That movie is amazing! HAL is such a creepy antagonist even though he's just a computer. I can't believe Jacks waited so long before watching it! It's definitely a must see :)
Since it was my videos that people commented on saying you should vlog, I'm gonna take a big chunk of credit for your future PMS and will look forward to it every month. Not my PMS, only yours. Good job being pretentious about art and stuff too. (Sense my good natured tone please!) x
I haven't made it past 20 seconds yet, because it's pronounced 'Nu-Cle-Ar' and we're going to have to have lessons. The rest of the video best make me forget this.
It didn't make me forget it. After we've watched the Sia video and had a lengthy chat and/or cuddle over the crying, we'll discuss Nuclear War. Not the details OF nuclear war, or its ramifications - just that it's not pronounced New-cue-lar, and that you aren't George Bush. Actually, here ends the lesson. Let's go watch Sia.
Just watched the Elastic Heart video now, my first reaction was that Maddie is representing some sort of internal demon or addiction that Shia is fighting with rather than any sort of literal relationship
I quite like looking at it as them being father and daughter, and that the father is dealing with something like alcoholism or mental illness or something like that, and that, to start off with, Sia/Maddie doesn't get on with him, but eventually tries to help him. He can't get out of what ever he's dealing with so she gives up
I love how your videos are always original. Some RUclipsrs do nothing but Q&A's and Tags and there's nothing wrong with that, but it's nice to see something different. Great video Jack
also my view ( which may or may not me correct ) is both the character are the same person but two sides of them. I did a bit of research and found out that the reason Sia is never seen in her videos/ uses the wig in interviews/ not many people know what she looks like ( compared to other large artists) is due to the fact that she has an anxiety disorder I believe that in the video the man trapped in cage represents what her anxiety does to her on the other hand the girl dancing is portraying her childhood in which she was free of worry and stress/ or what she wishes she could be like. Throughout the beginning of the video it seems that the child Is tormenting the man with the fact that she's free and not restrained in the cage. Ultimately the man wants to escape and be free with the child.But the child is making fun ( I can't think of a better phrase :/) of the man for being trapped in the cage. However towards the end of the video we see the child trying to help the man escape and I'm not sure quite how this fits in with my interpretation so if anyone is
For me it was the end of the music video that actually made me feel...things. When the girl is leading him out and the fact that he can't leave. Her reaction really stuck with me, it was 2 am when I watched it so that may be linked in some ways as I'm not normally moved by music videos and only two others have stuck with me in the same way. So far I've watched it 5 times.
The more I watch Elastic Heart, the more ideas pop in my head. I still haven't figured it out completely, but for now, I see it as a story about struggling with some sort of mental illness. I understand where you're going with the father/daughter thing and I think it could be a combination of these two, Shia being the one (maybe the father) with the illness and Maddie trying to help him (which would fit with your theory at that part when she makes him pull funny faces, possibly reminding him of what he used to be like when she was younger, something like that) despite the fact that he can sometimes be aggressive and fight with her, just like at the beginning of the video. And about those comments like "he could obviously fit through that cage, duh", well, I think that has a meaning as well (maybe I've just gone a bit too far). It could represent the ignorant comments people with mental illness get, like "why don't you just TRY and be happy?" and "some people have it worse than you". In other words, just because someone thinks a certain problem is very easy to solve doesn't mean it's easy for the person who's actually struggling. The way Maddie pulls Shia at the end looks like that to me. Anyway, as I've said, I still haven't put it all together, but this is my interpretation so far. Maybe we all just see what we want to see. P.S. I absolutely love the amount of different opinions here and the fact that people don't fight just because they have different interpretations. You've started a very good thing here, Jack.
I've watched elastic hearts a few times now and I think Maddie represents some kind of destructive part of Shia. It reminded me of something my drama teacher told me when we were doing a project on bullying. When a pack of wild dogs decides to drop one of the members, the individual will die in about a week. Not because they can't survive on their own, but because they get depressed and refuse to eat. In a way they self destruct. I think human do a similar thing. We all have this part of ourself that hates us or maybe even wants us dead (extreme cases). The hard thing about it is that it disquises as something innocent, something you wouldn't want to fight or hurt, for example a little girl. To me the lyrics also seem to be about some eternal struggle and about not knowing whether you should keep fighting or not. That's just my thoughts
I watched Sia's videoclip yesterday and it made me cry too. Saw many comments beforehand relating it with paedophilia or saying it was chauvinist with him being clearly stronger than her. So simplistic... Loved how the video is beautiful and painful at the same time, and actually realised that the girl, Maddie Ziegler, is the strongest all the time. He's scared. Great video. Anyway, looking forward to following your pms project, I followed sammy's and enjoyed a lot.
My interpretation of Elastic Heart is it represents two metaphoric personalities trying to escape the mind (the cage) as if it was representing something more serious, such as Schizophrenia, because the two dancers are wearing skin coloured clothing, almost showing like they're naked, showing their vulnerability to each other and also they're dependency on each other to stay inside mind and not leave one another behind. It's a difficult one because there's so many interpretations which fit it perfectly.
I've just watched the video and I see what you mean about it being a father and a child. I see it as the father being ill and the child not understanding the illness and so in turn takes her frustration/anger/hurt out on him. The cage represents the illness which is why the child can escape but the father cannot, no matter how much she wills him to escape.
I was watching Elastic Heart earlier and I totally agree! It's honestly one of my favourite music videos of all time. I rarely find a video that I can click repeat on over and over and interpret something different each time so I was completely blown away by it. I look forward to PMS!
Side Note: The Composer for the Space Odyssy soundtrack is a guy called György Ligeti, if you have an open mind/open ear, I'd thoroughly recommend listening to some of his stuff
Jack Howard is intelligent, hard-working, hilarious, witty, self-aware, open-minded and opinionated in all the right ways. Very rarely compelled to comment on youtube videos but find a plethora of clever comments and a stream of funny, intellectual commentary in all of Jack's videos that often has me doing just that! He seems to be a talented, top chap! (Also, Lee who's basic)!!
My interpretation of the elastic hearts video was that it was a fight against mental illness, Maddie was the illness and Shia was try to fight the illness and the cage represented that when you have a mental illness it feels like your trapped trying to fight it off.
I think the Sia video is about a guy that needs something extreme for him to change his sedentary life style. He doesn't really understand where his life is going and it takes a zombie apocalypse to chan...hang on I am thinking of Shaun of the Dead
THANK YOU, f*cking THANK YOU! This video title made me instantly think about Sia and when you brought it up it made me cry. I can't remember the last time any popstar has shared anything so touching and personal in a such vulnerable manner. The viewer is hurting but can't look away, breathtaking!
What I get from the Elastic Heart video clip is a father trying to cope with watching his child go through depression and the way that it twists people. The father is trying to pull faces at the daughter to help her be happy, and all the daughter can do is mimic her father. She shuts him out by leaving him in the cage at one point, and towards the end it appears that the daughter wants the father to follow her, she doesn't want to leave him but he just can't break out of the cage, he's stuck but shes already broken free. Ahh, thats what I get from it and it breaks my heart, being someone who's been through that. You're an amazing person Jack Howard, thankyou for exsisting!
