#80s costume Australia

[costumesinaustralia]

When it comes to fancy dress parties or themed events, few decades provide as much inspiration as the vibrant and eclectic 1980s. One iconic outfit that stands out and continues to capture imaginations is the Top Gun outfit. Whether you're channelling your inner Maverick or Goose, a Top Gun ensemble is a fantastic idea for an 80s costume, offering a blend of style, nostalgia, and undeniable coolness.

[darlinhutchence]

happy halloween from that time michael hutchence went as a slut

[busterkeatonholic]

Yahoo!

[nonasuch]

IT IS TIME: Miss Universe National Costume 2023

it's here! the Met Gala for people who actually understand what camp is!

yes I'm like 3 months late, but I sat down and watched the damn thing. I put up with the horrible little rhyming couplets for each contestant so you don't have to. and without further ado:

Albania: Starting off very Victoria’s Secret this year! Apparently it’s gold for important symbolism reasons, not just because everything in this competition is blinged out to within an inch of its life. The wings do look nice in motion!

Angola has a good balance of bling, actual cultural dress, and oh hey it has surprise bonus art on the back! That will be a theme this year.

Argentina: Why is there a guy in a hat right down at the bottom edge of her cape. He looks like he’s staring at her butt. How does this represent their flag.

Aruba: This is fine. I like the coral. She thinks climate change is bad. Her parrot is clearly way too heavy to hold up and it wobbles like crazy in motion.

Australia: This is now multiple years in a row that Australia has just worn a fucking prom dress. It’s got native wildflowers on. You could have made this exact same dress with a Great Barrier Reef theme and I would have liked it 80% more.

Bahamas: This costume is allegedly based on a 19th-century doll from the Bahamas “world famous straw market,” which is already bullshit; I googled “bahamas straw market antique doll” and like. they both have big skirts? I guess? Anyway now I’m too distracted by the way she has a hoop skirt awkwardly jammed under there and hiked up on one side. Minus ten for poor construction.

Bahrain's theme is “Bahrain’s pearl heritage,” which like. I guess? The headdress and yoke are pretty. Put more pearls on the actual outfit. Kudos for getting to wear pants.

Belgium: Girl. No. Why is your theme “Latin dance” and why are you wearing a spangly cocktail dress with a totally unrelated piece of fabric fluttering behind it? (Apparently the fabric was designed by a member of Belgium’s royal family? Who is a fashion designer? This is what nepotism gets you.)

Bolivia saw Aruba’s parrot and was like, I can do that better. And she was right! It’s way less wobbly and the costume as a whole does work better. Also made from recycled materials, so we’ll see if that’s a theme again this year. The back of the cape is nice too.

Sadly, Bolivia's parrot supremacy was short-lived, because Brazil was like, bitch please. I see your sad little parrots and raise you FOUR giant parrots, and also the shoulder parrots are articulated and can turn their heads back and forth. I think Brazil wins the parrot competition that only she knew she was in.

[thislovintime]

On tour, 1989. Photo credits as known: Cindy Andrew/Toronto Star via Getty Images, Cathy Whitehead, George Massina, Helen Pantuso.

“[Dolenz said, of a charity concert in London] 'We never mind doing anything for a good cause.’ Peter Tork carried on strumming on his guitar and Davy Jones (yes, he really is that small) relaxed the tense look on his face, briefly, to suggest that the song should be included in their forthcoming American tour. ‘It’s money for old rope,’ is how Micky Dolenz, who has the kind of face that could never look tense, summed up the group’s reformation.” - The Gazette, April 28, 1989 About the '80s tours stage costumes, designed and made by Peter's then-girlfriend Jennifer McLeod: Q: "[A]t what point did you begin making costumes for the Monkees?" Jennifer McLeod: "In 1987, in Australia. David Jones asked me if I would be interested. [...] I'd never really done anything for men before other than some stage costumes years ago. David asked me if I would be interested in doing the Monkees costumes for the '87 tour in the U.S. and I positively leapt at the chance. [...] I had [previously] made some clothes for Peter. [...] In '89, Micky and Trina specifically requested (tuxedo) tails... There was one sketch that I had done with tails. It had actually been done for David, and Micky said he would like tails too, so I modified a design I'd proposed for him and did it in tails." Q: "The Monkees could make changes and you wouldn't be insulted?" Jennifer McLeod: "No, not really. David, in '89, wanted a black version of the jacket I'd done for him in '87 with piano keys. So I did that. Peter came to me after he saw both Micky and Davy had black suits and said, 'I really want a black jacket as well.' So there was a certain give or take." - 16, May 1990

