Amnesty Journal
Four-minute revolts
This essay explores the narrative resources of the music video, a cultural product often disregarded as nothing more than a commercial tool. Four-minute revolts analyzes the video clip’s potential as a vehicle for political comment on homophobia and transphobia, and reviews the representation of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender and intersexuals in this audiovisual genre.
Text: Lennart Herberhold and Evan Romero
Stills: Whiteyfilms
« Can an orgy be a political statement? The promo for Relax, the band Frankie goes to Hollywood’s first single, is among the first of a long series of music videos that orchestrate small rebellions against hegemonic sexual conventions in a matter of four minutes, the average length of a clip. Relax rejoices in the portrayal of a gay Disneyland that reproduces clichés in a provocative way without losing its countercultural edge. »