Bless you for talking about Elastic Heart. That video was incredible on so many levels. As a dancer and choreographer I'm used to viewing pieces that are very vague and allow for that kind of personal interpretation and my favorite pieces are always the ones where I can't pinpoint the moment it began affecting me or even what it was about it that I connected with but by the end I'm a crying mess. Loved hearing your interpretation of it and thoughts in general. It was actually your reblogging of the video on tumblr that lead me to the video in the first place so thanks for that :)
I thought the elastic heart video could have been about the effects of mental illness on a family. The fact that they were caged and the way they interacted, so wary and scared yet trying to understand each other. She then is able to get distance when she gets out the first time, but sees her father is still stuck, and feels she cannot leave him behind. So at the end she tries to lead him out and desperately tries to help him but he is ultimately trapped by the illness. I'm usually really bad at making interpretations though, I don't really understand a lot of symbolism, which frustrates me because I would love to. I think I saw what i did in the video because I studied social welfare/work and psychology at uni. The video is brilliant because it could mean so many things to so many different people.
Sia wrote on twitter that it has nothing to do with her father, so maybe it's about the two conflicting sides of her personality, Maddie being the passionate side, and Shia being the more unsure, clingy side, trying to coexist together? I think it's awesome that everyone is getting all these different interpretations!
I love the Elastic heart video because it so unique and allows people to have their own view of it. The first time I saw it, I saw it as Shia LaBeouf as the past and Maddie as the future/present trying to escape and trapped in the pasts mistakes.
If you loved 2001 you should definitely watch Moon, it contains a lot of the same themes (AI, value of the individual, perils of technology) and addresses some of the same questions, but rather than looking at all of humanity it focuses on an individual, and so presents them in a completely different light. Also every performance is cracking and it made me cry, so heartily reccomended
I cried while watching Elastic Heart as well. I saw it as just two different people who are willing to save each other from their struggles. There's something realistic and relatable with the video! Its stunning
I'm so glad to hear someone talk about the Sia video. I've watched it SO many times, and I can't stop watching it. It gives me more of an emotional reaction than the chandelier video, I think it's amazing.
I saw 2001: A Space Odyssey 20 years ago, I was 4 it was late I was up alone sitting glued to my screen in complete awe of that film and I've never really forgotten it. The thing is I never actually caught the name of it, but now thanks to I figured it out and I'm so excited to go back and watch it with an adult perspective!
to me, the video embodies each and every struggle that humanity is facing right now..might be a bit influenced by all the horrifying events lately but I see the cage as something we inflicted on our society (since it's sort of artificial), the man as the force that's within us and can be overpowering and the girl as the free spirit that still lies in every mind, representing the hope that we will surpass the point of being caged and being a slave of conventions one day.. judging from the end of the video though, we might never make it out of that cage.. Or again, I might just be disillusioned by recent events..
I totally understand how you cried at the video, the end got to me the most as the girl's desparation to get her father out of the cage is really powerful and then she has to give up and let go
I just so love that the "dance" the two perform in 'Elastic Heart' makes them so relatable to animals and their behaviour and that it reminds me that this is where we actually come from, we all got it inside of us. (Wow. Way too pretentious for almost midnight, but whoohey. Art.) I also just raelly like the song. Sia is great.
Finally!!! Someone who "understand" Sia's new music video or at least try to understand it! My news feed has been flowing with hate comments on the video which I personally find mind blowing. Like you said it's about struggle. You can so easily relates to what she sings, breakup, friend betrayal, work problems, familial problems, just anything!
Aw, as an art history student loving to interpret and analyse EVERYTHING this made me very happy. I mean the symbolism in that Sia video is so powerful, down to every last movement and detail. Also, I think that the fear we all seem to have of being pretentious is kinda unfortunate, because it's blocking so many people from actually thinking about - and hence fully enjoying - the things they see. Hope to see more pretentiousness from you, Jack!
I absolutely love Sia's videos. I also really like that Electric Heart is a story continuation from Chandelier. I definitely got a paternal sense from Shia- he seemed to be a calm, sensible, parent figure struggling to see eye to eye with his wild and reckless daughter. (And when she finally understands that he has only been trying to help- it is too late) I don't know why people are getting mixed tones about this though- all of Shia's interactions with Maddie are so clearly full of tenderness and love. (While hers are actually more aggressive.) Sia did tweet that the video was actually about her two self-states going to war. Calm/rational Sia vs troubled/reckless Sia. I absolutely love how it is so open to interpretation though. Very cool piece.
Pretentiously, yet proudly, I'd say 2001 is one of the most important films in cinema. You can see glimpses of literally every sci-fi film in 2001 - a film way ahead of its time. I don't usually see eye to eye with the opinions of film critics, but Roger Ebert's article on 2001 is definitely worth a read. The best thing about 2001 for me is how it's ambiguity leads to such an open field for interpretation. Kubrick was a master of the ART.
Yeah, exactly! i personally love ART (art itself, music, films, poetry...) that doesn't explain anything and lets you THINK. i love it when brain works :)
I would say being able to form your own opinion of Art is much more satisfying than a definitive answer whether it be in a movie or a painting. Personally I find listening to other people's opinion much more enjoyable. Also, there is definitely something about that Elastic Heart video, I have watched in the dark with my headphones and still manage to find a different interpretation or feeling from it by the end.
I watched a more than a few videos before clicking subscribe, and this video did it for me. Sia's Elastic Heart music video is an understated and usually not understood piece of art. The combination of dancing, acting and music- what passionate and beautiful people- how does one not shed a tear when watching that?
This monthly vlog thing sounds so good! Not going to lie I started watching Louise a lot more when Jack was vlogging and now I just watch all her vlogs religiously, very excited to see it!
Now, I can give a more intelligent response to Jack's video after watching it. I watched Sia's new video as well, and I agree with Jack's interpetation of a father and a daughter. I enjoy watching modern dancers, so I see nothing sexual about the movement of the Shia and Maddie. Like Jack said, it's demonstrating the complexity of a father-daughter relationship, and how the father has his own personal demons that cage him, which limits how close he can get with daughter. And it shows the daughter trying to be there for him, but sometimes it can be too much and she has to leave his cage in order to for her to remain sane. The video itself is super artsy and deep, and I love it.
When I watched Elastic heart, I pretty much felt the exact same as you. I think you're right about it being a father and daughters relationship, that is sometimes good and sometimes they were distant. But reading about Sia's life, I think it showed her dad's multi personality disorder as he kept on changing from soft to angry. And obviously Maddie represented a young Sia who could never fully trust her dad. I don't know if thats right, but I would like to believe it is!! :)
There was a certain point in the video Elastic Heart, I don't know which, but I just started crying. There I was with all of these emotions and seeing the dad trapped, while the daughter tried to help. And it was just such a beautiful video.