[newsatsix1986]

A promotional image of Rory Fleck Byrne as Gerry Carroll with his Tony Bartuccio Dancers from Decision 87 🌟

.

.

It still brings me so much joy that our second season opened up with a song and dance number. Watching Gerry and his dancers sing and dance to Aretha Franklin and George Michael's 'I Knew You Were Waiting For Me' was a joyous way to welcome in the season, after waiting two years for it. I now cannot listen to the song without thinking about Gerry!

Did you know that we weren't initially going to have a song and dance number to open the season? In a tweet that Michael Lucas wrote on the day Decision 87 first aired, he mentions that it wasn't present in early drafts of the episode script, however it was the suggestion to include the line "please thank the Tony Bartuccio Dancers" as an off-screen announcement from Emma Freeman that allowed for this nerdy joy to escalate beautifully! If you enjoyed the musical number, you have Emma Freeman to thank. What a legend! 👸🏻

It just happened to be a perfect nod to some real Australian pop culture history too. The variety show host Don Lane used to have the Tony Bartuccio Dancers on his Don Lane show, which went from 1975 to 1983. In this picture (a screengrab from a video uploaded by Oz Kitsch on their Twitter and Tik Tok pages) you can see Don with the dancers in his rendition of Billy Joel's 'Tell Her About It' from 1983. Look at that Lycra costuming glory! I love it! 😂

There are a few similarities between Gerry Carroll and Don Lane (1933 - 2009); both entertainers living in Australia who came from overseas, Gerry from Ireland and Don from America. They both host variety shows in the 1980s and they both love to include song and dance numbers in their programmes! The more you dig into Australian pop culture and history from the 1980s, the more you realise how bloody clever the showmakers of The Newsreader have been in their commitment to the era. Locate a cheesy 80s song and dance number to listen to today! 😉💖🎶🌟📺

[themakeupbrush]

Miss Universe Australia 2022 National Costume

Inspired by the paddlepop skies of Australia when the sun is setting over the ocean. Featuring hand dyed fabrics to gently create a beautiful sunset on the bodice of soft pinks, yellows, oranges. Cascading into a skirt that symbolizes the ocean in all its beauty. Beginning with sand to Soft blues, greens and frothy foam. Embellished with clusters of sparkle to bring out the theatrics of the national costume. Featuring a “Goddess” Style headpiece that represents the Sun. Creating this piece in over 80+ hours of dyeing, gathering and sewing and embellishing with crystals

[setthishouseablaze]

2023 Spotify Wrapped - Devils & Angels

The angel and devil figures are surrounded by a wild apple tree. Within Christianity The Tree of Knowledge has most often been represented as an apple tree, which places this pair of figures in The Garden of Eden, paradise. The devil in that parable is usually depicted in the form of a snake tempting Eve, the first woman.

The angel in white stands on top of a wedding cake. This visually links Cruel Summer "devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes" with the music video for "I bet you think about me" in which Taylor is the sole character in red while everybody else besides the groom is in white, and she flicks the grooms cake-topper off the cake leaving the bride to stand alone. So, is Taylor the devil in this scene? If so then is she tempting the angel-bride to sin?

Behind the pair a red eyed dragon with leaves for scales and gnarled bark for horns and teeth looms watching them. The angel has a heart-tipped arrow which is typical in depictions of Cupid and her bow aims at a pair of dice held by the devil.

There's a lyric from the 80's band Dragon, "snake eyes on a pair of dice" which was very frequently misheard as "snake eyes on paradise." The song, April Sun in Cuba, is described as "an escapist dream of escaping in search of greener pastures, against the backdrop of possible political disaster" [1]

Dragons also appear lyrically in Long Live, a song in which Taylor and the subject are fighting dragons, moving mountains, and she swears that one day they will be remembered. She also describes the subject as holding their head up like a hero in that song, in contrast to the way she describes herself in the song Anti-Hero.

