The "Cheapening" Effect

[Lemon Lover]

The original question was, "Does the new 'Stuck in a Moment' video cheapen the song?"

This question was originally asked by a somewhat drunk friend of mine who is not a "U2 fan" in any sense of the term.

And so the question remains, does it cheapen the song? Is a video really an artistic, visual representation of a song? Should it be?

In my opinion, it should be. Originally, when MTV first came into existence, videos were indeed artistically tied to the song (at least the good ones were). Over time, a lot videos became marketing tools. At the expense of art, video directors went for the jugular of American pop culture by making videos that were cool, funny, or in some way interesting in order to make you run out and by the CD.

So...are videos still art? Or are they merely marketing tools designed to get teenagers to spend more of their parents' money?

My current opinion of the new Stuck video is that it is indeed a marketing tool. It does have some artistic elements, but they are certainly buried underneath mounds of "cool stuff" and U2 references for fans like us to enjoy (such as the Fire Dome). Overall, I think that the new Stuck video was designed to appeal to MTV audiences and especially American audiences (as evidenced by the use of an American football game).

For me, the question of whether or not the video cheapens the song is of little importance. What is important is that, if by some twist of fate, the video becomes popular and actually makes it on TRL, it will introduce some American teens to U2 that normally would not have been exposed to the World's Greatest Band.

I think I've said enough.

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You're gonna meet her there
She's your destination
You gotta get to her
She's imagination
Email/MSN: LemonLovr@hotmail.com
AOL: LemonLovrU2

 

[U2girl]

good thread!!!
perhaps this quote will help:

EDGE: on one hand, videos are advertisements for the music. on the other hand, there's real art in trying to make a real innovative video. you try to do a bit of both. looking back on our videos, i think some of them are great, some of them just didn't work. that's the way it goes.

my opinion: errr, can't really talk about the American version. but i saw the European version and i LOVED it. it really emphasizes the nature of the song.
in general, i like pretty much all of U2's videos. some of them because they're so cool visually (EBTTRT, TF, MW), some of them because they emphasize the song's idea (Stuck, Please, ISHFWILF, WOWY, One). and then there are the performance videos (Streets, Please european version, BD, Pride).
there's only one video i didn't like-Last night on earth. just weird.

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"touch me, take me to that other place,
teach me, love, i know i'm not a hopeless case" - Beautiful day

"be uncool, yes be awkward" - Always

"and you can find your own way out"-Acrobat

[This message has been edited by U2girl (edited 09-03-2001).]

 

[Lemon Lover]

Edge's quote really puts it into perspective. Thanks!

------------------
You're gonna meet her there
She's your destination
You gotta get to her
She's imagination
Email/MSN: LemonLovr@hotmail.com
AOL: LemonLovrU2

 

[SkeeK]

I like the more arty videos. Stuck is definately not one of these.

That said, I would like the video just fine if not for the unfunny references to U2 in the John Madden intro.

[This message has been edited by SkeeK (edited 09-03-2001).]

 

[spanisheyes]

I hope that now that the song is being released here in America, that the original 'Stuck' version will make it to the American audience as well. God knows we saw 3 videos for 'One', and isn't it ironic that the first 'Stuck' video was made in America for Europe, and the second 'Stuck' video was made in Europe for America. I have to agree that a somewhat cinematic, artsy video would have been great for this beautiful song, but then again, I'm not U2, don't want to be U2, so I trust the boys...damn it, I stopped trying to defend them long ago...I've enjoyed them more so ever since.

Chris