So happy you made this video Jack! I consider myself an unrefined and ignorant peasant but even I can recognise the brilliance and creativity of Sia's video. It gave me chills and I felt like it was a privilege to watch it. Brilliant to see somebody put themselves out there and take risks like Sia does
I see the elastic heart video as a father, daughter relationship too; the father has an addiction, for example drugs or alcohol (represented by the cage), and it is affecting the relationship between him and his daughter. She feels trapped with him as she still loves him and wants him in her life but hates him for the addiction he has. There are constant fights between them about it, her angry and him sad and frustrated portrayed via their facial emotions throughout the video. He escapes through the addiction (climbing the cage) and she escapes by leaving the situation entirely (exiting the cage). They'll always come back to each other but he'll never truly be free as he physically cannot escape; the cage/addiction will always be intertwined with his life. I love the end shot because she is trying to free him from the cage whilst relying on him to stand up, therefore making it impossible for him to actually leave. He desperately wants to get out of it but he can't, crying in frustration and sadness. The bars pf addiction will always be between them.
This isn't going to be one of your best explained comments/compliments so far - lets give it a go. Whenever I try and explain why I like your videos, I just seem to put my hands out, do a weird facial expression, and look lost for words. I feel like you understand society a lot, you get it and you are willing to make it and shape this into a dry, funny short five minutes. I like that. With Elastic Heart I interpreted it as a survival of the fittest, while we are constantly competing in life and against other people we turn on one another how Maddie does. By the end, human nature takes over, Maddie is now helping but inevitably inequality is still there, representing there will always be someone who is 'stronger' or 'better' which is just apart of life. I then watched your video, went back to watch Elastic Heart and cried because the father-daughter relationship is beautiful. Promise I didn't just write the start of an essay.
I can see why you liked that music video Jack, the ending made me tear up because, well I suppose in some ways I can relate to it, feeling a bit torn or struggling with your family, maybe that's why it has been watched so many times, because Sia has an amazing talent for connecting with people and understanding it is our human nature for our heart to want to snap back to how things were. That is one thing I love about good art. It's ability to make you want to look at it over and over and wonder why you like it so much.
art is risk. the sia video was just so powerful and moving. people are going to perceive things in their own way, there will always be people who can't understand profound topics and will say things reflecting that. anyway, i'm excited for pms, jack! (i honestly never thought i would say/type that sentence)
I'm an art student, studying in London (I know pretentious) & funnily enough I'm doing a project about Stanley Kubrick at university right now (the director of 2001: a space odyssey) where we have his achieve. Since the beginning of Jan I've binge watched many of his movies (hadn't seen the shining, clockwork orange, eyes wide shut...) and I have to admit these movies are AMAZING !!! Not just because of the crazy cinematography, attention detail and plot but also the way that in nearly all of his films I've watched there are SO MANY different interpretations - at the end of the shining I researched literally ALL the proposed explanations & watched the documentary on how it was shot to try & further understand how Kubrick meant the story to end, but since then I've realised that the work is open to interpretation TO YOU!!! Everyone I've discussed this with has different ideas of what happens & why. These films allow you to continue to fantasise & imagine after the end. These films are brilliant & I advise anyone (with interests in any thing) to at least watch one of his movies if you haven't already & keep an open mind ;D
Elastic Heart is about sia's personal relationship with her father. she stated that her father had 2 different personalities one i which was more of the fun guy the one she genuinely loved and the other was the more scary personality in which her father would become aggressive and so in this video its basically an interpretation of her relationship with her father
My first impression of the Electric Heart video is that it is about mental illness and making peace with yourself and with the fact that you won't ever be "normal". I see Maddie as the young version of Shia who still has moments of being "normal" and can get through the cage of the illness. I feel like I would see a new interpretation every time I watch it though, there's just so much to take in. It's brilliant.
The music video (only just watched now) to me its about death. At first she's angry and fighting then at the end she's trying to get him back, even though he's gone, the harder she trys to get him back the more he slips away.
I saw the Elastic Heart video as some kind of battle between childhood and adulthood. It was almost as if his childhood was tormenting or torturing him to bring him back to some form of innocence that he's perhaps lost over the years, and the cage represented that barrier between adolescence and responsibility. Then at the end when he can clearly get out, he realises that in order to move on in his life he has to leave behind his past memories of youth and being wild and free and stay within the cage of adulthood.
You're so right Jack, reading all the interpretations of Elastic Heart is sooooo interesting. To me it represents her struggles with escaping her 'inner demons'. Such a nice video and amazing choreography + execution by Maddie. :)
I recently saw the music video for Another Love from Tom Odell and I thought the lighting was amazing and it's a really moving video. I also saw The Great Gatsby today and I was blown away by the beauty of the colours and shots!
Loved that you talked about elastic heart and I understand and agree with what you thought but sia confirmed both characters were her and now I'm even more confused but I think it was her battle with an addiction or with her love for someone else but I'm not really sure
This is so sonodd. Me snd my buddy sarah were talking about the sia video probably about 2 hours ago. We were both saying how sia is an artist, and she creates video art with her narration as her songs. The video is just wow, and I love when you find someone on the same wavelength as you. Also looking forward to your monthly vlogs xx
from what i have heard and my own interpretations, the sia song was about her and her dads struggle through mental illness. The cage that they are both in signifies their minds and sia was able to get out at the end however much she tried her dad was still stuck in the cage
i did find elastic heart uncomfortable at first but than i decided to reasearch what it was about when i found out it was about a struggle between a daughter and dad i re-whatched it a couple of times and it teally hit a part of me. it was amazing when you know the meaning
Jack, you raised some good points in this video. But I think it's kind of hypocritical for you to talk about how you're less definitive and more open to people's opinions when it comes to art, and then call anyone who thinks the elastic heart music video is about pedophilia an idiot. The music video is vague enough that a love story can be drawn from it. In fact, I think that the intention of the music video was to create controversy by putting romantic and sexual connotations in there. But like the 2001 film you mentioned, it doesn't necessarily matter what Elastic Heart was really about. I don't believe that the music video was about pedophilia, but I do think that they deliberately made it sexual in order to get people talking. So if people see it and think that it's about pedophilia, it's probably because they're picking up on the connotations, not because they're not smart enough to "think deeper" about what it really means.
JackHoward Yeah I think their anger about the sexualization sort of prevents them from seeing that the music video is well put together. For what it's worth, the first time I saw the video, I thought it was very well done. (I didn't cry though.)
JackHoward but honestly, dismissing art is just as valid as a response as anything else, and it doesn't mean one is right or one is wrong. that's the great thing about art, everyone approaches a piece from a different place and everyone comes away with a different meaning. think of a film you don't take very seriously. someone might make the same argument that you're "missing the point"
I agree with the point you're making but I think saying it's about a pedophile is a harsh suggestion, I would be offended if I created something personal to me and it was dismissed as being something disgusting or promoting a vile thing such as pedophilia, also I think all of the backlash will have a negative impact on the young girl who was in the video. I completely agree on free interpretation but I dont think all of the hype is really necessary
I'm so happy you made this video. I watched Sia's music video for the first time today and I've been obsessed. It is the first piece of work that I've connected with for a while. I feel re inspired.