The devil throws the dice into the air and at the last moment the angel shifts her aim down ready to shoot the devil instead of the dice.

The next shot of the pair is the final scene before the scroll up to the stars, in it the angel changes her mind a second time and takes aim at the dice once more while the devil, now facing camera forward, dances. The angel never actually lets loose an arrow. Nor does she roll her eyes. :P To dance with the devil is to do something risky or immoral but the devil here is dancing alone. The angel is poised to shoot but uncertain whether to shoot down 'paradise' or to shoot the 'temptress' in the end she hasn't made a decision, interestingly she never even looks at the dragon let alone takes aim at it.

The scene plays out on Taylor's right shoulder next to the wrist that displays friendship bracelets spelled out in bi-pride coloured letter beads: Cruel Summer, Anti Hero, Karma, and August.

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/feb/14/scott-morrisons-ukulele-rendition-of-april-in-the-sun-in-cuba-labelled-cynical-by-band-behind-1977-hit

Edited to add: more thoughts because can't stop won't stop:

In media having an angel & devil on your shoulder are representations of your conscience and temptation, an inner conflict. And in the I Bet You Think About Me music video TS is shown in both red and white costumes: as a scorned party, and as the bride. So both the angel and devil characters may be read as aspects of TS herself. One (facet of the mirror-ball) who wants to take a risk to stay in paradise and dance, and another facet who wants to be 'pure' (white dresses in weddings represent virginity,) and get married. Is the angel/bride shooting down paradise, or shooting for paradise? The devil/temptresses intentions might be risky but that doesn't make them evil. Why is the tip of the arrow a heart? To be struck by Cupids arrow is to fall in love, so is the angel/bride trying to make the devil/temptress fall in love with her?

Snakes in Christianity are symbolic of Satan, but in the TS universe snakes are a symbol of having a bad reputation. Is the risk of the dice roll a loss of reputation? Is the angel/bride threatening the devil and getting married in white to protect her reputation?

Both characters wear face-paint to partially obscure their features in keeping with the overall theme of the art-work, however, the angels face is far less concealed than the devils. Despite the effort at concealment the devil turns to look at the observer. This may be linked to how exposed she feels each facet of herself has been in the fish-bowl of the public sphere.

Whatever the turmoil is it is unresolved at the end of the clip.

[costumesinaustralia]

Are you and your mate gearing up for a themed bash and stuck on what to wear? Nothing screams fun like a dive back into the flamboyant 1980s, a time of bold fashion and even bolder attitudes. If you’re aiming to stand out at your next party, why not don your best 80s couple costume shellsuits? They're perfect for a bit of nostalgic flair and guaranteed to be a hit.

[darlinhutchence]

michael hutchence + halloween costumes

[eileentothestars]

A RANDOM AMERICAN’S THOUGHTS ON 2023 EUROVISION SONGS

Albania -- I never know what Albania is doing but they always look so interesting while doing it

Ukraine -- I feel like I’m kicking a puppy for saying this but I couldn’t quite get into it. I think the skips in the music kept throwing me off

Belgium -- Took one look at the person’s costume and could not hit play fast ENOUGH

Norway -- Is it the banana wolf song? No. Do I support it and She Queen of the Kings 1000 percent? You bet.

Slovenia -- I can dig it

Spain -- I like the vibe and the aesthetic more than the song

Czechia -- 1) What 2) This is Toy but grim and gritty 3) What

Latvia -- They just slapped a bunch of sounds together, stole Elena Kagan’s hair, and called it a day

Denmark -- I’m a sucker for retro stuff but that autotune is making me violent

Croatia -- 100/10, completely deranged, will listen again

Romania -- Why is that person wearing Beetlejuice pants at a kinky strip club

Malta -- Epic Sax Guy 2.0

Estonia -- I am now launching the Estonia Don’t Be Boring challenge

France -- Didn’t know I was into the 1930s disco steampunk aesthetic

Lithuania -- C’mon, you gave us the Roop and now this is your entry?

