Analysis and Jumping

Before I start, I have decided to change my song and video to analyze to "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers and how it was used in the movie The Holiday. This song is alot closer to me and actually have a clip that I can put it to.

This song is about a man who has a suspicion that his girlfriend is cheating on him with another man, and eventually finds her doing what he had a fear of. "I'm coming out of my cage/and I've been doing just fine/gotta gotta be down/because I want it all. It started out with a kiss/it was only a kiss/it was only a kiss" It all starts out happy and in love, with him being completely unaware of what pain will befall him. The story in the song describes his situation like this: "Now I'm falling asleep/and she's calling a cab/while he's having a smoke/and she's taking a drag." He feels as though when he is going to sleep, or even just not aware of what is going on, that something is going on behind his back. He feels as though something is wrong, like he can't trust the woman that he is with and that she may be sneaking away with another lover. In his mind, he can see the scenario going down, and it is plaguing him beyond belief. "Now they're going to bed/and my stomach is sick/and it's all in my head/but she's touching his chest now./He takes off her dress now./ Let me go. I just can't look/it's killing me/and taking control." The sense comes over him and engulfs his life, he can't think of anything but this, and he can't help it, he wants to escape this mental torture but he can't find a way out of it. He finds himself trapped by his own feelings of love and his fear of finding her with another man. The next verse, "Jealousy, turning saints into the sea/swimming through sick lullabies/choking on your alibis. But it's just the price I pay/ Destiny is calling me./ Open up my eager eyes/ 'Cause I'm Mister Brightside." This line shows that his girlfriend is lying to him, giving him all matters of fake sentiments and words of love, and that he has to wade through it as though it were a churning ocean, constantly pushing and pulling on his heartstrings. He tries to see the brighter side of it all, to see better in her and to trust her, but he can't do it and wants someone to open his eyes to all that is going on.

This can be found mirrored in the plot of The Holiday. In the scene in which this song plays, one of the leading ladies has just arrived to a home in which she is vacationing to get away from her hectic life in the city and escape exactly what this song portrays: a relationship in which one party is unfaithful. Prior to her vacation she had been rather unsure about him, but the truth had finally come out now and she sings puts this song on and sings it as a lament for what she's gone through. She sings it with a look of anger and frustration upon her face, letting out all of the hurt that she has been through.

From Flappers to Rappers

I think that the directors of "The Great Gatsby" chose the music that they did to make ties from that world into the world that we live in today. Gatsby's world is full of glitz and glam, parties and fun, and at the same time, corruption and violence. The music for the movies pays homage to the jazz age, as it would have been a travesty to leave that out entirely, it embodies the mindset of the movie. But on top of all of this, they blend a new, hip music that makes the movie relatable not just to the crowds of today but also as a sign of the times. The times now in the rich and popular society are very much like the times that Gatsby was in: full of drinking and massive, extravagant parties. It creates a metaphorical tie between generations, and it does it so beautifully. It sets the mood for the movie for every event. There are times when it is almost haunting, slow and sad undertones that make the movie to be truly emotional and caring. They use songs such as "Back to Black" to get across the complex and intermingled love story that goes throughout the story. Other times, it makes for an exciting and jubilant time. They are able to use these songs to tell the story of Gatsby and his lover, and all the pain and corruption that he has endure throughout his life. But no matter what mood the music is trying to convey, everything is all tied back into the storyline and even deeper into the play on the times. They do this spin on this music by using recent and popular musicians and changing some of the instrumentation to modern day synthesizers as well as all of the classic jazz instruments that were essential to shaping the times. The directors had these artists change the styles of old songs or write new material into more of hip-hop and rap genres, but with a classic feel to it to match the era of the movie. Had it been strictly jazz music, alot of the relatable feel that the movie gives off would have been utterly lost, and while it is likely that it still could've made for a good movie, the added factor took in to a whole new level. This choice of music made the movie truly remarkable in my eyes, and a truly memorable experience that was very well praised for the ties that it created.

Process and Product

This process always works pretty well for me. Sometimes my laziness tries to make me just do a single draft, still revising a few times but not near as much as I should. Having mandatory drafts breaks this often vicious cycle for me. I am able to write down my initial ideas, almost like a sketch of what is on my mind and what I am trying top portray to the readers. From there, I am able to break down what I want to say and use that to better a second draft, which is often what I will take and polish to be my final paper. It also stops my from not starting it until later. I've found that when I don't have to do anything prior to turning the final paper, I will almost always wait until the last minute and have to rush through to get the paper done in time. This way I get to really explore the creative process, slow everything down and complete a truly better paper from the ashes of my initial drafts.