The first time I saw this video, I thought; talk about objectifying women. Then, I started thinking about the lyrics, and watched it a few more times. After each viewing I thought there is an underlying message here. Being a fan of Tool and A Perfect Circle I have listened/watched/read articles about Maynard James Keen(lead singer for both groups). By nature, I am a lyrics person. I have always been drawn to them. So, with all of that in mind, I re-viewed the video and began to see a story unfolding. And as I had said in our "laundry list" post; things are rarely what they seem, and this video is a perfect example of that. In the opening sequence "The Outsider" is a beautiful woman, being released from prison. Her aggressive nature is solidified right off the bat. Beautiful women are usually not seen as criminals and aggressive. The video proceeds to bring in the "bikini bandits" and they begin to wreak havoc in suburbia. The way I interpret this video is that there is a preconceived notion that beautiful women are docile, whereas the video is saying don't be fooled by their looks, they have the capacity to behave as aggressive males. The dichotomy of beautiful women possessing strong masculine qualities is not the norm. It is not how society views women. The video "flips the script" on stereotypes, and the women are the dominant characters even though they are in high heels and bikinis with perfect hair and makeup.
One more thing, I showed this video and posed this question to a friend of mine, and she sees it completely different. That led me to finding a thread, and sure enough the views were conflicting. They are all over the place, and isn't that what art is all about? Our perceptions of how we view the world?
The first time I saw this video, I thought; talk about objectifying women. Then, I started thinking about the lyrics, and watched it a few more times. After each viewing I thought there is an underlying message here.
ReplyDeleteBeing a fan of Tool and A Perfect Circle I have listened/watched/read articles about Maynard James Keen(lead singer for both groups). By nature, I am a lyrics person. I have always been drawn to them. So, with all of that in mind, I re-viewed the video and began to see a story unfolding. And as I had said in our "laundry list" post; things are rarely what they seem, and this video is a perfect example of that.
In the opening sequence "The Outsider" is a beautiful woman, being released from prison. Her aggressive nature is solidified right off the bat. Beautiful women are usually not seen as criminals and aggressive. The video proceeds to bring in the "bikini bandits" and they begin to wreak havoc in suburbia.
The way I interpret this video is that there is a preconceived notion that beautiful women are docile, whereas the video is saying don't be fooled by their looks, they have the capacity to behave as aggressive males. The dichotomy of beautiful women possessing strong masculine qualities is not the norm. It is not how society views women. The video "flips the script" on stereotypes, and the women are the dominant characters even though they are in high heels and bikinis with perfect hair and makeup.
Angie Petersen
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ReplyDeleteOne more thing, I showed this video and posed this question to a friend of mine, and she sees it completely different. That led me to finding a thread, and sure enough the views were conflicting. They are all over the place, and isn't that what art is all about? Our perceptions of how we view the world?
ReplyDelete