analysis of coldplay 'magic'
The music video for 'magic' shows two men competing for a woman, a theme that can be easily generalised, and applied to an audience's individual life. The black and white element of the video creates the idea that the charaters are stuck in dull and diluted lives, from which they cannot escape. Strauss' theory can be applied to the music video, as there is a clear portrayal of the conflict that arises when two men go head-to-head to win a woman's heart, and the narrative is driven entirely by this. The heterosexual relationships portrayed are present to target a wider audience, as this still appears to be the dominant sexual orientation, and also applies to many romantic films where the woman is saved from a terrible relationship by her 'prince Charming', this appears to be more 'acceptable' than showing a homosexual relationship, where there may be disputes.
The music video features three magicians as the characters in a love triangle, the introduction of the the magic element not only relates to the song title, and the lyrics, but also the video therefore the audience will experience the song in all of its elements. The idea of magic also presents the idea that falling in love can be 'magic' or a curse, as love is portrayed in a positive and negative light. The relationship between the woman, and the man with an eyepiece is shown to be destrusctive and negative, however the relationship between the woman and the magician played by Chris Martin is seen to be delicate, cherished, and pure, showing that falling in love can be ambiguous, as though there isn't a definite way to feel when experiencing love, this can be beneficial to target a wider audience, and provide an escape from reality for audiences, as this may influence them to follow their hearts, and reconsider their relationship choices. The music viddeo was produced to create more attention to the song, as well as the artist, the video could be considered almost a short story, as there is a clear narrative shown, which is driven by the conflict between the two men.
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