Italy -- So brave of this guy to sing a ballad as aliens are about to abduct him

Australia -- They aren’t bad this year???

Finland -- Didn’t need you to tell me this was Finland’s entry, we could all tell

San Marino -- I see they’ve decided to be subtle this year

The Netherlands -- Kind of a mood actually

Poland -- Low-energy Ariana knockoff, no thanks

Germany -- “Blood and Glitter” should be Eurovision’s new motto, I can’t believe Germany did something right this year

Serbia -- Did I say the Netherlands was a mood? I meant THIS is a mood

Austria -- This is the greatest thing I’ve ever witnessed. Just give them the prize now, please. “What the heck is this about” indeed

Ireland -- Getting heavy ‘80s soundtrack vibes, which is to say I like it more than it probably deserves

Israel -- I’m curious to see how she turns into a centaur onstage. Also, ma’am, with all due respect, who dressed you this morning

Switzerland -- This is the same person from last time but with a deeper voice

United Kingdom -- Oh that ‘dai dai dai’ got old real fast

Moldova -- Perfect as always 10/10 no notes

Latvia -- Thanks I hate it

Iceland -- Never quite came together for me, but I do like her energy and the ‘80s chorus

Cyprus -- Thanks for the Imagine Dragons impersonation

Sweden -- Dang Sweden brought out the big guns

Portugal -- So glad Harley Quinn made it to Eurovision this year

Greece -- “Sad boy angsting in leaking basement” is not really my thing

Azerbaijan -- Now that is how you ascot

Armenia -- Did absolutely nothing for me

Georgia -- She looks like she’s wearing milk. I don’t know how to explain it other than that.

[bigbutchtalks]

Big Butch Talks Movies: Mad Max 1979

Movie first watched 9/28/23.

“Mad Max” directed by George Miller

General likes -> costuming is probably my Number One like in this movie (absolutely leathertastic!!) homoeroticism, stuntwork/action, use of budget, worldbuilding given with small budget, some of the dialogue, 70s/80s movie dialogue use of slang and nicknames, the Wild West/knight allusions/general vibe, (not as specific to the movie itself moreso this era) the way the characters were very human and while theatrical, still believable and grounded. The crazy revenge violence enacted by Max

Not-so-General dislikes -> threatened or explicit violence against women was a constant in this movie, one could argue that violence is a constant in this movie but the misogyny and sexual assault both explicit and threatened was very hard for me to stomach (crazy fake car crashes and explosions were easily stomached), also the way the Villainous Biker Gang was portrayed seemed very purposefully homosexual and such, in my opinion as a lesbian, definitely came across in a homophobic manner. However this was remedied in part by how homoerotic the cops were portrayed in their interactions. (As such, I welcome my gay brethren’s opinions.) The fact that Mel Gibson who sucks majorly was the main character sucked but thankfully we as the audience didn’t really need to like him to watch. The motive of Toecutter’s gang was mediocre, if one of your dudes purposefully antagonizes the apocalypticops they’re gonna die, don’t involve randos, though as evil maniacs, I guess such a motive makes perfect sense.

Things I think could’ve been done better (aka my time to complain) -> worldbuilding, I think this was done passably for the genre, era and budget however some of the detail (or lack thereof) was confusing (this may be my fault as it was very late at night), female characters that weren’t assault fodder (though I loved the efforts of the auntie and I thought Max’s wife did her best to protect herself) ableism, sadly this seems very common in this era of film but the “Benno” character added literally nothing but a jumpscare and then what I assume to be something to laugh at. (The same effect for the jumpscare could’ve been achieved with a scarecrow, a mannequin, sculpture, tree etc etc.) I would’ve liked some backstory on Toecutter, why was he such a freak, was his gang a sect of a larger one? Is his name literal? Should I bleach my hair like his? Where does he shop? You know, normal questions I’m sure many have. An Actual Grievance I have not relative to misogyny or homophobia is the fact that (to my knowledge) the version available on streaming is the American Dub that for some genuinely insane reason, dubs over the main villain to be much less impactful than the actor actually achieved, apparently the choice is regretted but like, tough, I’d like to have the other version be available? I could’ve somehow been shown the non American version but doubt it bc the dubbing/dialogue seemed to frequently be badly synced and Toecutter’s accent seemed static.

