Analysis of Florence and the Machine- Rabbit Heart - (Raise it up)

Fitting into the 'indie pop' genre Florence and the Machine's music video Rabbit Heart is an interesting video to analyze which references to the style of our own, with it's use of inter textual references and the overall style of the artist. Andrew Goodwin's theory of music videos has been applied in this video due to the beginning shot being an extreme close up of the artist's mouth. The rest of her face is covered up by strands of a sequin material, this could represent the fact that the focus is on her music as her mouth is the first thing the audience will notice and therefore this draws the audience in to the opening lyrics of the song. Furthermore, the sequins across her face may represent a veil which symbolizes purity as well as sincerity, thus representing the artist as angelic. 

'The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work'

In reference to Goodwin's theory this shot shows an example of 'There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals'. This is due to the fact that the opening lyrics which are 'The looking glass, so shiny and new' reference to the notion of her looking through something which is to some extent shown in this shot as she is looking through the gaps in the shiny material towards the camera. The idea of the 'looking glass' links to the novel Alice in Wonderland providing a potential intertextual reference to this music video as firstly it links to a second book of Alice in Wonderland called 'Through the looking glass. In addition to this,

           

The camera then pans out as Florence lifts the material from her face, this being a close up of her shown in the center of the mise-en-scene showing her importance and keeping her at the center of the audiences attention. The costumes in this video reflect the genre to some extent due to it being old fashioned yet vintage as well appealing to a niche audience.  Her costume could be described as a romantic costume which is a style of clothing which was influenced by Greek tunics and motifs, suggesting femininity. 

Furthermore, the artist's costume suggests a Pre-Raphaelite influence. This is made evident towards the end of the music video where the artist is laying in a coffin floating along the water this linking to the artist called Rossetti's painting called 'Opehelia. This particular character has been described as a passive character :   

   "Rossetti shows a mad, pitiable, yet frightening young woman" (Source: Ophelia -- Victimized Woman or Femme Fatale? -Elizabeth Lee '97, Brown University).

It is plausible to suggest that the influence of Shakespeare's character Ophelia reflects notions of the artists personality, for example this music video may be symbolozing Florence's feministic attitudes. She is expressing how women are portrayed in Hamlet- as merely possessions of the male characters.



The fact that their are aspects of the Alice in Wonderland theme in this music video links closely to our music video due to the intertextual references to the novel shown throughout our video. An example of how Rabbit Heart is linking to Alice in wonderland is made evident in the scene where the cast of the video are shown sitting behind a big feasting table which has pig heads on plates and various objects. It can therefore be suggested that this links to the Mad Hatter's tea party in Alice in Wonderland which gives the video a dream like quality to it, linking to the question which also arises when watching Alice in Wonderland; Is this all a dream, merely an illusion or is it a wonderful reality? When making our music video in order to incorporate intertextual references to Alice in Wonderland our decision was to also include a girl sitting behind a bright looking table, however instead of having a feast she is actually featured on her own and is shown drinking from a vintage style mug.

When analyzing the lyrics to this music video their are strong connotions throughout one being a link to 'King Midas' who was known in Greek mythology as he had the ability to turn anything he touches into gold. In reference to 'Rabbit Heart' the chorus features this reference to Midas :

"Midas is king and he holds me so tight
 And turns me to gold in the sunlight"
It is somewhat plausible to suggest that the influence of Midas the king whose wish to turn everything gold  became a reality strongly influences the story of this music video. For instance, the song opens with the lyrics "The looking glass so shiny and new" this could reference how he feels about his new power, nevertheless the lyrics then say "how quickly the glamour fades" this could symbolize the fact that he now sees his power as a curse due to the problems it brings. After researching into the story of King Midas his greed for gold got to the extent to him actually turning his little daughter into gold as his power was uncontrolable.
The beautiful flowers in his garden turned toward the sun for light, but when Midas approached and touched them, they stood rigid and gold.

 'The king grew hungry and thin, for each time he tried to eat, he found that his meal had turned to gold. His lovely daughter, at his loving touch, turned hard and fast to gold. His water, his bed, his clothes, his friends, and eventually the whole palace was gold.'  

Furthermore, in this music video the lyrics interpret this myth in a slightly different way, for example the lyrics "Midas is king and he holds me so tight, and turns me to gold in the sunlight" references to the fact that a cuddle with his daughter led to her being turned into gold. However there are lyrics before this which could reference to the moments before his daughter can be turned: " I must become a lion hearted girl Ready for a fight Before I make the final sacrifice"  In reference to the artist of the music video, she may symbolize the young girl in the myth, thus representing females as strong, fearless people.

"There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals"- Goodwins theory is therefore represented in this music video as when the artist sings the words "..and turns me to gold in the sunlight" a slight high angle close up of the protaganist of the video is shown with the sunlight reflecting onto her. Furthermore, the main focus of the shot is her bright auburn hair which almost looks gold, reflecting the notion of the myth.