music video monday ~ 12

Since there's no one else around to stop me, I'm going to designate this week as The Killers week here at indoor animal. As a result, today will be a double feature.

First up, we have the video for "The Man", directed by Tim Mattia. When I first heard this song, I was surprised the band had seemed to release an anthem to masculinity. Then, the line: "Don't try to teach me, I got nothing to learn." That implies a certain type of "man," and not the kind many would proudly, openly champion. Maybe more was going on than it seemed.

The video seals it. The band is up to something more complex. They are shining a light on that type of "man." And the video shows how quickly, and simply, that sort of ego can crumble. But don't take my word for it.

Next up is the video for "Crossfire" by The Killers' lead singer Brandon Flowers.

In it, he's the stereotypical damsel in distress, but he's being saved by a woman, played by Charlize Theron. Gender roles are reversed. It rings a similar bell, makes a similar statement, to the "The Man" video. If I may say so. At the end, she's the hero – not him – and she throws her arm over him, protecting him.

Brandon Flowers', and The Killers', willingness to find depth, to make things interesting, to do the opposite of expectations, is why I keep going back. Album after album.

A bonus story: In 2016, I returned from Los Angeles to Pittsburgh to work on a television show. My first day back, I went to the production studio where I'd be working and was told we were sharing the lot with the show Mindhunter. I was excited to be back in town, to see some familiar faces, to reconnect with some people I hadn't seen in five or more years. As I went office to office and department to department to say hi, the people I was seeing were excited beyond what I had expected. But the excitement wasn't about me.

Charlize Theron, who was a producer on Mindhunter, had just made the rounds, showing face and saying hello to folks, even if they were on the other show. I was always a few minutes behind her at each stop, and I could see the disappointment that I was not her on everyone's face as I entered. She's a hard act to follow. Though some recovered, and expressed their delight at seeing me again, I knew: I wasn't Charlize. And I'll never forgive her.

indoor animal is curated by a human: Tim Papciak. On Mondays, he shares one link to one music video to help spark creativity in himself and in other creative types. On Thursdays, he recommends a book, movie, show, art piece, or link to some dusty corner of the internet that he believes either 1.) adds to the human experience, or 2.) serves as a coping mechanism in the year 2025. Note: this is not, and never will be, self-help content.