Intertexuality In Music Videos

Intertextuality is when a music video is made as a reconstruction or recreation of an existing form of media. The forms of media that have been used in music videos are television, film, videogames and other music videos. Here are some examples:

Film in Music Videos

30 Seconds to Mars - The Kill

- This Music video is made in referenceto the film 'The Shining' starring Jack Nicholson. It is set is in a hotel, where all the band members play the role of Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) as they reconstruct some of the famous scenes in 'The Shining'

30 Seconds to Mars Version and The Shining's Version

Madonna - Material girl

- This music video is made in reference to the 1949 movie 'Diamonds Are a Girls Best friend' starring Marilyn Monroe. A similarity between the music video and the movie is one scene where Marilyn Monroe and Madonna are dressed in a pink dress and have blond hair with curls. Also in this scene they are both being lifted by men in suits.

Madonna's Version and Movie Version

TV in Music Videos

Beastie Boys - Sabotage

- This music video is a spoof of an American cop show. The reference is shown through things like the use of the stereotypical 70's style cops who wear aviator glasses, have a mustache and sideburns, the use of this gives comedic effect.

Typical 70's cop and Beastie Boys Version

REM - Bad Day

- This music video portrays a typical news report where the lead singer plays the news reporter and is saying the lyrics in time with the song instead of giving an actual news report.

REM Version and Official News Version

Video Games in Music Videos

Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Californication

-This music video features an animated structure which resembles a typical video game. Each band member is shown to have a playable avatar that is shown to do several tasks that are normally seen in video games such as snowboarding and racing. Some aspects of the video resemble the popular video game 'Grand Theft Auto'

Red Hot Chilli Pepper Version and Grand Theft Auto Version

Reference to Other Music Videos in Music Videos

Cancer Bats - Sabotage

-This song is a cover of the previously mentioned Beastie Boys - Sabotage. Themusic video is a spoof of the original music video by the Beastie boys. The content of this music video is that themembers of Cancer Bats must find the Beastie Boys for them to feature in their (Cancer Bats) music video. The music video is similar to the original as it also features a lot of fast pace chase sequences. There is also a direct reference to the original music video as at the end of it, exact replicas of the 70's style cops are featured.

Beastie Boys Version and Cancer Bats Version

Fall Out Boy - This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race

- Within this music video there is a spoof reference to Avenged Sevenfold's 'Seize The Day' . In Avenged Sevenfold's video lead guitarist (Synyster Gates) is featured performing the songs guitar solo on top of a coffin during a funeral, in FallOut Boys version their guitarist is shown doing the same thing but in a more humorous fashion when compared to the context of Avenged Sevenfold's version.

Fall Out Boy's Version and Avenged Sevenfold's Version