Amnesty Journal

2010

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.

“Amnesty Journal” is published by Amnesty International’s German chapter

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. »