The Specials - Ghost Town: Blog tasks

1) Why does the writer link the song to cinematic soundtracks and music hall tradition?

The music creates a "lyrical landscape".

2) What subcultures did 2 Tone emerge from in the late 1970s?

 Sub cultures of two tone/punk emerged at the time.

3) What social contexts are discussed regarding the UK in 1981?

 There were a lot of riots due to the unemployment rates at the time. Deprived areas were taken over by young black and white people.

4) Cultural critic Mark Fisher describes the video as ‘eerie’. What do you think is 'eerie' about the Ghost Town video?

He might be talking about the subtle tone of how empty the place is in the video.

5) Look at the final section (‘Not a dance track’). What does the writer suggest might be the meanings created in the video? Do you agree?

The video is dedicated towards those who feel like they are unable to voice their opinions about their unemployment and their lack of money.

Now read this BBC website feature on the 30th anniversary of Ghost Town’s release. 

1) How does the article describe the song?

 

It describes the song as haunted and full of unemployment.

2) What does the article say about the social context of the time – what was happening in Britain in 1981?

 

At the time unemployment was at an all time high with riots happening all over the place.

3) How did The Specials reflect an increasingly multicultural Britain?

 

The specials featured black and white cast members revealling the multiculture that was emerging in britain as it reveals that racism was being less in effect.

4) How can we link Paul Gilroy’s theories to The Specials and Ghost Town?

 

The idea of diasporic identity or a feeling of not belonging for black people due to their skin colour can be seen in the specials however this is contrasted as in the video as all cultures appear to be welcoming of eachother.

5) The article discusses how the song sounds like a John Barry composition. Why was John Barry a famous composer and what films did he work on?

 

He created film scene music as he was a composer and some of his famous works include the James Bond soundtrack.


Ghost Town - Media Factsheet

Watch the video several times before reading Factsheet #211 - Ghost Town. You'll need your GHS Google login to access the factsheet. Once you have analysed the video several times and read the whole factsheet, answer the following questions: 

1) Focus on the Media Language section. What does the factsheet suggest regarding the mise-en-scene in the video? 

 

The low budget video reflects the unemployment rates at the time.

2) How does the lighting create intertextual references? What else is notable about the lighting?

 

The monochrome lighting creates a feeling of uneasiness in the viewers as they see London for how it is at the time. This links to expressionist cinema.

3) What non-verbal codes help to communicate meanings in the video?

 

The use of costume helps to reflect the working class men at the time. Also the expressionless faces help to reveal to the audience how people felt about social contexts at the time.

4) What does the factsheet suggest regarding the editing and camerawork? Pick out three key points that are highlighted here.

 

In one of the scenes in the video the camera is positioned in the car.

The buildings have a high angle making them seem superior.

The ending scene where rocks are thrown reveals despair.

5) What narrative theories can be applied to the video? Give details from the video for each one.

Todorovs theory of equilibrium can be shown as within the whole music video a sense of disequilibrium is seen as the members are unhappy with the unemployment rates.

6) How can we apply genre theory to the video?

 

Repetition and difference can be applied to the video as London is repeated and common uses of cinematography are repeated but the specials have taken their own comedic twist to Londons social contexts.

 

7) Now look at the Representations section. What are the different people, places and groups that are represented in the Ghost Town video? Look for the list on page 4 of the factsheet.

 

 

• ‘Thatcher’s Britain’
• The City
• Urban youth
• Race
• Masculinity

 

 

8) How can Gauntlett's work on collective identity be applied to the video?

 

In the video it is revealled that most of the masculine jobs have been taken over and due to the economic disruption at the time people especially men came together to form a collective identity.

9) How can gender theorists such as Judith Butler be applied to Ghost Town?

 

Judith Butler talks about gender as a performance and this can be seen in ghost town as the musicians can be seen performing brotherhood, solidarity ect.

10) Postcolonial theorists like Paul Gilroy can help us to understand the meanings in the Ghost Town music video. What does the factsheet suggest regarding this?

 

At the time black people werent really represented in the music scene therefore linking to the idea of double consciousness.