In 1916, psychologist Hugo Münsterberg published the first work of film theory, The Photoplay: A Psychological Study. Münsterberg claims film and theater are distinctly separate because moving pictures are freed from the constraints of space, time, and causality. This isolation from the practical world provides a completely different psychic experience through “the perfect unity of plot and pictorial experience”. As the emerging art form developed in the 1920s, French artists sought to create films that employed only uniquely cinematic techniques without any other influences. This movement, later dubbed Cinema Pur or “Pure Cinema”, sought to free film from narrative, characters, and setting, which are tropes from literature or drama. The term “pure cinema” describes this essentialist tendency but also defines works that use film-specific techniques to create an abstract yet immediate emotional experience. You may be asking yourself, “How is this relevant to Invisible Oranges and heavy metal? He must be talking about the Dada movement or Koyaanisqatsi!” But no, I am talking about the one, the only, Glenn Danzig.
Danzig’s 1988 self titled album produced four music videos: “Am I Demon”, “She Rides”, “Twist of Cain”, and “Mother”. These music videos are like none other; they exude the raw sexuality of rock ‘n’ roll in an expressionist setting to create an all encompassing experience. These videos do not seem like they were made in the 1980s but rather in a warped reality of classical Hollywood cinema. They have a certain cinematic affinity that transcends the music video format. The images and moods presented already exist in the human subconscious; they just needed to be willed into existence with cameras, lights, and film stock. Calling Danzig’s music videos “pure cinema” in the strictest sense would be a bit contradictory, but they provide intense, direct communication to the id.
Now, let’s analyze how each of these videos functions cinematically:
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Danzig – “Am I Demon”
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Trailer from Jean Cocteau’s “Beauty and the Beast”
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Danzig’s classic track “Am I Demon” begins with the band’s logo emerging from darkness, in a way not dissimilar to the opening of a classic horror film. The black and white concert footage and loose narrative that follow are heavily influenced by German Expressionism and its stylistic children: Universal horror and film noir. The concert footage embodies the band’s mystical aura, but the interstitial clips elevate the video to an unearthly plane. As Danzig breaks through the doors in the horned goat mask, these few seconds construct an archetypal image that could be a still frame from the greatest expressionist horror film never made. The head is utterly bizarre; I put this video in the same category as King Kong or Eraserhead in terms of uncanny special effects that no one could replicate today. The end of the video finds Danzig auto-crucifying with the help of a scantily clad young woman, who had earlier fallen victim to his occult sexual powers. This conclusion exhibits conventional special effects such as dissolves, smoke, and shadows that create an undefined and surreal nightmare tableau. This is not a music video but a work of art, like the satanic fantasy of an evil Jean Cocteau.
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Danzig – “She Rides”
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Guitarist John Christ refers to “She Rides” as the group’s first “sex song”. I find this problematic, because most of Danzig’s bluesy metal is sexually charged, but “She Rides” is in a class of its own. The video finds the band in a white room with several dancing women and multiple tight close ups of Glenn’s bobbing head crooning suggestive lyrics. Film theorist Laura Mulvey’s seminal article “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” is a landmark work of feminist criticism because it establishes the concept of the male gaze: the idea that the camera and media will always be positioned from the male point of view. Many music videos feature woman’s bodies on display for male pleasure, and the gyrating posterior of an ’80s metal babe at the beginning clearly shows this one is no different. The women are rarely shown in full body shots, because disembodied parts are easier for the male spectator to objectify. This description sounds like Danzig’s usual sexual potency but, after further analysis, this is video can be read multiple ways. Lyrically, “She Rides” deals with a dark and sexually empowered woman who has brought Glenn’s downfall, which is in stark contrast to the male driven seduction of the other videos. During the performance sequences, there is one woman dancing beside each of the band members. But there are none around Glenn, illustrating that as a man he does not possess a woman. The video contains one scene in particular where Glenn is laying face down in a susceptible position. The woman caresses his lower back tattoo and he recoils in pain, showing that behind his masculinity he is still vulnerable. Even though this video is similar to other 1980s heavy metal fare, perhaps Danzig was trying to send a subtextual feminist message?
