HOW DOES THE VIDEO FOR

ARCADE FIRES THE

SUBURBS USE A STRUCTURE
OF ANTICIPATION AND
CLOSURE?
Arcade Fire: The Suburbs (2010)
Directed by Spike Jonze

Background Information
This

music video was directed by Spike Jonze (A)

Jonze

is an academy award winning director, specialising in feature length

productions as well as music videos and short films.

In

terms of the music industry, Jonze notably created music videos for Fatboy Slims
Praise You (B), The Beastie Boys Sabotage (C), Weezers Buddy Holly (D) and
Arcade Fires The Suburbs.

The

music video for Arcade Fires The Suburbs is a shortened version of a 20

minute short film directed by Jonze (E).

The

music video follows a group of adolescents as they battle relationships and

growing up whilst their beloved neighbourhood becomes overrun with a military
presence.

The

short film, inspired by the album itself, was nominated for three best short film
awards.

(A)

Jonze won an Oscar

for the Best Writing,
Original Screenplay
for his film Her
(2013)

(B)

(C)

(E)

(D
)

Musical Cadence
A

sense of anticipation and closure in this track is reinforced with

the musical cadences of the lyrics and song

Cadence

refers to the anticipated conclusion of a certain rhythm

and is featured in the lyrics and music of this song.

The

regular pulse, rhythm and 4/4 time signature give a clear

indication of when a musical phrase is complete
- Much how the tone and pace of someone's voice is a clear
indicator of when theyve finished talking.

From

the cadence and rhythm, the audience can confidently

anticipate the structure of each section of the song and accurately
predict closure throughout the track

Rhyme
The

rhyme scheme of the lyrics also provide the audience with

information regarding their anticipation of closure

Arcade

Fire construct quite an irregular rhyming pattern in their song The

Suburbs as each verse differs in rhyming pattern (F)

Rhyming

in this unconventional way helps to drive the song as we

anticipate a closing couplet to complete a lyric. Often this doesnt occur
so we carry on listening, expecting it to arrive.
- E.g. in the final verse, the lryics read: were still waiting, which is
never rhymed with anything else
- having said that, there are cases of standard rhyming couplets which
consolidate our surprise at the unexpected incompletion of some lyrics
- E.g: drive and survive, done and son.

In the suburbs I
I learned to drive
And you told me we'd never survive
Grab your mother's keys we're leavin'

Sometimes I can't believe it

In my dreams we're still
I'm movin' past the feeling
screamin'
Sometimes I can't believe it
We're still screamin'
I'm movin' past the feeling and into the night
We're still screamin'

You always seemed so sure

That one day we'd be fighting
In a suburban war
Your part of town against mine
I saw you standing on the opposite shore

So can you understand?

Why I want a daughter while I'm still young
I wanna hold her hand
And show her some beauty
Before all this damage is done

But by the time the first bombs fell

We were already bored
We were already, already bored

But if it's too much to ask, it's too much to ask

Then send me a son

Sometimes I can't believe it

I'm movin' past the feeling
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm movin' past the feeling again
Kids wanna be so hard
But in my dreams we're still screamin' and runnin'
through the yard
And all of the walls that they built in the seventies
finally fall
And all of the houses they built in the seventies finally
fall
Meant nothin' at all
Meant nothin' at all
It meant nothin

Under the overpass

In the parking lot we're still waiting
It's already past
So move your feet from hot pavement and into the grass
Cause it's already past
It's already, already past
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm movin' past the feeling
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm movin' past the feeling again
I'm movin' past the feeling
I'm movin' past the feeling

(F)

Song Structure
The

structure of The Suburbs is Verse-Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-VerseVerse- Chorus

As

you can see, this track unconventionally doesnt feature a middle-8 th,
or bridge as it is commonly known

Throughout

the song, the close representation of a popular song structure

leads the audience to anticipate the bridge, which never comes.
- Closure is, however, still achieved through the repetition of the chorus
and the concluding phrase were still screamin growing quieter
(decrescendo) indicating closure and an end to the song

Moreover,

the average pop song lasts from 2-4 minutes. This track lasts
for 5:17 minutes so towards the end, it is clear the song has almost
finished and the audience expect closure.

Narrative units and strands

The

music video for Arcade fires The Suburbs features several different
narrative units .

These
They

are interweaving strands of a media text.

often follow different aspects of the characters or general narrative.

There

are many varying narrative strands within this music video. For example,
the relationship between Winter (Paul Pluymen) and Zoe (Zoe Graham) (G), the
relationship between Winter and Kyle (Sam Dillon) (H), Violence and brutality (I)
and several others.

Each of these strands develop and change and the audience anticipates them
to all tie together and create a sense of closure. They contribute to the
development of the characters as well as the general narrative so their
progression throughout the music video naturally leads to expectations of a
conclusion.

(G)

(H)

(I)

Todorovs 3 act structure

Like

many music videos, it can be argued that The Suburbs also features a typical Todorovian, 3
act, narrative structure.
1) Act 1 takes place from 0:00 to around 1:54. During this act, the lighting is bright and bold and
the group are having fun and spending time riding their bikes (J). Due to the positive mise en scene
and action in this act, we associate it with youthfulness and enjoyment.
2) Following the shot at 1:54, of the two kissing under a bridge (K), we transition into act two. In
this section, a theme of violence and police presence begins to creep in and the joyful playing is
replaced with shots of soldiers, weapons and they are fighting (L)
3) Act 3 begins at 2:50 where the lighting and coloration dramatically shifts from day time to night.
The group are still riding their bikes (M). There also additional shots of military personnel and
vehicles (N). The transition from day to night in association with shots of the military/ police imply
that the youthful, nave enjoyment expressed by the group at the start of the video has been
tainted by the military's presence in their suburbs. In a sense, their childhood has been ruined
overtime by the violence and brutality the military has brought to this town.

The

use of this typical narrative structure adds to the anticipation of closure as the audience
realize that the narrative may be coming close to the end. The shift in lighting, although having a
symbolic purpose, gives the sense of a time passing and the audience expects it to be the final act.

(J)

(K)

(L)

(M)

(N)

BMX/ Cycling
In

addition, at the start of the video, they are all cycling around on the streets (O)

The

use of cycling acts as a narrative driver as it constructs a sense of movement and literally
moves the narrative forward.

The

shots of the bikes at the beginning of the video add to the sense of childhood fun and enjoyment

One

of the last shots is of Kyles bike which has been destroyed/ broken (P), presumably by Winter.

This

is symbolic of the deterioration of their innocence and youth, corrupted by the almost invasionlike military presence.

The

evolution of the BMX/ cycling throughout the music video is a strong example of Barthes
Symbolic Code.

Previously

on my blog, I defined the Symbolic Code as a character, action or object that symbolizes
an exterior meaning. it can be used to contradict, challenge or represent a wider message within a
narrative. In a way, it is like a visual metaphor.

The

BMX is a typical use of the Symbolic code as it represents deterioration of the groups
adolescence and relationship over time. It also hint at closure because we perceive the them of their
friendship as having come to an end.

(O)

(P)