Detailed Synopsis (INCLUDES SPOILERS) -> In the not-so-distant future Australia, the world is changed. Criminals who dress like they’re going to a dungeon party in the 90s roam the “wasteland” and they love doing upsetting things but don’t worry, homoerotic cop duos dressed in leather will drive very very fast and car-crash all of us into safety <3. The main character is Max, a young cop with a wife and toddler and a really really cute dog (do not get attached to anyone in this movie except maybe Max’s sweetass car) bc he’s great at driving fast he causes the violent death of Nightrider and his unnamed gf no one cares abt apparently. Because of this, the gang Nightrider was involved in, promises violent revenge on those involved, and hey, why not, random civilians. Goose, Max’s actually charming buddy gets charbroiled, Max gets targeted and decides to go on a road trip, I’m sure the highly mobile maniac motorcycle gang will move on, (sadly, I am being sarcastic, this does not end well.) Violence is done, Max returns it in kind, barely able to walk but delivering some fantastic torturous murders.

Ending thoughts -> would I recommend it? Honestly? Not that much, only after researching the warnings. Would I watch it again? Maybe. Did I enjoy parts of it? Yes. Did I strongly dislike a lot of it? Yeppie. Is the leather making me want a wardrobe rejuvenation? 100 percent!

[popblank]

Eurovision Semifinal 2 viewing notes: 

Haha, the pre-show screen is displaying “GOOD TO GO!” I am both amused and annoyed that the new guy’s catchphrase might be growing on me.

Denmark, Reiley, “Breaking My Heart” – For a song where so much of it is in his upper register, his voice is not particularly strong there.  

Oh look it’s Daði Freyr in the green room.

Armenia, Brunette, “Future Lover” – Very cool staging, really good use of lights and projections. Sounded good as well.

Romania, Theodor Andrei, “D.G.T (Off and On)” – Theodor Andrei looks like quite the theater kid. Glad they went in a different direction than the national final performance though I am not sure if it presents the song to its best advantage.

Estonia, Alika, “Bridges” – Very good singing. Another uncomplicated staging that relies heavily on the performer and she is carrying it well.

Belgium, Gustaph, “Because of You” – I like that the backing singers are prominently featured onstage and in the performance. Very solid though I can’t remember the song when it’s done.

Scooch! I have much warmer feelings toward them than I do for Dustin the Turkey.

Cyprus, Andrew Lambrou, “Broken Heart” – I see we’re steadily moving along on the spectrum of masculine presentation in this semifinal. Seems like vocals are much stronger overall tonight so far, though I do hear a noticeable backing singer in parts.

Iceland, Diljá, “Power” – Hmm, started well, but she started at 99% and kept turning things up. It’s a very physical performance which feels just a little bit out of control.

Greece, Victor Vernicos, “What They Say” – Greece feels rather similar to Iceland in terms of performance, except with a little more anxiety.  The outfit makes him look his age.

Poland, Blanka, “Solo” – It was better than expected, I guess.

Slovenia, Joker Out, “Carpe Diem” – I had a lingering headache before this show and the wobbly side-to-side camera work here is not helping. Singing was good, but it was hard to watch.

Georgia, Iru, “Echo” – Her costuming and styling looks good. It was very dramatic (as expected) but the song has a odd lack of momentum. The chorus gets old quickly.

San Marino, Piqued Jacks, “Like An Animal” – The performance seems to be leaning a bit into the sleaziness which is probably not a bad approach, especially since the lead singer sings well and manages to pull off "sleazy” without straying into “creepy.”

Austria, Teya & Salena, “Who the Hell is Edgar?” – I like the color scheme.  They sound very good singing together and I usually like it when the LED displays are used to create the effect of having lots of backing dancers.

Albania, Albina & Familja Kelmendi, “Duje” – As songs performed by vocal groups at Eurovision go, this is pretty decent, is refreshingly straightforward in its concept, and seems extremely Albanian.