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Danzig – “Twist of Cain”
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The Lumière Brothers’ – First films (1895)
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Georges Méliès – “Le Voyage dans la lune” (“A Trip to the Moon”) (1902)
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Of the four music videos, “Twist of Cain” is the odd one out. Ever since the birth of cinema in 1895, there have been two distinct schools of filmmaking represented by two of the earliest filmmakers. The Lumière brothers used film to capture life as close to it is in actuality, while Georges Méliès, a stage magician, used trick photography and expansive sets to create worlds and images that could not exist in reality. The other Danzig videos fall in the Méliès camp, because they explore other realms both physical and mental; “Twist of Cain”, however, is a performance clip that captures the real life intensity of a live Danzig concert circa 1988. But according to apparatus theory, film is merely a system of chemical and physical processes that cannot and will not ever be reality. The performance is passionate and shows the stage presence and charisma of the band, but it is also stylized and atmospheric. The lights, shadows, and editing make the concert seem unreal and untouchable like a dream. When the church bells ring at the end of the video, I feel like these powerful sounds and images have ushered in the apocalypse.
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Danzig – “Mother” (Uncut)
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Danzig – “Mother” (Censored)
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“Mother” has many of the same formal influences as its stylistic brother “Am I Demon”. After the John Bunyan quote, the video transitions to another close up Danzig singing. Half of his face is covered in shadow, reflecting the lyrics that he is not to be trusted and there is more than meets the eye. The drums build and the camera backs out to reveal Glenn and the rest of the band in heavy chiaroscuro, giving them a supernatural quality. At the beginning of the second verse, we begin to see clips of several women; one frightened by the singer and the other intrigued, much like the femme fatale from classic Hollywood noir. The pre-chorus solo begins and tension builds with the help of high contrast lights, canted angles, and gazes exchanged through the Kuleshov effect. Danzig’s clawed, shadowy doppelganger, representing his dark side, begins the ritual by seducing the innocent girl (“Heart of the Devil” anyone?) as the pentagram on the floor is revealed. The final guitar solo begins as the demon priest and his accomplice stand by the bloody stone alter that would not be out of place in a Boris Karloff film. Sacrificial blood spills across the young woman’s exposed stomach, and I don’t think it takes Sigmund Freud to figure out what act is being imitated here. The woman’s expressions mirror John Christ’s ecstatic guitar playing as the camera fades back to Danzig after the song’s climax. No wonder this video was banned from MTV and is now “too hot for Youtube!”
All of these videos can be found on the Danzig home video. Other highlights include: Glenn revealing his songwriting process, reading Wolverine comics, discussing his book collection, chugging a box of Milk Duds before an encore, and Eerie Von being a badass. I highly recommend hunting down a copy!
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Uh, Tommy? Danzig doesn’t “recoil in pain.” The chick in the vid grazes the tattoo and jumps back like she’s had an electric shock while Danzig smirks at the camera over his shoulder. Looks like on top of working in every dull undergrad buzzword like “theory,” “the male gaze,” “transcendence,” and “subtextual” you fail at your “analysis.” Problematic!
It’s a fuck song. That’s what it sounds like. That’s why the camera shows you Danzig basically mounting the viewer. Don’t talk about what’s actually there though.
Hey! I wrote a video-centric Danzig post of my own about a year ago! What a coincidence!
http://thatshowkidsdie.com/2010/06/22/danzig-mother-93-video/ Of course, mine doesn’t read like a bad college term paper.
THKD,
You’re being a bit of a douche bag here. I read your little post (thanks for the link/self-promotion) and find any similarities to be tenuous at best. None of the same claims are made. You made no mention of Cinema. Hell, it’s not even the same video as any of his four.
I’ve spent some time on your blog in the past and found your topics to be interesting (if somewhat redundant) but your writing is no better than the average writer. I appreciate what you do but find it difficult to take you seriously when you attack another write so harshly (and sycophantically.)
Tom’s analysis was at least informative if a bit too ambitious. I don’t know that much about film analysis so I’m hardly qualified to support/criticize it, but I learned a thing or two and it gave me something to think about.
