(no subject)
For your convenience, I have written a brief synopsis of the new AFI music video, 'Love Like Winter'. This new video, like the previous video 'Miss Murder', has evoked questions by many over whether AFI is taking light thematic elements from pop culture and current circumstances. "Miss Murder" was released not long after the movie 'V for Vendetta' and during a time of severe political unrest. "Love Like Winter," likewise, was released not (very) long after 'The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe' movie went to DVD, and during a time I could not find my blanket and my feet were cold.
"Love Like Winter:"
Davey and hardly-noticeable entourage go through the wardrobe. Given his less than lighthearted expression, they weren't playing hide-and-seek. Perhaps he was having his arms waxed; perhaps they were chasing him with goat-cheese puffs. Whatever; he doesn't look happy. Unfortunately for Davey, he did not have the foresight to grab a few fur-coats, or couldn't find a nice trench-coat not made with animal. He did, however, find a very nice pair of false eyelashes, which will serve him well against having his contacts frozen to his cornea. Or /would/, if he kept his eyes sensibly closed, but instead, elects to open and close them slowly, with all the preternatural grace of a garage door closing. He staggers through the snow, falling into ditches and snowdrifts along the way. In any other video, this might be comedic, but he looks so very sad, it's both comedic and maternal-desire inducing. One fully expects an anthropomorphic being to show up with hot cocoa as he's standing armpit-deep in a sink-hole, looking mournful. He's clearly regretting not wearing socks that day. Finally, the White Witch arrives, to see who's being so darn sexy in her lands. She looks like a teenaged Bjork, which surprised me. I always thought the witch should look and sound like Siouxsie Sioux after a night of smoking and yowling at people for putting her bras in the dryer, or mentioning Morrissey. So, we've got Davey in a ditch, and BjorkTeen in a long, flowing cape, gazing at each other longingly. The others in the band say, "Davey! We've read this book! Don't follow her! She'll do bad, bad things to you! She doesn't even like talking animals!" But he doesn't listen. Poor Davey. It might be expected that the best way for her to torture Davey would be to take him back to her place and toy with his emotions. No, our witch is cleverer than that. She knows goths too well. Any easily-crushed goth with their heart on their sleeve could rationalize going back to someone's house to be ignored. "I'll be human furniture", thinks hypothetical Davey. "I'll be unobtrusively hot, until she notices me again. We'll make this work." No, Bjork goes for the big guns. "I dunno..." She says. "I don't really dig guys with fake eyelashes. And New Order is totally better than Joy Division." He can't take any more of this. Really, who could? His gothy feelings wounded, he heads to the nearest body of water and takes a swandive. She'll be sorry. He'll finish what he started in 'Silver and Cold'. Glubglub. Bitch. But, wait! What's this? She followed him in! She's come to apologize! She'll take him back to her glittering city to change out of those wet clothes! They close in for a kiss, and she offers her parting shot: "You're cute, but Ville Valo totally turns my eternal winter to spring." The camera focuses distantly on Davey's tearful horror. Glubglub. And the screen goes dark.
"Love Like Winter:"
Davey and hardly-noticeable entourage go through the wardrobe. Given his less than lighthearted expression, they weren't playing hide-and-seek. Perhaps he was having his arms waxed; perhaps they were chasing him with goat-cheese puffs. Whatever; he doesn't look happy. Unfortunately for Davey, he did not have the foresight to grab a few fur-coats, or couldn't find a nice trench-coat not made with animal. He did, however, find a very nice pair of false eyelashes, which will serve him well against having his contacts frozen to his cornea. Or /would/, if he kept his eyes sensibly closed, but instead, elects to open and close them slowly, with all the preternatural grace of a garage door closing. He staggers through the snow, falling into ditches and snowdrifts along the way. In any other video, this might be comedic, but he looks so very sad, it's both comedic and maternal-desire inducing. One fully expects an anthropomorphic being to show up with hot cocoa as he's standing armpit-deep in a sink-hole, looking mournful. He's clearly regretting not wearing socks that day. Finally, the White Witch arrives, to see who's being so darn sexy in her lands. She looks like a teenaged Bjork, which surprised me. I always thought the witch should look and sound like Siouxsie Sioux after a night of smoking and yowling at people for putting her bras in the dryer, or mentioning Morrissey. So, we've got Davey in a ditch, and BjorkTeen in a long, flowing cape, gazing at each other longingly. The others in the band say, "Davey! We've read this book! Don't follow her! She'll do bad, bad things to you! She doesn't even like talking animals!" But he doesn't listen. Poor Davey. It might be expected that the best way for her to torture Davey would be to take him back to her place and toy with his emotions. No, our witch is cleverer than that. She knows goths too well. Any easily-crushed goth with their heart on their sleeve could rationalize going back to someone's house to be ignored. "I'll be human furniture", thinks hypothetical Davey. "I'll be unobtrusively hot, until she notices me again. We'll make this work." No, Bjork goes for the big guns. "I dunno..." She says. "I don't really dig guys with fake eyelashes. And New Order is totally better than Joy Division." He can't take any more of this. Really, who could? His gothy feelings wounded, he heads to the nearest body of water and takes a swandive. She'll be sorry. He'll finish what he started in 'Silver and Cold'. Glubglub. Bitch. But, wait! What's this? She followed him in! She's come to apologize! She'll take him back to her glittering city to change out of those wet clothes! They close in for a kiss, and she offers her parting shot: "You're cute, but Ville Valo totally turns my eternal winter to spring." The camera focuses distantly on Davey's tearful horror. Glubglub. And the screen goes dark.