Lithuania, Monika Linkyté, “Stay” – The chorus has a nice swing, and I just like the sound of a group of women singing (see also: Portugal 2022). Improves upon the official video performance.

Australia, Voyager, “Promise” – The songs may or may not be better tonight, but the average vocal performance in this semi with only a few exceptions seems to be far and away better than in the first semifinal (and Australia is one of the better ones).  Not sure about the car but it does seem to fit with the cheesy neon ‘80s vibe.

Interval act: I think this may be the first time in years of watching Eurovision when I would have liked a commentator to provide background details.  It was enjoyable but I would like to put some names to the historical faces.

Hannah Waddingham seems to be having a great time as a host.

That was a fun performance, yet I can’t help but be reminded that fearful and narrow-minded people in many US states would like to make that illegal.

I can hardly believe they even thought about doing the finalist announcements on stage, and am very glad they reconsidered. I do not want to see the cameras wringing pathos from images of disappointed non-qualifiers, and I absolutely do want to see the joy of a contestant being engulfed in hugs and flags by their delegation.

[thankstothe]

1. Denmark. Literal child? Voice doesn't have enough power to hit those notes. Like that pink to green change on stage

I SEE THE DADI FREYR IN THE BG OMG ICELAND BABY (btw did they bleach their flag?)

2. Armenia. Laying on the floor. Classic. Somewhat continued pink theme at start. The thing I love, no sarcasm, is that sometimes you can't tell if they actually sing in English. Oh it wasn't a floor, it was a wall. Revolutionary.

Ew, showing Beatles statues. Have to shove your famous boys against a poet and clowns? This is why no one likes you UK

3. Romania. Oh let's go, native language, cool voice, pink suit, playing with genres. This is why im here. Staging is a letdown, you could literally just follow with the camera on foot.

4. Estonia. Oh piano plays itself, no fire yet. Now she plays it. I hope it ends with piano retaliation and attack. Average ballad and in English, boring. Go off piano, love that it has a mic too.

5. Belgium. Pink is back, yas. Love asymmetrical hat. Okay back up vocals have more power that main man, like damn, turn them up! Kinda like that low beat. Fun.funfun

Graham yooo, the only uk host im excited to see in final. So weird to see him and hear him at the same time lmao.

6. Cyprus. wooo. Didn't get memo for the pink theme. woooOOOooo. English, but accent is thick so I'll take it. wooooOoOoO. Gets some shoes boy, barefoot look didn't add shit. I wonder how warm is the floor tho, lights and all the pyre prob heats it up good. Woooo

7. Iceland. Everyone shut up its iceland. Im biased. Laying on the floor, brilliant move. Oh red lining in the coat, great. Some pink light's so were in the clear there too. Asserting more dominance over the floor and laying on in some more. She jacked, wow. Good voice. Song? I felt nothing.

8. Greece. Laying on the floor. Waiting for the pink to cross it off my list. Oh no your voice isn't there to jump or even move and sing, sorry. Also no pink. ФEELINGS. Why are you doing that with that alphabet shuffle. Causing me pain, that's what. Do that with sung word and we'll talk.

9. Poland. Pink hell yah. This is makes me have flashbacks to the 00s radio. Everything, voice dance, costumes, underwhelming. Oh so her dress was shitty because it was hiding another dress and not 00s reference? Makes sense. Fuego attempt, sorry you're not HER

10. Slovenia. Not English + nasty bass, okay boys! Some pink clothing. Raided their parents closet from 80s. Can't pinpoint the high singer sadly.

11. Georgia. I was excited that she was yelling at me and then she stopped... Obsessed with the instrumentals. Pink appears on the screens briefly, if you care. Amazing voice, blew the dress away.

WELSH FLAG YES BITCH

What is that actor forgor here, he's not here to talk about anything substantial I bet. Alluding to Ukraine, not even head on mention, are you kidding me?

12. San Marino. Rocky. What's with the sound mixing this year, they let this one down. Oh eyes on the walls, ok. Laying on the floor gives you some kind of points, at least I can have list. No pink, but there was like only red.

