The video for “Sabotage” by The Beastie Boys is an illustrative parody of 70’s/80’s “cop films” and dramas; it shows this with the Mise-en-scene, the camera angles and the editing. Throughout it contains close ups of each of the band members dressed in different costumes to suit the theme of the music video. For example each member has a moustache and is wearing shades. This is to show the stereotype of the characters in cop films. The stereotype of 80’s cops and this type of action film is confirmed throughout the music video for comedy purposes. For example many car chases occur in the video, along with action-filled chases on rooftops.
The camera angles throughout the music video cut at each beat, in a fast pace to give an action feel, the camera angles consist of crane shots, tracking shots, and high and low angle shots. This great variety of angles along with the large amount of camera movement emphasize the theme greatly also. The fast camera movement and tracking shots are the largest factor in helping the 80’s cop parody theme. It is not conventional to Goodwin’s theory however as the track does not fit the genre characteristics. The song is of the hip hop genre, however it does not contain all the glamour hip hop has, along with no voyeuristic treatment of women’s bodies, which is generally linked to the hip hop genre.
The song is conventional in a lot of aspects however. There is a relationship between the lyrics and visuals, along with the music and visuals. For example the whole theme of the song, which is called “Sabotage”, relates to the theme of cops in the video as sabotage is something criminals take part in. The lyrics are based around this theme, showing they are linked to the theme of the video, for example when the lyrics mimic the reaction to falling, there is a clip of a man falling from a building. There is a relationship between the music and visuals in the fact that the shot changes to the beat, and also that when the pace of the music speeds up; there is a fast-paced scenario occurring in the video such as a car chase. There isn’t exactly a high use of close ups in the track, this is because the Beastie boys are relying on the narrative and the theme of the video to give them popularity and to know who they are, rather than many close ups. Also they don’t really need the public to know what they look like, they want the public to know them for their music, and their exciting videos.
The main part of Goodwin’s music video analysis this video confirms would be the convention of using intertextual references, because this video is one large intertextual reference to 70’s and 80’s cop programs. This is used for comedic purpose, such as when there is a clip of one cop eating a donut, which is stereotypical of policemen. Usually music videos contain some performance in them however this one doesn’t, it doesn’t even contain a blend of performance and narrative, which is unconventional for a music video of the illustrative genre, especially as the lyrics and music fit the visuals.
I personally find this music video effective because it’s grabbing, as it contains a fast-paced narrative, and the music and lyrics fit the whole tone of the song without it being too conventional. It’s enjoyable to watch while listening to the music because it’s quite comedic while at the same time it’s action-packed and interesting.
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