Comments on: Costa-Gavra’s Son Romain Gavras Directs New NSFW M.I.A. Video ‘Born Free’

By: Kim

Kim — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 05:46:09 +0000

I think the "message" is intentionally vague. What's the point of singling out specific conflicts that people can easily digest and say "Yes, I agree." without actually being forced to critically assess the culture that makes these conflicts possible. It doesn't matter whether they're Palestinian, Tamil, redheads, queer. The point is that this kind of profiling exists worldwide - violently or insidiously. It's not enough to single out a conflict and pat yourself on the back for having an opinion. We should instead reflect on the multitude of different conflicts that exist historically and currently that this video could be an allegory for. I fail to see how such a statement is "faux political."

Also, the idea that this video is being used to "promote a record" is dubious. I felt physically ill after watching it - I'm not sure that's the best approach to customer relations. On the contrary, I think she's using her celebrity as a means of opening discussion about issues that are not raised in the commercial sphere. Yes, a lot more people have seen this video than would have been possible if it didn't have M.I.A. on the soundtrack, but I fail to see how that's a bad thing.

By: bradley.nguyen

bradley.nguyen — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 09:28:43 +0000

It's bad form to miss the point of a videoclip completely and then claim that you are only "playing dumb" when people call you out.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 07:26:37 +0000

Thats is the worst use of Suicides "Ghost rider" ever. EVER.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:53:00 +0000

Hey Kevin, some of us live trough this shit, for many this is real life. Graphic violence shouldn't be different from comedy, drama etc. on the media.

BTW Rage Against the Machine are the biggest posers on the social/political activism universe, only pot heads really believe in their calculated "rebellion".

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 21:30:25 +0000

Lady Gaga is a talentless cunt who likes to think she's "edgy" cause she's BI and has freaky taste in clothes, but her music might as well be Christina Aguilera.

By: N.

N. — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 21:23:24 +0000

And in lieu of her criticism of pop singers who praise the avant-garde and do nothing avant-anything, it's interesting M.I.A. has the gumption to do SOMETHING with her ten-minutes, unlike Gaga who splashes colors and flashes her virgin mobile phone with her's.

By: Casey

Casey — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 21:18:06 +0000

Living in Arizona, and with what's been going on here, what do you think I first thought of? Replace the redheads with Mexicans, and it hits a little closer to home. I'm also glad M.I.A. and Gavras didn't shy away from putting a U.S. Flag on the face of state-sponsored terrorism.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 21:05:29 +0000

I think that the video having no meaning was the main point. Violence is oftentimes very unnecessary. Why would anyone want to do that to people? Maybe its just because they can.

By: kevinjagernauth

kevinjagernauth — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:14:42 +0000

@Sam I mean take a stand for something concrete: Palestinian rights; immigration reform, cheap parking in Manhattan — whatever. I just find the "message" vague and simple to the point of being completely ineffective. And my objection to the ultra-violence is mostly its used in service to promote a record. Would anyone care about this clip if it was a standard video? Probably not.

By: samcmac

samcmac — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:09:24 +0000

@Kevin: I don't think you can communicate a political perspective in music video form in a way that isn't abrasive and visually-oriented. The lyrics to the song provide some perspective and pointedness, but I don't expect a highly literate lecture or anything from a music video. I'm not sure what you would define as getting across an "actual point"? And in terms of criticizing it for its unsubtle ultra-violence, well, filmmakers like Kubrick and Oliver Stone are pretty much proof-positive how effective that approach can be.

@Benjamin: I haven't seen "Punishment Park" but from what I've read elsewhere that was definitely a point of reference; and the videos on YouTube I just checked out further enforces this.

By: Benjamín

Benjamín — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:54:59 +0000

I'm surprised no one's mentioned it: this seems to owe a huge debt to Peter Watkins' Punishment Park

By: kevinjagernauth

kevinjagernauth — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:40:14 +0000

Ok, I was playing stupid a bit, but that doesn't make the clip any less simplistic. Nor does it make using gratuitous violence (ooh, close up of a little kid getting shot through the skull!) any less questionable.

I would've preferred it if M.I.A. actually addressed a real life political situation and made an actual statement about something rather than making a vague clip about oppression. If your clip is going to be seen by all your fans and then some, why not use it for an actual message?

Otherwise, the clip comes off as faux-political sloganeering used to sell records. Rage Against The Machine had videos that said more than this.

By: samcmac

samcmac — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:30:55 +0000

Gotta side with Kenray, Kev; you don't get the point here? Obviously, it's up for interpretation, but it seems clear to me that she's communicating her well-known anti-oppression stance by domesticating the violence in a (probably) British setting, and using the minority of 'redheads' as a stand in for the oppression directed at people in third world countries across the globe. To make us fucking pay attention, for once.

For what it's worth-- and I don't use this word lightly-- I think Gravas has created something of a masterpiece with this clip (the song is a potent, undiluted shot of righteous adrenaline as well). This strikes me as a powerful political statement and even a bit of a wake-up call to an increasingly stale indie-music scene.

By: Kenray

Kenray — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:14:44 +0000

wow – no one gets that this is a juxtaposition of white people into the roles of Palestinians?

Recent History called, wants your attention….

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:38:23 +0000

it seems to be a response to the whole "kick a ginger" kind of thing. as if the redheads became so outcasted, they formed their own terrorist group.