Florence and the Machine – Breath of Life
Written By: Florence Welch/Isabella Summers
Director: Scott Murray
Genre: Indie Rock/Gothic Rock/Symphonic
Rock/Art Rock
Structure: Narrative
Florence Welch has recorder this song for the soundtrack to the film Snow
White and The Huntsman. Basically, the video is showing the cuts from a movie
which match with the song. The inspiration of this song was a Queen character
played by Charlize Theron, as she has inspired the writers of the song. The
song is sung from the perspective of the Queen as she is just incredible
character, so hungry for life and at the same time so dead inside. As she’s
sort of eternal person but inside her wasn’t left nothing. She has her thirst
for youth but even she hasn’t got an idea for what sort of life she wants to
live. As she is incredibly beautiful person and character, her darkness creates
a kind of juxtaposition between the beauty and death.
The some of the parts which presents Florence and her orchestra has been
recorder at London’s Abbey Road studio, which is seen in the video between the
movies cuts. In these shots we see a clattering drums and huge bass with any
people singing the tones behind the Florence.
The whole parts which present the Florence and The Machine are in black
and white what gives them archaic feelings what connotes with formality of
orchestra style, whereas the movie parts are presented in colours what makes
them distinguish and highlight from the rest of the video. The video resembles
some parts as they were from the past as there was re-occurrence of the events,
as the Queen has been looking for her “breath of life” before and it is as
plain as the black and white. This colours perfectly matches her personality as
she’s pure beauty but with a dark soul.
We see the Florence singing and matching with the actions from a movie
parts, as the Snow White is running from chasing her Huntsman who’s been order
to bring her heart back to the Queen. The use of costumes reminds a Victorian
era and match perfectly with the background and locations which has been used
in the movie. The main character has been dressed as a poor girl what has
underline her position as she’s lost and abandon after her father has been
killed by the powerful Queen. However, the Queen which isn’t playing a main
role in the movie is a main inspiration from which the song has been created.
So, everything what is going on in the video is linked to her. The way how she
is dressed is marvellous, she is very strong and independent women who know
what she want but in other hand she seems as she trying to reach what is
unreachable. Her costumes seem to be made just for her, even when she is naked
she is wearing her crown what is significant for her power, same as her dresses
as in one scene she has gold dress which made her invaluable and priceless.
The scene where the Queen is naked just with her black crown on it refers
to the words of the song “… I was looking for the breath of the life…” and also
make a connotation to the black and white as she’s diving in some kind of white
cream. Also, the words from the song “…And I started to hear it again, but this
time it wasn't the end…” refers to the Queen as she has change in some sort of
demon who’s falling down and melting in black flame. This concept refers to the
audience giving them objective view.
In one of the scene in video we have seen as Queen grabs the poor girl
from a village and take her soul out in order to possess the youth which she is
so desperately looking for. Moreover, the song refers to this scene as the
Florence is singing that: “…But all the choirs in my head sang, no oh oh oh…”,
as the Queen was refusing to change and become a good character. This scene has
been presented by using the zoom in and long shot what shows the audience how
she has done her crime and let the girl fall as she was just a thing for her.
This could be associated with the male qualities as normal, mortal woman would
not be able to rich a young, adult girl and lift her up as she was a feather.
This gives a very violent aspect to her character and shows her black side.
Furthermore, this gives the audience negative attitudes of this character and
also might let them think about position which she gain my killing the king.
This makes a contrast between a Queen as we all associate and her, as everyone
always thought that the Queen needs to be good and respectable by standing next
to her husband, the King. Charlize Theron breaks these conventions and presents
her character as violent, powerful and unbreakable person. It is also an
unusual viewing experience for the audience as they aren’t as used to seeing
women as opposed to a man act in a violent way.
The audience for this specific movie and song has been describing by use
of genre. Basically, the movie is an old, child story which every little girl
knows however, as it had been changed and made more violent and aggressive the
movie has been restricted for over 16, and same as a song the audience age group
is more likely to be from teenagers to young adults and over. The symphony and
chords are not usual to be listen by young people, but as the movie bring
people’s attention and attract the young audience the song has become rare and
unusual.
The ideology of this music video was to promote the movie but also to
present the song as it is, what’s mean that there was a need to show the scenes
from a movie as the song is basically made for it and about it.
Moreover, this music video is unconventional as its doesn’t presents the
male gaze which has been established by theorist Laura Mulvey (1975) her
concept regard the way how females performance is directly linked to the way
how male are seeing them, for example: being sexual as the Queen or present themselves
in costumes which might bring them attention and make them want to watch it,
even more than women would want.
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