13. Austria. Okay fun start, go queens! Very interesting vocal turns and melodies. Staging is immaculate! Costumes are great. UGH. Edgar lmao. A lot of red, we moving the spectrum it seems.

14. Albania. I swear Albania sent this before. Sorry, deja vu is insane for me here. Flashing aggressive red lights solidified spectrum change. Native language is an automatic W. Wait, I thought the limit was 5 people on stage, they had 6.

15. Lithuania. Pink and red, bold choice, bringing it all together. Okay more of a purple and orange, shut up. Back up is overpowering her when they sing chorus, at least it mixed better.

16. Australia. Oh I liked thier postcard bridge. Doing interesting thing with camera, lights. Some pink and red. Oh was that a brief breakdown, alrighty. Crisp guitars and synth. Ending with headbang, very energetic!

Pretty fun semifinals overall

[zainabsmusicblog]

Culture Club - The War Song

Today I wanted to talk about a very famous and influential band of the 1980s: Culture Club. They are best known for their songs 'Karma Chameleon', 'Do You Really Want to Hurt Me', or ‘The War Song’. For this week’s post, I am going to focus on the last one. ‘The war Song’ was released in 1984, and quickly became popular: it reached the top 10 in many countries, such as Australia or Ireland for example. According to Boy George, the lead singer of the band, the song has “patronizing lyrics and a brain-curdling melody.”

The song was written in the context of the cold war, but Boy George is also influenced by the political situation of his own country at that time, namely a period of miners' strike between 1984 and 1985.    In my post, I will address two different points of this song: In a first part, I will quickly describe the lyrics of the song as well as the melody and see how it is related to the chapter ‘politics’ of the Negus, and in a second part I will focus on the music video, with the idea of ‘glamorization of war’.

To begin with, the lyrics of the song are quite simple to understand, and very explicit: 

War, war is stupid, and people are stupid And love means nothing in some strange quarters War, war is stupid, and people are stupid And I heard them banging on hearts and fingers

In addition to the lyrics that could be described as simplistic, the melody is quite playful and childlike. Boy George explains that their goal with these lyrics and this melody was to sing against the different events related to war in the world. The band is not talking about a specific conflict, but about conflicts in a more general way. It is therefore possible to link this song to the chapter 'politics' that we recently studied in class. Indeed, the band expresses its point of view very clearly in this song, and in a very explicit way. These simple lyrics will often be criticized by the public who will compare the song to other anti-militarist songs of the 80s, with deeper lyrics, such as ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ by U2, or ’99 Luftballons’ by Nena for example.

Now, I will focus on the idea of glamorization of war. Glamorization can be interpreted as making something more 'aesthetic'. In our case, we will deal with the idea of glamorizing war. Is war really glamorized? This was the opinion of Culture Club, and more precisely of Boy George. In an interview, he explained that young children should not watch and enjoy Star Wars, because, according to him, these movies show a 'glamorized' or 'glorified' aspect of war. It is thus this idea of the glamorization of the war that the group denounces, this time thanks to the video: It begins with images of a city destroyed by the war, with ruined buildings. Then suddenly, models start to parade in the middle of all this destruction. The images alternate between fashion show and real images showing the horrors of war, in black and white. One of the most important images of this video is at the end: when a hundred children parading, wearing a skeleton costume. With this image, the goal of the band is to denounce the horrors of war, and the number of innocent children killed by it. Thus, it is linked to the message against the glamorization of the war. This idea of using images to convey a message can be linked to the chapter 'mediation' of the Negus, in addition to 'politics'. One might also wonder what kind of video this is: according to Goodwin, there are three ways of linking videos and sounds: illustration (when the video illustrates the lyrics of the song), amplification (when it amplifies the lyrics of the song), and disjuncture (when the video has no direct link with the lyrics). In my opinion, this is an example of amplification since the video amplifies the message of the song and adds an idea to it.

Indeed, we still have the idea that ‘War is stupid, and people are stupid’ but it is amplified by the idea that also, according to the band, there is often a glamorization of war, especially through the media pr through television.

