untitled #1 (Vaka)
Directed by Floria Sigismondi (2003)
I would like to say that as with their music, Sigur Ros videos exhibit a fascination with childhood, slowed moments of time and emotional fragility. However, my interpretation of their music is drawn mostly from the imagery (from cd covers to the videos) which accompanies their work. This especially the case with Untitled #1, which is from the album ( ) which, yes, was released without titles for the album or the songs it contained. In addition all the lyrics in ( ) are in Hopelandic, the band's made up language which resembles the sounds of Icelandic words but has no literal translation. The idea is that the listener should be able to draw their own meaning.
In the face of this, Sigismondi's video presents a strong narratisation of the song. The image of the children in gas masks (an image that is reminiscent of Banksy’s little girls hugging bombs) portentously creates a pop culture statement about the world our children might inherit. A little pretentious perhaps but it is also non-representational, which works for a video that is trying to evoke something profound. If the band appeared, looking po-faced, then it would be on the cusp of the perilous slope which takes us to Michael Jackson’s Earth Song.
I like the fact that the video starts with abstract images, a colour, a texture, and a quality of movement. It is like a title board which suggests that this is one visual interpretation of a sound which could be taken in many directions. I like the contrast between the home video realism of the first scenes in the school and the post-apocalyptic grandeur of the playground because it matches the musical style of the band, that signature slow build up to a dramatic burst which elicits an emotional response. The way Sigismondi’s jittery camera style catches those slowed moments- a widening eye behind the glass of a mask- is fantastic.
2 comments:
It reminds me a little bit of 'Etre et Avoir' at the beginning, the children's performances appearing to be sincere and the style almost documentary - and then there's this sudden shift to the stylised battlefield which is totally brilliant because the two styles marry together to create a harmonious whole.
I also really appreciated the sceneography in this video. The shift from the children at the beginning to the battlefield scenes at the end makes watching it quite uncomfortable viewing, and gives us a sense of unease.
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