My first impression of the video was that the relationship was between a father and daughter who had had an occurrence in their life that broke them and split them apart. When being put together in a close space they didn't know how or if to trust eachother. After a while memories would come back and they realised there's no point in holding on to the past
For a scholarship english essay I chose, from a selection of statements, to write about the given question: "Should literature leave us with questions or fully satisfied?" and argued that the best literature provides artistic questions that can not be answered in the media posing them and that, essentially, an audience can't truly receive satisfying closure to a question if it isn't asked of them to answer it for themselves. Even films or novels that, on the surface, tie off and answer questions concerning the plot, the best films/novels leave the audience with questions that extend beyond the story - as a more recent example I discussed Gone Girl and talked about the idea of keeping up appearances to maintain that ideal "vision" that society shapes and sculpts, and whether it's us that determines what society demands of us or if it is the expectations imposed by the people before us that ensure society asks what it does of us, and above all: "Why?" It's not pretentious to discuss literature as art, it's important to ask more and more questions as the arise because otherwise they won't ever be answered.
Literally my exact reaction to the Sia video. Thought it was absolutely incredible. I think I've watched it about 20 times now. Still cry when I watch it :/
I cried as well when I watched it, the guy I was watching it with *who showed me it* Thought it was hilarious. Suppose, you have to forgive people, it's modern art in a music video. The majority of the music industry/mtv is overly sexualized. When sexualisation is thrown down our throats people can't help but see it in everything, including this unfortunately.
I'm definitely with you on this, compare something like an Anaconda video to Sia's videos (that's not even comparable in the slightest but anyway) and I think we can all agree that one is rather disturbing for our society whilst we can actually learn from the other one :)
isagination YES, exactly! You hit the nail on the head. It really does speak volumes and volumes about us as a society...! Like why must their be sexualisation in everything, it's sad really There needs to be more of this out there! And more 'RUclipsrs' like Jack Howard
i saw it as a metaphor for love, that she is love and shia is trying to keep hold of it despite how badly it treats him and the cage is there so that he cannot escape but love can always come and go as it pleases, by the end he is so tired from fighting with it and trying to get away from it and trying to hold on to it that he just gives up and accepts the love that he is given
Very excited to see the PMS videos! And I really like your interpretation of Sia's music video. I didn't really know what my view on it was but yours really opened my eyes :D
everything is art if you want it to be. also got an idea for the pms thing, but got to up my skills quite a lot in order to do it, so see ya in 6 months.
Goddamn I love your more thoughtful videos where you talk about pretentious shit and give opinions and are still somehow really funny throughout. I really thought that the Elastic Heart video was about an internal struggle with (wait for it, ultimate cliched interpretation coming up here) an inner child or sense of innocence that just sort of is more free than the man in the video, and is eventually the thing that ends up showing the man the way out of his feeling of claustrophobia and being trapped, even if he ultimately doesn't succeed in escaping. Excited for PMS and for more pretentious videos about film and stuff.
When Sia commented on Elastic Heart, I think she mentioned something about Maddie and Shia representing two parts of herself. So like her carefree, young, naive heart (Maddie) and her matured, wise, and reserved (from being hurt) mind tussle with each other at times. To me, she learns to let her guard down and free her heart.
your interpretation was fantastic and a definite inspiration for my own. without needing to read into context considering my knowledge of sia, i could tell it was a "battle" so to speak but your views put a whole new twist which really struck me personally. thank you, j-how.
I interpret Elastic Heart as a representation of the good and the bad inside everyone. There is always a battle between the two and we instinctually hold on to the bad aspects of life, but ultimately, to escape from "suffering" (shown by the cage), you have to let go of the negative, and focus on the positive. However, this is hard as humans tend to view 1 bad experience as greater than 100s of good experiences.
When I watched Elastic Heart I interpreted it as a continutaion of the Chandalier video. I see a girl with mental illness and her father is trying to get into her "world." At the end she tries to help him come with her but he can't. I cried when I watched this too because my interpretation hits too close to home. It is truly a beautiful video though and I love reading other people's interpretations.
I have watched it so many times and also can't pinpoint exactly what it is about it but I know I really love it. I will admit when I first watched it I was a bit taken aback but now I just find it so intriguing. And also the lighting is really beautiful.
I actually saw 2001: a space odissey about a month ago to! My father made me watch it, bc i said interstellar was good, and he went like "daughter, you know nothing about scifi if you haven't seen 2001: a space odissey" so we watched it together, and it kind blew my mind, i'm still not over how good it was :D
With elastic heart I didn't really get the beginning I was trying so hard to pick a meaning for it, then I agreed with your opinion: father- daughter, and I concluded that the beginning was kind of showing their relationship in a way that they were reacquainting after a fall out and not knowing how to start again. The end was what got me, because the girl tries so hard to help but doesn't know how to and she can't figure out if the dad even wants her to. That's what hit home for me I guess.
Right up until the end I saw it as a battle between good and evil, no matter how much they fight they still need each other. (symbolised by the light and dark of the hair, the only colours that really stand out overall) but when she came back into the cage and tried to pull him out with her, definitely saw it as a father and daughter relationship... Not gonna lie, I cried.
elastic heart made me feel sad and i think that's because i perceived the video as a metaphor for mental illness or simply just the struggle we have with ourselves. i saw both the little girl and the guy as the same person. extremely intriguing music video.
Hi jack. My first interpretation of Elastic Heart was the same as yours, and like you it gets me, and I'm not too sure why. I don't even like dance but watching Maddi makes me want to learn! I've heard people saying its a metaphor for addiction too, which works, and also a father with a personality disorder, but I'm not too sure on that one. Anyway, good luck with your project and I hope your year goes even better than last year (which was a pretty triumphant year for you anyway!)
The burp probably was a direct quote to be honest
Hiiiii Dodie ilysm
That's fair.
Hellllllllo u my bæ
john smith Yes. Yes we do.
john smith because the perfect equality isn't reached yet ?
What goes best with wine?
Another wine, obviously.
Indubitably.
Yes, quite.
Balls deep!
Balls deep, my friend, balls deep!
Aisling O'Brien why i read this in Dean's accent in gbsp2013 video i don't know but then i found it hilarious :D
1 - Very glad I introduced you to 2001: A Space Odyssey.
2 - I look forward to seeing what PMS becomes in your hands.
That movie is amazing! HAL is such a creepy antagonist even though he's just a computer. I can't believe Jacks waited so long before watching it! It's definitely a must see :)
Are basically in charge of Jack's input now?
+ICOEPRproductions ARE YOU RACIST!
Since it was my videos that people commented on saying you should vlog, I'm gonna take a big chunk of credit for your future PMS and will look forward to it every month. Not my PMS, only yours.
Good job being pretentious about art and stuff too.
(Sense my good natured tone please!) x
PS- Wrote this from my Glitter account. You're welcome. x
I sense the tone louise!! Love you xx
of course you will take the credit, knew you would figure out a way
you lovely girl.
You two are my favorite friendship tbh
I really wish you'd made a reaction video to Elastic Heart now.
Jack just sits there staring at the screen, his head leaning on one hand, occasionally blinking. Riveting.
everytime I watch elastic heart, I see something I didn't see before or start to interpret it differently. It's seriously so beautiful.
I'm with you there, Emma
I haven't made it past 20 seconds yet, because it's pronounced 'Nu-Cle-Ar' and we're going to have to have lessons. The rest of the video best make me forget this.
