Genre theory in music videos The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl Fairytale of New York

Genre theory in music videos The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl Fairytale of New YorkBy Thomas CutmoreA bit about the bandThe Pogues(also know as Pogue Mahone) are aCeltic punkband from London, formed in 1982 and fronted byShane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first withJoe Strummerand then with Spider Stacy on vocals before breaking up in 1996.The band reformed in late 2001, and has been playing regularly ever since, most notably on the US East Coast aroundSt Patrick's Dayand across the UK and Ireland every December.Their music video Fairytale of New York was originally released as a single on the 23 November 1987. It is an Irishfolkstyle ballad, and featured on The Pogues' 1988 albumIf I Should Fall from Grace with God.The genre of the music videoThe music video contains a noir and also a classic genre/character to it as it contains the black and white/noir lighting, the chiaroscuro lighting that is used in noir films, the video also used the use smoke filled bar with alcohol which Jacques Derrida explains, Every text participates in one or several genres. The music video can be linked to noir media texts, such as The Third Man, Remember my Forgotten Man and Casablanca in terms of the techniques it uses and the storyline it creates.How the video has Intertextual references.The Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933); - genre Comedy, Drama, Musical. The Pogues video features references which can be compared to films and other music videos of the punk folk genre. In this, the way the video uses both black and white filtering and noir lighting links it to Remember My Forgotten Man from The Gold Diggers of 1933 by Busby Berkeley. The way The Pogues music video links to this media text is the use of black and white filtering, creating that post modern, past atmosphere. The two texts also shared the same anti established political landscape where by society is hard down on those who are more unfortunate than others; - in The Pogues music video homeless and drunkards, in The Gold Diggers of 1933 war veterans suffering. Both groups are targeted by law enforcement agencies such as the police. Screenshots of examples between The Pogues music video and Remember my Forgotten Man

The Pogues Fairytale of New York

Remember My Forgotten Man from The Gold Diggers of 1933Both texts use the same idea of the law enforcement agencies picking on the less fortunate/disabled.This gives an anti political atmosphere to the video. Intertextuality with The Third ManThe Third Man (1949); - genre Noir, Mystery, Thriller. As the music videos genre contains noir aspects, The Third Man could link to this well as they both contain the same/similar use of chiaroscuro lighting. Even though the idea of chiaroscuro lighting was used in The Third Man was mainly to cause a dystrophic feeling to the characters and also the audience. The use of the same effect in The Pogues music video however also emphasises a bit of dystopia, but also emphasises the sense of feeling, such as in the prison cell when using the lighting effect, emphasising entrapment, it also creates a dark and depressing feeling upon the audience.Screenshots of intertextuality in The Third Man

The Pogues Fairytale of New YorkThe Third ManThe two texts both use the same techniques of chiaroscuro lighting, sometimes in the same ways but to emphasise a different meaningIntertextuality in CasablancaCasablanca (1942); - genre: Romantic Drama.The Pogues music video also shares the same aspects with Casablanca in terms of the same noir lighting, the use of mise en scene i.e. the smoke filled bar. The films also use the same costumes and props/instruments to create the same atmosphere that Casablanca has. The use of the glasses, the tux/jackets, the styling of the hair and the old fashion looking, yet also traditional Irish instruments, i.e. the piano, the simple scale drum kit, the tin whistle, cittern, mandolin and accordion. These instruments help bring a classical view to their music video as combined with the black and white filtering, mise en scene, and the costumes, it creates a classical, noir genre.

Screenshots of Intertextuality in Casablanca

PianoOld Fashioned costumes/classicaldress.In conclusionThe music video creates a subversive genre out of the other Intertextual links with other media texts as it creates a zeitgeist which audiences of the time and/or audience members who are enthusiastic in the 40s/50s film culture can therefore tap into the music video quickly (Nicholas Abercrombie).