A2 Media Music Video - Similar Artist 2

Michael Jackson was known to have outstanding music videos, in which money was no object for his record company. One of Michael’s finest examples, with an excellent narrative running throughout is ‘Beat It’. The song although mostly Pop, features a guitar solo by the legendary Eddie Van Halen and this is what perhaps inspired some of the Rock undertones through more of Jackson’s work. In regards to the video, I will be analyzing the narrative, mise-en-scene and choreography as these three components are massive inspirations to me for my music video.

The video starts in a typical ‘greasy spoon’ diner, and one man taps another on the back, who then starts to follow him. Then, men all dressed in denim and leather jump out of the shadows and then run into the distance, making howling noises. Immediately, an enigma is created as we want to know how these men are linked and where they are going. Another two men mysteriously appear from the sewers. One is dressed in unkempt looking clothing, and it appears that all of these men may be going to the same place.

Next, a pool hall is shown, in which many men are together. The lighting is quite dull, and the mood appears tense, like the men are waiting for something. One man in particular is focused on. He has an arrogant expression on his face and then commands some other men to follow him. A woman, who was stood behind him, glances toward the group of men who are leaving, whilst smoking a cigarette. Her relaxed expression makes me think that she knows what is about to unfold.

As the guitar kicks in and the song starts to pick up pace, another man is seen donning a white jacket, with a distinctive dragon motif on the back of it. The colour of his clothes is much brighter than those around him, sob this sets him apart from the rest. He also has a thick moustache and is wearing sunglasses; which further makes us believe that he may be a key character in the video, much like the man spotlighted before him. Him and some more men, (presumably his henchmen), leave their location and the lyrics of the song start. We see one group, led by the man with the moustache walk through the dark night. The setting and time of day casts an ominous shadow over the video, and makes me feel that something bad may happen. Michael Jackson is then seen lying on a bed, and he is singing the lyrics of the song, whilst looking concerned. More shots of the two separate groups are shown and this makes me think that they could be two rival gangs. The lyrics of the song suggest this also, as the lyrics have connotations of gang culture within them.

Michael then exits his apartment or hotel room and the choreography begins. Michael dances in a dark corridor, with a large beam of light hitting him whilst he dances. His bright red jacket and blue t-shirt are contrasting of the dark colours seen throughout the video so far. Spooky alleyways, bland buildings and barbed wire fences convey the class of this area. The setting looks depressing and rough; suggesting once again that these people may be up to no good.

Jackson is then seeing dancing in the diner seen at the start of the video. It seems like he may be on the trail of these two groups of men. We then see him in the pool hall; in which he is once again letting go of his emotions through dance. It seems like Michael’s dancing is him ‘beating’ in the gang culture referenced through the song, and that he is not going to fall into the dangerous groups of individuals casting a shadow over the neighbourhood.

The groups of thugs are then seen entering some form of warehouse. Their body language is menacing, and it looks like they are ready for a fight. The man in the white outfit then comes into view, with a light shining on him. His position on a forklift higher than everyone else conveys his role as gang leader. The man introduced in the pool hall is focused on, before the men start to walk into the middle of their respective groups. Red lighting is subtly visible in this scene. Red has connotations of danger, blood and violence. The men then start to spar with knives until Michael Jackson finally enters the warehouse. He stands in between the two men as he utters the words, ‘it doesn’t matter who’s wrong or right, just beat it’, the 3 begin dancing in unison. The punch in the air several times, echoing the message of beating gang violence. The dancing reflects the meaning of the song and the location has been excellently selected in creating a credible community which is dangerous to be a part of.