Music video- The specials: Ghost town

1) The writer links the song back to cinematic soundtracks in order to reflect and engender anxiety 

2) 2 Tone emerged from the mod and punk subcultures in a stylistic sense. Its foundations were ska and the related Rocksteady.

3) The social contexts that were discussed regarding the late 1981 was that England was hit by a recession and riots were breaking out across its urban areas. Young people, black and white, were deprived angry and forgotten. Left to fend for themselves, many of them were unemployed and got into pitch battles with the police.

4)I believe the most eerie thing about ghost town is the cold and empty environments with only the performers ever being on screen and whenever they give you a perspective outside it all seems cold and unwelcoming. Especially at the night portion of the video where this eerie feeling is a lot more intensified during scenes like they're shadows fighting.

5) The writer suggests that the meanings created from this music video are the mournful sounds created from these riots. The video itself is a poetic protest and articulates anger at the states structure.

1) The article describes the song as a blend of melancholy, unease and menace. Its a depiction of social breakdown that provided the soundtrack to an explosion of civil unrest.

2) The article also gives more information on the social contexts at the time: Unemployment was among the highest in the UK, the industrial decline left the city suffering, the UK erupted into rioting.

3) The specials reflected the increasingly multicultural Britain as there band members consisted of both white and black musicians working together.

4) We can link Paul Gilroys theory of the black Atlantic as during this time in Britain black people still didn't have any where to call home but we were becoming progressively more accepted by other communities (shown by how they now accept multicultural bands)

5) John Barry was a famous composer and might be mostly known for the 11 James Bond films he helped make music for or for how long his career has spanned for (50 years).

Close Textual Analysis

1) Mise-en-scene

• Empty and silent London streets- Reflect the problems of the UK during that time not being heard by those above. Neglecting the youths situation at this time
• Lighting- Low key lighting used while in the car at night. Emphasises horror or feeling of dread at that time.
• Actors/Performers-  The placements of them tries to equally show both the black actors and the white actors.

2)Cinematography

• Low angled shots of the buildings- Makes the elite seem unreachable as they tower above the working class and the unemployed. Also makes them seem distant and unwilling to help the current situation.
• Close ups- Despite there being an underlying narrative the music video is still a performance.

3) Editing

• Fast paced- Mainly during the chorus is the video continuously fast paced emphasising a sense of chaos.

1) Goodwins theory- There seems to be a link between the music video and its lyrics. They talk about the town being empty and display it visually as well.

2) Neales theory- The music video links to its genre as well with certain horror aspects of horror being used (The lighting and eerie shadows at night)

3) Gilroys diasporic theory- This might challenge Gilroys theory of liquidity of culture as the music video is influenced by reggae music.

4) Bricolage and Pastiche- The music seems to be making references to the situation the UK was under at that time and attempts to faithfully recreate the tension of that time.

5) Strinatis definition of post-modernism- It contains several intertextual references to the UK's riots and seems to fight against authority.