Flynn O'Connor (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} thoronas) wrote,@ 2006-06-06 21:02:00 |
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Analysis of Visual Data
The movie Interstella 5555 is concept movie based on the works of the dance music duo Daft Punk. The japanese animation studio Toei Animation was hired to create a visual realization of the Daft Punk 2003 album "Discovery". Originally the first 4 songs were aired on TV as music videos but the full movie was only available on DVD in 2003 and never aired on TV or in theatres. The story was written by the two members of Daft Punk, Thomas Bangalter, Guy-Manuel and an unkown writer Cédri Hervet. Because there was no dialogue in this movie and the vast majority of the music and sound FX came from the Daft Punk album it is primarily aimed at fans of dance music who also enjoy animation.
The film tells the story of an alien music band that is kidnapped and brain washed by a supernaturally endowed human who kidnaps and enslaves alien musicians in order to gather accolades and riches for himself. Every song is like a chapter in the story going along with a section of the movie. The story told through the various chapters/songs also develops a narrative with some interesting allusions about the music industry and the nature of the muscian as an artist.
This is the band on their home world at the beginning of the movie. They look like humans crossed with Smurfs in order to portray an alien quality that can still be related to humanity. They are not like us and yet they resemble us (they also play pretty good French House music). During the beginning of the movie they seem alive and vibrant. They are playing music for people that enjoy it and they enjoy performing.
After they are kidnapped by the evil looking man in the centre the band is literally painted over and remade in order to be palatable for human consumers. They are now being controlled by implants in order to make them docile and easily manipulated. They have dull eyes that stare, seeing nothing. They put on a show because they are told to do so, no longer enjoying their ability to perform.
Eventually they are freed from the mind control by a hero from their home planet and continue the story along till they discover the purpose behind the supernatural villians motivation for kidnapping alien bands and bringing them to Earth.
This is an earlier victim of the villian who is transformed into what looks like Aretha Franklin or another early 60's soul singer.
What is interesting about this montage is that it takes musicians who look recognizable to North American audiences, if just vaguely. In all cases they look dull and uninspired. The montage depicts all of them self-destructing through various means that real life artists have done, ie: alcohol, drugs, and depression. While in the background the villian is holding aloft a gold record signifying their success as muscians.
I have only used one example but the movie depicts 3 or 4 others along with the Aretha Franklin look-a-like who all are depicted in a similar manner. All of the aliens are made into human beings, into fake people, in order to further the villian's goal. In all their cases they are left shattered and used, no longer true to their original selves and dereft of true musical expression. The allusions to real life musicians, I believe, is not unintentional. This story was written by the members of Daft Punk who are themselves musicians. This was an indirect reference to the nature of the music industry and its alienation of musical talent from the modern day world.
The use of a small montage within a larger narrative expressed the allusion in such a subtle way that any character trying to express the same sentiment through words would have come across completely different and perhaps quite a bit less effectively. Although the message was not a deep social commentary it was still effectively embedded in a entertaining feature film. As a sociologist I would recommend this movie to those interested in the sociology of music and dance as well as fans of house music and Daft Punk in particular and those interested in a good animation. The movie is 80 minutes long and excellent quality animation. The character design was done by Leiji Matsumoto who is a well known artist in anime and manga.
The movie Interstella 5555 is concept movie based on the works of the dance music duo Daft Punk. The japanese animation studio Toei Animation was hired to create a visual realization of the Daft Punk 2003 album "Discovery". Originally the first 4 songs were aired on TV as music videos but the full movie was only available on DVD in 2003 and never aired on TV or in theatres. The story was written by the two members of Daft Punk, Thomas Bangalter, Guy-Manuel and an unkown writer Cédri Hervet. Because there was no dialogue in this movie and the vast majority of the music and sound FX came from the Daft Punk album it is primarily aimed at fans of dance music who also enjoy animation.
The film tells the story of an alien music band that is kidnapped and brain washed by a supernaturally endowed human who kidnaps and enslaves alien musicians in order to gather accolades and riches for himself. Every song is like a chapter in the story going along with a section of the movie. The story told through the various chapters/songs also develops a narrative with some interesting allusions about the music industry and the nature of the muscian as an artist.
This is the band on their home world at the beginning of the movie. They look like humans crossed with Smurfs in order to portray an alien quality that can still be related to humanity. They are not like us and yet they resemble us (they also play pretty good French House music). During the beginning of the movie they seem alive and vibrant. They are playing music for people that enjoy it and they enjoy performing.
After they are kidnapped by the evil looking man in the centre the band is literally painted over and remade in order to be palatable for human consumers. They are now being controlled by implants in order to make them docile and easily manipulated. They have dull eyes that stare, seeing nothing. They put on a show because they are told to do so, no longer enjoying their ability to perform.
Eventually they are freed from the mind control by a hero from their home planet and continue the story along till they discover the purpose behind the supernatural villians motivation for kidnapping alien bands and bringing them to Earth.
This is an earlier victim of the villian who is transformed into what looks like Aretha Franklin or another early 60's soul singer.
What is interesting about this montage is that it takes musicians who look recognizable to North American audiences, if just vaguely. In all cases they look dull and uninspired. The montage depicts all of them self-destructing through various means that real life artists have done, ie: alcohol, drugs, and depression. While in the background the villian is holding aloft a gold record signifying their success as muscians.
I have only used one example but the movie depicts 3 or 4 others along with the Aretha Franklin look-a-like who all are depicted in a similar manner. All of the aliens are made into human beings, into fake people, in order to further the villian's goal. In all their cases they are left shattered and used, no longer true to their original selves and dereft of true musical expression. The allusions to real life musicians, I believe, is not unintentional. This story was written by the members of Daft Punk who are themselves musicians. This was an indirect reference to the nature of the music industry and its alienation of musical talent from the modern day world.
The use of a small montage within a larger narrative expressed the allusion in such a subtle way that any character trying to express the same sentiment through words would have come across completely different and perhaps quite a bit less effectively. Although the message was not a deep social commentary it was still effectively embedded in a entertaining feature film. As a sociologist I would recommend this movie to those interested in the sociology of music and dance as well as fans of house music and Daft Punk in particular and those interested in a good animation. The movie is 80 minutes long and excellent quality animation. The character design was done by Leiji Matsumoto who is a well known artist in anime and manga.