Wow, how many articles can one man copy from a real journalist? If you do not have any of your own ideas, then stop writing. I am sure it would suck to stop having to brag about how you write reviews so you can get some flappy pussy, or have someone send you some free promos (usually the ones that they do not want to review them self).
It takes a lot to be a good writer, not just a job at Subway and a mediocre education at a continuation high school.
Get a clue and your own ideas.
I like how creative the anonymous posters are getting with their names.
Stop laughing at Tom Brandow, please.
Did anyone else quit reading after the first sentence in favor of listening to Lucifuge while staring at a wall?
IO new writer fail #5…I hope whatever Cosmo’s doing is really, really good!
‘Glenn’ is misspelled in the first paragraph.
In the next, you are describing the video for “Am I Demon”, but incorrectly identify it as the vid for “Twist of Cain”.
Inexcusable errors. My fault, and I’ve fixed them. Thanks for the heads up.
@Josh THKD: It’s a total coincidence, but you have my sincerest apologies just the same. I hope you’ll accept them. Your blog is essential reading, and I should be reading it more closely to make sure these coincidences don’t occur.
>they exude the raw sexuality of rock ‘n’ roll in an expressionist setting to create an all encompassing experience
Well, that’s one way of putting it.
Off-topic, but I don’t understand why women seem to drool over Danzig… I’ve always (and still) seen him as hideous.
Ann, for some women (apparently a lot of women, by my personal observation*) the sexiest men alive look like a delicate cross-breed of naked mole rat and silverback gorilla.
Sad but true! ::riff::
*= I live in a big air force/army town, and the hulking warmachines that these bases pump out seem to have on average two to three girlfriends at a time.
When Glenn came out with Samhain at Riot Fest last October, he had a gimp mask on and a button down shirt he was struggling to cover his pasty man boobs with. I quipped to my friend “is that Danzig’s stunt double?”, and I watched with horror when Glenn took off the gimp mask and revealed himself. Maybe it would be a good idea to keep the rubber shirt back on.
@Miskatonic – I would completely agree that the actual similarities between these particular posts are somewhat tenuous. However, there have been a few posts on here lately that rub up closely against things I’ve written. Some might say a bit too close for comfort.
As for your criticisms of my own writing, that’s
just like, your opinion, man. I don’t recall making any claims that I was some brilliant writer, but whatever yanks your crank. I’m just a guy who likes to write and if others like it too, then great, and if not, that’s cool too. If it’s that painfully average or downright bad, why waste your time reading it?
It was NOT my intention to hijack this post and cause some shitstorm, so I’ll say no more.
1st – I’ll give you that one.
2nd – “…ya know, if you’re not into that whole brevity thing.”
Now, don’t get all butthurt over this. I enjoy your blog just fine. Sure, it’s not as good as Cosmo’s but what is? It’s a damn sight better than my (non-existant) blog. I think Tom is doing a decent job here and I just hated to see him attacked so harshly. I never would have criticized your writing if you hadn’t compared your not “bad college term paper” writing to the author’s. I just think you could have let cooler heads prevail (that’s some advice I should have followed as well).
@Miskatonic – you’re absolutely right, cooler heads should have prevailed here, and my approach did leave something to be desired. Unfortunately I tend to be a bit mercurial (as anyone who has the misfortune of following me on twitter can attest) and here it got the better of me. It truly was not my intention for things to get carried away.
I’m surprised that you don’t have your own blog or write for IO on the regular. You’re a good writer w/ interesting opinions.
Also, how did I never notice before that Danzig has a tramp stamp?
Once again, there are some topical similarities in our writing. I did not know about your post and I would never try to rip you off (or anyone else for that matter). That is not productive or cool for anyone. I just thought this would be something fun to write about that people might enjoy. But yeah Danzig totally has a tramp stamp, it is the logo for the Japanese character Devilman. I bet he regrets that one!
@Joseph Schafer – to my experience you’re right, lots of women dig the burly meathead types. I’m not sure if that’s a Midwest thing or what.
Speaking as the re-thrash clone of Jeff Goldblum, that fact does not bode well for my gene pool.
…or bodes VERY well for my gene pool.
