Stepping back from the overproduction and bizarre storylines of many modern music videos, Sarah McLachlan’s “Monsters” (released Feb. 27) delves into the age-old theme of facing one’s demons. Set in an illustrated storybook, the video depicts a young heroine who confronts the monsters under her bed. The manila pages of the backdrop and the jumpy, sketched animation style give the video a vintage feel, reminiscent of the aging picture books from which parents might read to their children.
The heroine finds herself gazing into a trippy alternate universe when she sticks her head under the bed, after spying the glowing eyes of a fearsome monster lurking there. In an “Alice In Wonderland”-esque tumble, she falls headfirst into this new world, following the path of a creepy, smiling star. The visuals that follow are as bizarre as they are endearing. Fighting a monster, dancing with a literal star and watching the vibrant night sky come to life, the heroine accomplishes endeavors both fantastical and terrifying. A particularly striking sequence involves the girl spinning and falling atop a kaleidoscopic background, which soon opens up as a portal into a turbulent ocean. This kind of visually pleasing artistry makes the video more than a mirror of the song; it is a work of art on its own.
That said, the old-timey aesthetic perfectly complements the nostalgia of the lyrics. McLachlan describes childhood monsters, relating them to current “monsters” -- people with malicious intents -- with whom she still deals. She sings, “Three headed monsters they want your money / Wanna be in the picture, be your friend / They fill your pool with alligators / Are they all just jokers or are they cruel?” While the video’s references to bedtime monsters are far from subtle, they stand as an adequate metaphor for real-life monsters.
With psychedelic visuals, the “Monsters” video documents the young heroine’s adventures and creates a poignant narrative. For fans of McLachlan’s music, this new video should serve as a crafty counterpart to her music.
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