Monroe scene in Diamonds Are Forever. Intertextuality is used here to reinforce Madonna's public image a feminine, maneater stereotype (as Marilyn Monroe was also seen), and also bolsters the idea of the song - which has lyrics about materialism and diamonds, thus making the luxurious and wealthy mise en scene of Diamonds Are Forever the perfect choice of intertextual reference.
Bad Blood - Taylor Swift
Bad Blood by Taylor Swift combines intertextual references from the action and sci-fi movie genres, namely, the Hunger Games franchise, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is witnessed in the dystopian, clinical look of the training rooms, and the futuristic, punk styling of the costumes and makeup. The reasoning for this intertextuality is likely down to the feminist, edgy image that the artist was going for with this song. The title Bad Blood also implies fighting, albeit, not typically of a dramatic action scene.
Popular Song - MIKA ft. Ariana Grande
This video doesn't necessarily take exact scenes from his works, but it borrows stylistic choices and subject matter very heavily from Tim Burton and iconic texts such as The Addams Family. This, by association, links it into the horror genre, yet the stylized and cartoonish Tim Burton links make it child-friendly. The reasoning behind this could be down to how both artists target audience at the time were around 10-16 years old - therefore, they may have wanted to show off some stylistic flair, while remaining appropriate for their audience.
Black Widow - Iggy Azalea ft. Rita Ora
This Iggy Azalea video also borrows heavily from a specific director; Quentin Tarantino. The femme fatale, katana-wielding characters that the artists are portraying reflect the Bride from Kill Bill. The opening shot of "Big Wanda's" diner directly parallels the opening of Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, which features the "Big Kahuna" diner. Even down to the mobster style outfits and neon set design, this video is a homage to Tarantino's works.
1999 - Charli XCX ft. Troye Sivan
Charli XCX's video for 1999 is a total homage to the wide range of pop culture of the 1990's. There are references to famous films such as Titanic, American Beauty, The Matrix and The Blair Witch Project. References to iconic music videos are also present, such as TLC's Waterfalls, Backstreet Boys I Want It That Way, and Eminem's The Real Slim Shady. Additionally, there are references to other cultural icons of the era, such as The Sims, Rose McGowan and Marilyn Manson, The Spice Girls, Justin Timberlake, and the emergence of heavily branded advertising. This celebration of nineties culture is a response to the nostalgic resurgence of 90's trends in fashion and mainstream media.
Video Games intertextuality in Music Videos
The next few videos are examples of intertextuality that involves famous video games and similar technologies. I have taken aspects of these videos directly as inspiration for my own - in which I plan on heavily incorporating a Lara Croft style video game character.
I Got U - Duke Dumont
In his video for I Got U, Duke Dumont toys with the new technology of Virtual Reality to show how it can be all-consuming. The use of VR puts the character in his ideal lifestyle, showing a disconnect between the real world and the world of video gaming. This is a theme I'm carrying over into my work, as my protagonist will find himself caught up in his own thoughts - however without the use of a VR headset.
Californication - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
This video for Californication, by the renowned rock band, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers; is one of the first mainstream music videos to merge the concept of video games with a performance music video. The inclusion of the gaming aspect adds to the humorous image of the band, who are known for their goofy stage antics.
Let Me Love You - DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber
The video for DJ Snake's Let Me Love You is another video which contains the concept of VR gaming, albeit with a humorous twist. The offbeat inclusion of a comedic plot twist in which the whole premise of the video turns out to be artificial is an aspect that I'm going to put into my own video. My protagonist is going to find out that the video game character he has been chasing has been in his head all along.
Don't Deny Your Heart - Hot Chip
Don't Deny Your Heart by Hot Chip is a creative way of involving the video game industry in their music videos. They spoof FIFA, the famous football game. The prevalence of this is important as Hot Chip are key contenders in the indie electronic music scene, showing that incorporating video games into their image is creative and offbeat.
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