@ Joseph Schafer – I dunno man, I’ve known a few older ladies that thought Goldblum was hot back in the day… you might just nab yourself a cougar. Besides dude played Ian Malcolm AND The Fly… who can resist that shit?!
I thought this article was hilarious. Feminist readings of Danzig videos can’t not be hilarious.
I am glad someone enjoyed it. I bet the commenters would have been more butthurt if I had suggested an oppositional homosexual reading of “She Rides” and said that it is Danzig that is getting ridden in the close ups!
way to read way too much into cheesy metal videos. still as bad as this was this is still head and shoulders above whatever dick street jammer throws up on my screen
what r u smoking? the girl recoils in surprise. danzig grins.
Wow, people really let the writer have it.
I enjoyed the article and it was nice to revisit some of some classic Danzig videos. E for effort at least.
And I really can’t see how statements like ‘Danzig’s video for Mother ’93 is my favorite music video of all time.’ and ‘Danzig’s first 4 music videos are like classic film’ can be confused for the same thesis.. but, then again, I didn’t go to college. I don’t know no book learnin’.
But I do know that if your blogs are about metal eventually someone’s ganna talk about Danzig. And inevitably his music videos. And I’m pretty sure neither of you were the first to do it.
But we can laugh about the misunderstanding now.
It looks like Glenn might have cribbed his goat mask in Am I Demon from Hammer Films’ “The Devil Rides Out.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VE77ixG7DY (Pay attention at 1:00)
Also, the logo fade-in at the beginning of the same vid looks quite similar to the intro of John Carpenter’s “The Thing” remake from 1982.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25_MNd-RDa8 (Fade-in starts at 1:40)
…and Carpenter took his from the Hawks/Nyby film.
http://youtu.be/mAWqJpRFLwE
Just sayin’, is all.
Of course Danzig implemented old horror and expressionist techniques into his videos, that’s always been his shtick. All I can add to this is that listening to Mother through headphones drives me insane. Whoever thought that the first two notes of the main riff should go through left and the rest right was fucking deaf.
THKD is totally delusional. His article read like a 16 y/o who just heard Mother for the first time. This article was completely different, nothing alike. This one was well written (silly at times, too much over-analyzing), had ideas, left the reader with a lot to think about.
I can’t stand self righteous/delusional writers like THKD, reading his comments ruined this article for me. Very sad way to seek attention bro. Go somewhere else
@Mr. Spock, completely agree, my behavior was totally inappropriate. All I can do is apologize for my brash behavior. The fact of the matter is there have been a few pieces on here lately that rubbed a little too close for comfort to things I’ve written in the past, in my opinion. In this case, the similarities were tenuous at best, but I saw what I wanted to see and flew off the handle, which is again, totally inexcusable. I’m sorry if my comments ruined your enjoyment of the piece.
As for my piece, I was actually 14 when I heard “Mother” for the first time, and that’s what I was trying to capture. Sounds like I at least partially succeeded.
@Arthur – Carpenter idolized Howard Hawks, as I’m sure you know. Of course his Thing remake is the most obvious homage, but several of his other films, such as Assault on Precinct 13 and even Prince of Darkness are nods to Hawks.
One of my good friends has a VHS copy of that Danzig home video. I will have to make some French Onion soup the next time I come over to her house.
What about saying Danzig only makes poorly edited macho clips with little budget and a focus on testosterone? It seems to me like this writer wants to add a lot more thought than what was intended at first when they shot those clips.
well to jump on the comment wagon. i have seen danzig once live. i’m a guy so i find men 110% un-attractive. but i don’t care what he looks like. he made some great shit and now its not so much.
@Tom – again, I apologize for being a total shithead. As pointed out by Miskatonic, the similarities between your piece and mine are tenuous at best. I should not have flown off the handle, been such a complete dick and (unintentionally) hijacked your post. I have a feeling that you and I have a lot in common, which leads to similar ideas and lines of thinking (although in these cases your approach is much more sophisticated than mine) and should be expected and welcomed rather than attacked. My behavior was inexcusable and I owe you an apology. Drop me a line sometime and we’ll bro-hug it out ‘n’ shit.