"Billie Jean" Michael Jackson

Context: The "Billie Jean" music video was created in 1983 by director Steve Barron by way of the "Epic" label which is still currently a juggernaut in the music industry.

Content: In the beginning, Michael is seen strolling down the streets of an unspecified city. He sees a homeless man leaning up against a trash can and throws a coin into his mug. The man then is made to transform into a cleaner version of himself in a white suit just as the one Michael is wearing. There are numerous clips within this video in which Michael is shown in a double takes within one shot as well as a woman on a billboard, which I perceived to be "Billie Jean". He constantly reiterates to "always think twice", hence his reasoning for using the double take aesthetic

Form: This video featured many special effects that personally grasped my attention. For example, when Michael drops his piece of clothing when leaving the young lady's home, a tiger comes and retrieves it. Additionally, the director includes a variety of shots of Michael at numerous angles which makes the video an exciting experience.

Observations: In my opinion, this video completely embodies the overall vibe of the 1980s music scene although the director portrayed the story as being that of a 1950s or 1960s setting.

Context: The "I'll Always Love You" music video was created in 1992 and was released through RCA records.

Content: Ms. Houston is seen in the beginning of the video singing before an audience mourning the loss of her lover. However, she is saying that although they are growing apart leading two separate lives, she will always love him indeed. The opening scene of the video is inspired by an actual scene from the 1992 drama, "The Bodyguard". Whitney is also filmed numerous times singing in what appears to be an omniscient point of view as herself viewing Rachel Marron, her character played in the movie.

Form: This video offered the viewer numerous effects that grasped the eye. For instance, as Whitney is singing, she is also seen having faded memories of her old lover, which appear faintly in a small clip before her eyes. She is also made to appear particularly angelic due to the lighting and angle that the director chose to use such as in the image above.

Observations: All in all, I can sense a strong presence of the 90s in this video. Whitney's hair, makeup and clothing are further indicators of the era of music in which this was created. The flashbacks from "The Bodyguard" also were a great addition to this music video.

"Runaway" Kanye West

 

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Content: The "Runaway" music video was created in 2010 and was directed by Kanye West himself. Roca-Fella and Def-Jam records produced this piece. 

Context: Initially, Mr. West is approaching a white piano in an all white suit with primarily Caucasian ballet dancers in the background. He begins to play the piano slowly as the camera reveals a long table of mostly African-American guests. Mr. West describes in the song his desire to cleanse himself by "getting himself a good girl" but "he is always addicted to them hoodrats". Therefore, he is persuading his lover to simply runaway from him and all the chaos that accompanies him.

Form: This video provides the viewer with many aesthetically pleasing images such as the all white theme and the immediate contrast with the dancers dressed in all black. The constant flow of the piano and viola in the background are additional factors that make this video highly enjoyable.

Observations: I feel as though this piece provides us with an insight of Kanye West's true psychological state during the time of this video. He is a well-known fan of the arts and it is undoubtedly evident through the creation of this video.