It didn't make me forget it. After we've watched the Sia video and had a lengthy chat and/or cuddle over the crying, we'll discuss Nuclear War. Not the details OF nuclear war, or its ramifications - just that it's not pronounced New-cue-lar, and that you aren't George Bush. Actually, here ends the lesson. Let's go watch Sia.
Just watched the Elastic Heart video now, my first reaction was that Maddie is representing some sort of internal demon or addiction that Shia is fighting with rather than any sort of literal relationship
or the cage is a symbol of a struggle or addiction and she is an image of his mind trying to fight his way out
Hollie Watson great stuff, I love all of these
I quite like looking at it as them being father and daughter, and that the father is dealing with something like alcoholism or mental illness or something like that, and that, to start off with, Sia/Maddie doesn't get on with him, but eventually tries to help him. He can't get out of what ever he's dealing with so she gives up
i saw it as the opposite! shia is the addiction maddie is fighting.
***** Nah I definitely see Shia as being the addicted one. Anyway, addiction definitely came to my mind when watching it as well.
You've actually made women and men excited for PMS, well played Jack.
I love how your videos are always original. Some RUclipsrs do nothing but Q&A's and Tags and there's nothing wrong with that, but it's nice to see something different. Great video Jack
your viewers are so well education with amazing opinions and views, this is the most intelligent comment section wow
also my view ( which may or may not me correct ) is both the character are the same person but two sides of them. I did a bit of research and found out that the reason Sia is never seen in her videos/ uses the wig in interviews/ not many people know what she looks like ( compared to other large artists) is due to the fact that she has an anxiety disorder
I believe that in the video the man trapped in cage represents what her anxiety does to her on the other hand the girl dancing is portraying her childhood in which she was free of worry and stress/ or what she wishes she could be like.
Throughout the beginning of the video it seems that the child Is tormenting the man with the fact that she's free and not restrained in the cage. Ultimately the man wants to escape and be free with the child.But the child is making fun ( I can't think of a better phrase :/) of the man for being trapped in the cage.
However towards the end of the video we see the child trying to help the man escape and I'm not sure quite how this fits in with my interpretation so if anyone is
kind enough to reply to this with your views it would be greatly appreciated
I just read your interpretation. So well thought out and constructed, I really enjoy that point of view.
thank you so much Jack
Amy that was long and serious af
Take a shot every time jack says the word "pretentious"
For me it was the end of the music video that actually made me feel...things. When the girl is leading him out and the fact that he can't leave. Her reaction really stuck with me, it was 2 am when I watched it so that may be linked in some ways as I'm not normally moved by music videos and only two others have stuck with me in the same way. So far I've watched it 5 times.
The more I watch Elastic Heart, the more ideas pop in my head. I still haven't figured it out completely, but for now, I see it as a story about struggling with some sort of mental illness. I understand where you're going with the father/daughter thing and I think it could be a combination of these two, Shia being the one (maybe the father) with the illness and Maddie trying to help him (which would fit with your theory at that part when she makes him pull funny faces, possibly reminding him of what he used to be like when she was younger, something like that) despite the fact that he can sometimes be aggressive and fight with her, just like at the beginning of the video. And about those comments like "he could obviously fit through that cage, duh", well, I think that has a meaning as well (maybe I've just gone a bit too far). It could represent the ignorant comments people with mental illness get, like "why don't you just TRY and be happy?" and "some people have it worse than you". In other words, just because someone thinks a certain problem is very easy to solve doesn't mean it's easy for the person who's actually struggling. The way Maddie pulls Shia at the end looks like that to me. Anyway, as I've said, I still haven't put it all together, but this is my interpretation so far. Maybe we all just see what we want to see.
P.S. I absolutely love the amount of different opinions here and the fact that people don't fight just because they have different interpretations. You've started a very good thing here, Jack.
I've watched elastic hearts a few times now and I think Maddie represents some kind of destructive part of Shia. It reminded me of something my drama teacher told me when we were doing a project on bullying. When a pack of wild dogs decides to drop one of the members, the individual will die in about a week. Not because they can't survive on their own, but because they get depressed and refuse to eat. In a way they self destruct. I think human do a similar thing. We all have this part of ourself that hates us or maybe even wants us dead (extreme cases). The hard thing about it is that it disquises as something innocent, something you wouldn't want to fight or hurt, for example a little girl. To me the lyrics also seem to be about some eternal struggle and about not knowing whether you should keep fighting or not. That's just my thoughts
I watched Sia's videoclip yesterday and it made me cry too. Saw many comments beforehand relating it with paedophilia or saying it was chauvinist with him being clearly stronger than her. So simplistic... Loved how the video is beautiful and painful at the same time, and actually realised that the girl, Maddie Ziegler, is the strongest all the time. He's scared. Great video.
Anyway, looking forward to following your pms project, I followed sammy's and enjoyed a lot.
Thnx bbz
My interpretation of Elastic Heart is it represents two metaphoric personalities trying to escape the mind (the cage) as if it was representing something more serious, such as Schizophrenia, because the two dancers are wearing skin coloured clothing, almost showing like they're naked, showing their vulnerability to each other and also they're dependency on each other to stay inside mind and not leave one another behind. It's a difficult one because there's so many interpretations which fit it perfectly.
I've just watched the video and I see what you mean about it being a father and a child. I see it as the father being ill and the child not understanding the illness and so in turn takes her frustration/anger/hurt out on him. The cage represents the illness which is why the child can escape but the father cannot, no matter how much she wills him to escape.
I was watching Elastic Heart earlier and I totally agree! It's honestly one of my favourite music videos of all time. I rarely find a video that I can click repeat on over and over and interpret something different each time so I was completely blown away by it. I look forward to PMS!
Side Note: The Composer for the Space Odyssy soundtrack is a guy called György Ligeti, if you have an open mind/open ear, I'd thoroughly recommend listening to some of his stuff
Jack Howard is intelligent, hard-working, hilarious, witty, self-aware, open-minded and opinionated in all the right ways. Very rarely compelled to comment on youtube videos but find a plethora of clever comments and a stream of funny, intellectual commentary in all of Jack's videos that often has me doing just that! He seems to be a talented, top chap! (Also, Lee who's basic)!!
My interpretation of the elastic hearts video was that it was a fight against mental illness, Maddie was the illness and Shia was try to fight the illness and the cage represented that when you have a mental illness it feels like your trapped trying to fight it off.
I think the Sia video is about a guy that needs something extreme for him to change his sedentary life style. He doesn't really understand where his life is going and it takes a zombie apocalypse to chan...hang on I am thinking of Shaun of the Dead
scott pls
PMS= Parody Music Sketch on Jacksfilms hahah
Looking forward to Potentially Monthly Scrapbook tho
It is a new year in the future, and yeas we sort of have hover boards...
I do agree that the video represents the struggles that father and daughter go through in their relationship and it is so beautiful
THANK YOU, f*cking THANK YOU! This video title made me instantly think about Sia and when you brought it up it made me cry. I can't remember the last time any popstar has shared anything so touching and personal in a such vulnerable manner. The viewer is hurting but can't look away, breathtaking!
What I get from the Elastic Heart video clip is a father trying to cope with watching his child go through depression and the way that it twists people.
The father is trying to pull faces at the daughter to help her be happy, and all the daughter can do is mimic her father. She shuts him out by leaving him in the cage at one point, and towards the end it appears that the daughter wants the father to follow her, she doesn't want to leave him but he just can't break out of the cage, he's stuck but shes already broken free.
Ahh, thats what I get from it and it breaks my heart, being someone who's been through that.
You're an amazing person Jack Howard, thankyou for exsisting!
Bless you for talking about Elastic Heart. That video was incredible on so many levels. As a dancer and choreographer I'm used to viewing pieces that are very vague and allow for that kind of personal interpretation and my favorite pieces are always the ones where I can't pinpoint the moment it began affecting me or even what it was about it that I connected with but by the end I'm a crying mess. Loved hearing your interpretation of it and thoughts in general. It was actually your reblogging of the video on tumblr that lead me to the video in the first place so thanks for that :)
I thought the elastic heart video could have been about the effects of mental illness on a family. The fact that they were caged and the way they interacted, so wary and scared yet trying to understand each other. She then is able to get distance when she gets out the first time, but sees her father is still stuck, and feels she cannot leave him behind. So at the end she tries to lead him out and desperately tries to help him but he is ultimately trapped by the illness. I'm usually really bad at making interpretations though, I don't really understand a lot of symbolism, which frustrates me because I would love to. I think I saw what i did in the video because I studied social welfare/work and psychology at uni. The video is brilliant because it could mean so many things to so many different people.
Sia wrote on twitter that it has nothing to do with her father, so maybe it's about the two conflicting sides of her personality, Maddie being the passionate side, and Shia being the more unsure, clingy side, trying to coexist together? I think it's awesome that everyone is getting all these different interpretations!
Yes, in the future we have hoverboards to concentrate on. I just choose not to.
Me
I love the Elastic heart video because it so unique and allows people to have their own view of it. The first time I saw it, I saw it as Shia LaBeouf as the past and Maddie as the future/present trying to escape and trapped in the pasts mistakes.
If you loved 2001 you should definitely watch Moon, it contains a lot of the same themes (AI, value of the individual, perils of technology) and addresses some of the same questions, but rather than looking at all of humanity it focuses on an individual, and so presents them in a completely different light. Also every performance is cracking and it made me cry, so heartily reccomended
I cried while watching Elastic Heart as well. I saw it as just two different people who are willing to save each other from their struggles. There's something realistic and relatable with the video! Its stunning
I'm so glad to hear someone talk about the Sia video. I've watched it SO many times, and I can't stop watching it. It gives me more of an emotional reaction than the chandelier video, I think it's amazing.
I saw 2001: A Space Odyssey 20 years ago, I was 4 it was late I was up alone sitting glued to my screen in complete awe of that film and I've never really forgotten it. The thing is I never actually caught the name of it, but now thanks to I figured it out and I'm so excited to go back and watch it with an adult perspective!
Man, I loved the Elastic Heart video. Soooooo much. The moment of silence where he's just collapsing, damn. It was unreal.
to me, the video embodies each and every struggle that humanity is facing right now..might be a bit influenced by all the horrifying events lately but I see the cage as something we inflicted on our society (since it's sort of artificial), the man as the force that's within us and can be overpowering and the girl as the free spirit that still lies in every mind, representing the hope that we will surpass the point of being caged and being a slave of conventions one day..
judging from the end of the video though, we might never make it out of that cage..
Or again, I might just be disillusioned by recent events..
I totally understand how you cried at the video, the end got to me the most as the girl's desparation to get her father out of the cage is really powerful and then she has to give up and let go
I just so love that the "dance" the two perform in 'Elastic Heart' makes them so relatable to animals and their behaviour and that it reminds me that this is where we actually come from, we all got it inside of us.
(Wow. Way too pretentious for almost midnight, but whoohey. Art.)
I also just raelly like the song. Sia is great.
Finally!!! Someone who "understand" Sia's new music video or at least try to understand it! My news feed has been flowing with hate comments on the video which I personally find mind blowing. Like you said it's about struggle. You can so easily relates to what she sings, breakup, friend betrayal, work problems, familial problems, just anything!
Aw, as an art history student loving to interpret and analyse EVERYTHING this made me very happy. I mean the symbolism in that Sia video is so powerful, down to every last movement and detail.
Also, I think that the fear we all seem to have of being pretentious is kinda unfortunate, because it's blocking so many people from actually thinking about - and hence fully enjoying - the things they see.
Hope to see more pretentiousness from you, Jack!
I absolutely love Sia's videos. I also really like that Electric Heart is a story continuation from Chandelier.
I definitely got a paternal sense from Shia- he seemed to be a calm, sensible, parent figure struggling to see eye to eye with his wild and reckless daughter. (And when she finally understands that he has only been trying to help- it is too late) I don't know why people are getting mixed tones about this though- all of Shia's interactions with Maddie are so clearly full of tenderness and love. (While hers are actually more aggressive.)
Sia did tweet that the video was actually about her two self-states going to war. Calm/rational Sia vs troubled/reckless Sia. I absolutely love how it is so open to interpretation though. Very cool piece.
Pretentiously, yet proudly, I'd say 2001 is one of the most important films in cinema. You can see glimpses of literally every sci-fi film in 2001 - a film way ahead of its time. I don't usually see eye to eye with the opinions of film critics, but Roger Ebert's article on 2001 is definitely worth a read. The best thing about 2001 for me is how it's ambiguity leads to such an open field for interpretation. Kubrick was a master of the ART.
Yeah, exactly! i personally love ART (art itself, music, films, poetry...) that doesn't explain anything and lets you THINK. i love it when brain works :)
With the two glasses of wine, make sure you have some really expensive cheese.
I would say being able to form your own opinion of Art is much more satisfying than a definitive answer whether it be in a movie or a painting. Personally I find listening to other people's opinion much more enjoyable. Also, there is definitely something about that Elastic Heart video, I have watched in the dark with my headphones and still manage to find a different interpretation or feeling from it by the end.
I watched a more than a few videos before clicking subscribe, and this video did it for me. Sia's Elastic Heart music video is an understated and usually not understood piece of art. The combination of dancing, acting and music- what passionate and beautiful people- how does one not shed a tear when watching that?
This monthly vlog thing sounds so good! Not going to lie I started watching Louise a lot more when Jack was vlogging and now I just watch all her vlogs religiously, very excited to see it!
Now, I can give a more intelligent response to Jack's video after watching it. I watched Sia's new video as well, and I agree with Jack's interpetation of a father and a daughter. I enjoy watching modern dancers, so I see nothing sexual about the movement of the Shia and Maddie. Like Jack said, it's demonstrating the complexity of a father-daughter relationship, and how the father has his own personal demons that cage him, which limits how close he can get with daughter. And it shows the daughter trying to be there for him, but sometimes it can be too much and she has to leave his cage in order to for her to remain sane. The video itself is super artsy and deep, and I love it.
Exactly what I was thinking, was about to comment something similar but I don't need to :)
When I watched Elastic heart, I pretty much felt the exact same as you. I think you're right about it being a father and daughters relationship, that is sometimes good and sometimes they were distant. But reading about Sia's life, I think it showed her dad's multi personality disorder as he kept on changing from soft to angry. And obviously Maddie represented a young Sia who could never fully trust her dad. I don't know if thats right, but I would like to believe it is!! :)
There was a certain point in the video Elastic Heart, I don't know which, but I just started crying. There I was with all of these emotions and seeing the dad trapped, while the daughter tried to help. And it was just such a beautiful video.
i watched this in 2016, ten days after news years and didn't plan it
So happy you made this video Jack! I consider myself an unrefined and ignorant peasant but even I can recognise the brilliance and creativity of Sia's video. It gave me chills and I felt like it was a privilege to watch it. Brilliant to see somebody put themselves out there and take risks like Sia does
I see the elastic heart video as a father, daughter relationship too; the father has an addiction, for example drugs or alcohol (represented by the cage), and it is affecting the relationship between him and his daughter. She feels trapped with him as she still loves him and wants him in her life but hates him for the addiction he has. There are constant fights between them about it, her angry and him sad and frustrated portrayed via their facial emotions throughout the video. He escapes through the addiction (climbing the cage) and she escapes by leaving the situation entirely (exiting the cage). They'll always come back to each other but he'll never truly be free as he physically cannot escape; the cage/addiction will always be intertwined with his life. I love the end shot because she is trying to free him from the cage whilst relying on him to stand up, therefore making it impossible for him to actually leave. He desperately wants to get out of it but he can't, crying in frustration and sadness. The bars pf addiction will always be between them.
This isn't going to be one of your best explained comments/compliments so far - lets give it a go. Whenever I try and explain why I like your videos, I just seem to put my hands out, do a weird facial expression, and look lost for words. I feel like you understand society a lot, you get it and you are willing to make it and shape this into a dry, funny short five minutes. I like that.
With Elastic Heart I interpreted it as a survival of the fittest, while we are constantly competing in life and against other people we turn on one another how Maddie does. By the end, human nature takes over, Maddie is now helping but inevitably inequality is still there, representing there will always be someone who is 'stronger' or 'better' which is just apart of life. I then watched your video, went back to watch Elastic Heart and cried because the father-daughter relationship is beautiful.
Promise I didn't just write the start of an essay.
Your hair is on point in this video jack, well done 👏
I started laughing at the "hiya" about 30 seconds later. Now I keep giggling every now and again.
I can see why you liked that music video Jack, the ending made me tear up because, well I suppose in some ways I can relate to it, feeling a bit torn or struggling with your family, maybe that's why it has been watched so many times, because Sia has an amazing talent for connecting with people and understanding it is our human nature for our heart to want to snap back to how things were. That is one thing I love about good art. It's ability to make you want to look at it over and over and wonder why you like it so much.
art is risk. the sia video was just so powerful and moving. people are going to perceive things in their own way, there will always be people who can't understand profound topics and will say things reflecting that. anyway, i'm excited for pms, jack! (i honestly never thought i would say/type that sentence)
I'm an art student, studying in London (I know pretentious) & funnily enough I'm doing a project about Stanley Kubrick at university right now (the director of 2001: a space odyssey) where we have his achieve. Since the beginning of Jan I've binge watched many of his movies (hadn't seen the shining, clockwork orange, eyes wide shut...) and I have to admit these movies are AMAZING !!! Not just because of the crazy cinematography, attention detail and plot but also the way that in nearly all of his films I've watched there are SO MANY different interpretations - at the end of the shining I researched literally ALL the proposed explanations & watched the documentary on how it was shot to try & further understand how Kubrick meant the story to end, but since then I've realised that the work is open to interpretation TO YOU!!! Everyone I've discussed this with has different ideas of what happens & why. These films allow you to continue to fantasise & imagine after the end. These films are brilliant & I advise anyone (with interests in any thing) to at least watch one of his movies if you haven't already & keep an open mind ;D
Elastic Heart is about sia's personal relationship with her father. she stated that her father had 2 different personalities one i which was more of the fun guy the one she genuinely loved and the other was the more scary personality in which her father would become aggressive and so in this video its basically an interpretation of her relationship with her father
My first impression of the Electric Heart video is that it is about mental illness and making peace with yourself and with the fact that you won't ever be "normal". I see Maddie as the young version of Shia who still has moments of being "normal" and can get through the cage of the illness. I feel like I would see a new interpretation every time I watch it though, there's just so much to take in. It's brilliant.
It's been 10 days since new year? Screw the future, I'm watching this in the past!
The music video (only just watched now) to me its about death.
At first she's angry and fighting then at the end she's trying to get him back, even though he's gone, the harder she trys to get him back the more he slips away.
I saw the Elastic Heart video as some kind of battle between childhood and adulthood. It was almost as if his childhood was tormenting or torturing him to bring him back to some form of innocence that he's perhaps lost over the years, and the cage represented that barrier between adolescence and responsibility. Then at the end when he can clearly get out, he realises that in order to move on in his life he has to leave behind his past memories of youth and being wild and free and stay within the cage of adulthood.
I only saw Space Odyssey about 6 weeks ago too, and now I realise that everything I've ever watched has had some sort of reference to it in them.
You're so right Jack, reading all the interpretations of Elastic Heart is sooooo interesting. To me it represents her struggles with escaping her 'inner demons'. Such a nice video and amazing choreography + execution by Maddie. :)
watching this 2 years later on a new year
I recently saw the music video for Another Love from Tom Odell and I thought the lighting was amazing and it's a really moving video. I also saw The Great Gatsby today and I was blown away by the beauty of the colours and shots!
Loved that you talked about elastic heart and I understand and agree with what you thought but sia confirmed both characters were her and now I'm even more confused but I think it was her battle with an addiction or with her love for someone else but I'm not really sure
This is so sonodd. Me snd my buddy sarah were talking about the sia video probably about 2 hours ago. We were both saying how sia is an artist, and she creates video art with her narration as her songs. The video is just wow, and I love when you find someone on the same wavelength as you. Also looking forward to your monthly vlogs xx
from what i have heard and my own interpretations, the sia song was about her and her dads struggle through mental illness. The cage that they are both in signifies their minds and sia was able to get out at the end however much she tried her dad was still stuck in the cage
i did find elastic heart uncomfortable at first but than i decided to reasearch what it was about when i found out it was about a struggle between a daughter and dad i re-whatched it a couple of times and it teally hit a part of me. it was amazing when you know the meaning
Jack, you raised some good points in this video. But I think it's kind of hypocritical for you to talk about how you're less definitive and more open to people's opinions when it comes to art, and then call anyone who thinks the elastic heart music video is about pedophilia an idiot.
The music video is vague enough that a love story can be drawn from it. In fact, I think that the intention of the music video was to create controversy by putting romantic and sexual connotations in there. But like the 2001 film you mentioned, it doesn't necessarily matter what Elastic Heart was really about. I don't believe that the music video was about pedophilia, but I do think that they deliberately made it sexual in order to get people talking. So if people see it and think that it's about pedophilia, it's probably because they're picking up on the connotations, not because they're not smart enough to "think deeper" about what it really means.
good point but my frustration is towards people that are just dismissing the music video because they think it's sexualised
JackHoward Yeah I think their anger about the sexualization sort of prevents them from seeing that the music video is well put together. For what it's worth, the first time I saw the video, I thought it was very well done. (I didn't cry though.)
JackHoward but honestly, dismissing art is just as valid as a response as anything else, and it doesn't mean one is right or one is wrong. that's the great thing about art, everyone approaches a piece from a different place and everyone comes away with a different meaning. think of a film you don't take very seriously. someone might make the same argument that you're "missing the point"
I agree with the point you're making but I think saying it's about a pedophile is a harsh suggestion, I would be offended if I created something personal to me and it was dismissed as being something disgusting or promoting a vile thing such as pedophilia, also I think all of the backlash will have a negative impact on the young girl who was in the video. I completely agree on free interpretation but I dont think all of the hype is really necessary
And if they did put anything that was anyway suggesting a romabtic relationship then I think thats more sick than controversial
I'm so happy you made this video. I watched Sia's music video for the first time today and I've been obsessed. It is the first piece of work that I've connected with for a while. I feel re inspired.
My first impression of the video was that the relationship was between a father and daughter who had had an occurrence in their life that broke them and split them apart. When being put together in a close space they didn't know how or if to trust eachother. After a while memories would come back and they realised there's no point in holding on to the past
For a scholarship english essay I chose, from a selection of statements, to write about the given question: "Should literature leave us with questions or fully satisfied?" and argued that the best literature provides artistic questions that can not be answered in the media posing them and that, essentially, an audience can't truly receive satisfying closure to a question if it isn't asked of them to answer it for themselves. Even films or novels that, on the surface, tie off and answer questions concerning the plot, the best films/novels leave the audience with questions that extend beyond the story - as a more recent example I discussed Gone Girl and talked about the idea of keeping up appearances to maintain that ideal "vision" that society shapes and sculpts, and whether it's us that determines what society demands of us or if it is the expectations imposed by the people before us that ensure society asks what it does of us, and above all: "Why?"
It's not pretentious to discuss literature as art, it's important to ask more and more questions as the arise because otherwise they won't ever be answered.
Literally my exact reaction to the Sia video.
Thought it was absolutely incredible.
I think I've watched it about 20 times now.
Still cry when I watch it :/
I cried as well when I watched it, the guy I was watching it with *who showed me it* Thought it was hilarious.
Suppose, you have to forgive people, it's modern art in a music video.
The majority of the music industry/mtv is overly sexualized. When sexualisation is thrown down our throats people can't help but see it in everything, including this unfortunately.
I'm definitely with you on this, compare something like an Anaconda video to Sia's videos (that's not even comparable in the slightest but anyway) and I think we can all agree that one is rather disturbing for our society whilst we can actually learn from the other one :)
isagination YES, exactly! You hit the nail on the head. It really does speak volumes and volumes about us as a society...! Like why must their be sexualisation in everything, it's sad really
There needs to be more of this out there! And more 'RUclipsrs' like Jack Howard
Lydia Jones DEFINITELY!
I cried while I watched Elastic Heart as well. Favorite music video by far!
i saw it as a metaphor for love, that she is love and shia is trying to keep hold of it despite how badly it treats him and the cage is there so that he cannot escape but love can always come and go as it pleases, by the end he is so tired from fighting with it and trying to get away from it and trying to hold on to it that he just gives up and accepts the love that he is given
Very excited to see the PMS videos! And I really like your interpretation of Sia's music video. I didn't really know what my view on it was but yours really opened my eyes :D
everything is art if you want it to be.
also got an idea for the pms thing, but got to up my skills quite a lot in order to do it, so see ya in 6 months.
Goddamn I love your more thoughtful videos where you talk about pretentious shit and give opinions and are still somehow really funny throughout. I really thought that the Elastic Heart video was about an internal struggle with (wait for it, ultimate cliched interpretation coming up here) an inner child or sense of innocence that just sort of is more free than the man in the video, and is eventually the thing that ends up showing the man the way out of his feeling of claustrophobia and being trapped, even if he ultimately doesn't succeed in escaping. Excited for PMS and for more pretentious videos about film and stuff.
When Sia commented on Elastic Heart, I think she mentioned something about Maddie and Shia representing two parts of herself. So like her carefree, young, naive heart (Maddie) and her matured, wise, and reserved (from being hurt) mind tussle with each other at times. To me, she learns to let her guard down and free her heart.
I love how open minded he is about everything and he's so smart...
your interpretation was fantastic and a definite inspiration for my own. without needing to read into context considering my knowledge of sia, i could tell it was a "battle" so to speak but your views put a whole new twist which really struck me personally. thank you, j-how.
I interpret Elastic Heart as a representation of the good and the bad inside everyone. There is always a battle between the two and we instinctually hold on to the bad aspects of life, but ultimately, to escape from "suffering" (shown by the cage), you have to let go of the negative, and focus on the positive. However, this is hard as humans tend to view 1 bad experience as greater than 100s of good experiences.
I
saw that today in the cinema for the first time today.. soo good!
When I watched Elastic Heart I interpreted it as a continutaion of the Chandalier video. I see a girl with mental illness and her father is trying to get into her "world." At the end she tries to help him come with her but he can't. I cried when I watched this too because my interpretation hits too close to home. It is truly a beautiful video though and I love reading other people's interpretations.
So I watched the elastic heart video. My god. I'm blown away by how incredible it is. Thanks for the recommendation Jack!
I have watched it so many times and also can't pinpoint exactly what it is about it but I know I really love it. I will admit when I first watched it I was a bit taken aback but now I just find it so intriguing. And also the lighting is really beautiful.
1- I cried watching Sia's music vido too.
2- I'm very excited about the PMS stuff!
I actually saw 2001: a space odissey about a month ago to! My father made me watch it, bc i said interstellar was good, and he went like "daughter, you know nothing about scifi if you haven't seen 2001: a space odissey" so we watched it together, and it kind blew my mind, i'm still not over how good it was :D
What a great father :D
JackHoward i know right??? I'm so glad i watched this movie :D
With elastic heart I didn't really get the beginning I was trying so hard to pick a meaning for it, then I agreed with your opinion: father- daughter, and I concluded that the beginning was kind of showing their relationship in a way that they were reacquainting after a fall out and not knowing how to start again. The end was what got me, because the girl tries so hard to help but doesn't know how to and she can't figure out if the dad even wants her to. That's what hit home for me I guess.
Right up until the end I saw it as a battle between good and evil, no matter how much they fight they still need each other. (symbolised by the light and dark of the hair, the only colours that really stand out overall) but when she came back into the cage and tried to pull him out with her, definitely saw it as a father and daughter relationship... Not gonna lie, I cried.
elastic heart made me feel sad and i think that's because i perceived the video as a metaphor for mental illness or simply just the struggle we have with ourselves. i saw both the little girl and the guy as the same person. extremely intriguing music video.
Hi jack. My first interpretation of Elastic Heart was the same as yours, and like you it gets me, and I'm not too sure why. I don't even like dance but watching Maddi makes me want to learn! I've heard people saying its a metaphor for addiction too, which works, and also a father with a personality disorder, but I'm not too sure on that one. Anyway, good luck with your project and I hope your year goes even better than last year (which was a pretty triumphant year for you anyway!)