[biographygen]

Keanu Reeves Biography Height Age Family Girlfriend and Net Worth

Keanu Reeves born on 2 September 1964 is a Canadian actor and musician. Throughout his four-decade career on screen, he has received numerous accolades. In 2020, The New York Times named him the fourth greatest actor of the twenty-first century, and in 2022, Time magazine named him one of the world's 100 most influential people. Reeves is well-known for his leading roles in action films, his friendly public image, and his philanthropic work. Full NameKeanu Charles ReevesNet Worth$380 MillionDate Of Birth2 September 1964Age60 YearsGenderMaleHeight6 Foot 1 Inches

Keanu Reeves Biography/Life Story

Keanu Reeves was born on September 2, 1964, and is 60 years old as of 2024. He is from a working-class family in Beirut, Lebanon. He was born in Beirut and grew up in New York. He holds Canadian citizenship. He graduated from the Etobicoke School of the Arts. He was expelled from there and attended Avondale Secondary Alternative School before dropping out of high school. He later attended De La Salle College, where he played a lot of ice hockey. He moved to Los Angeles when he was 17 and obtained a green card through his American stepfather. He also worked at the Hedgerow Theatre in Pennsylvania. He also appeared in a play titled Damn Yankees. Full NameKeanu Charles ReevesProfessionActor, Producer, Writer and DirectorPhysical Height Eye Color Hair Color 6 Foot 1 Inches Brown BrownWeight72 KGDate Of Birth2 September 1964Age60 YearsNet Worth$380 MillionNationalityAmerican, Canadian and BritishHometownBeirutBirthplaceBeirut, LebanonFamous RoleTed ‘Theodore’ Logan in FilmHigh SchoolEtobicoke School of arts, Toronto, Canada Avondale Secondary Alternative School, Toronto, CanadaCollegeDe La Salle College, CanadaEducation QualificationHigh School DiplomaZodiac SignVirgoCurrently Live InNew York, United StatesYears Active1984 – PresentMarital StatusUnmarriedParents Name: Father Mother Samuel Nowlin Reeves, Jr.Brother SisterN/A Kim Reeves Emma Reeves Karina MillerGirlfriendAlexandra Grant China Chow (Ex) Brenda Davis (Ex) Jennifer Syme (Ex)

Keanu Reeves Net Worth 2024

Keanu Reeves also known as is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Keanu total assets in 2024 is $380 million. He began his career in Coca-Cola commercials and small television appearances before going on to star in popular and critically acclaimed films such as The Matrix franchise, The John Wick series, and others like The Devil's Advocate, Sweet November, and so on. He is a sought-after actor in Hollywood and a major player in the American film and television industry. He also appears in the Swedish Dicks television series. He enjoys music and previously led a band called Dogstar. Throughout their ten-year career, they released two albums. Income SourceEstimated EarningsActing (Film & TV)$250 millionFilm Royalties$80 millionEndorsements & Sponsorships$30 millionOther Ventures$20 million

Keanu Reeves Height & Weight

Keanu Reeves is a handsome man with an appealing sassy personality. He is 5 feet and 10 inches tall and weighs approximately 72 kilograms. He has a hot physique and impressive body measurements. He has brown hair and stunning brown eyes.

Keanu Reeves Family

Keanu Reeves' parents are Samuel Nowlin Reeves Jr. and Patricia Taylor. Keanu father is Samuel Nowlin Reeves, Jr., a businessman by profession. Patricia Taylor, Keanu mother, is a professional costume designer. Keanu Reeves Mother

He eventually abandoned his wife when Keanu was only three years old. Keanu and his mother then relocated to Australia, after which MD moved to New York and married Paul Aaron. She got married twice more after that. Nannies frequently cared for Keanu and his sisters.

Keanu Reeves Sister

He has three siblings. His sister’s name are Kim Reeves, Emma Reeves and Karina Miller. Karina Miller

Kim Reeves

Emma Reeves

Keanu Reeves Early Life

Keanu Reeves was born September 2, 1964, in Beirut, Lebanon, to an English mother and a Hawaiian-American father. Reeves' mother was working in Beirut when she met his father, a geologist who earned his GED while serving time in Hawaii for selling heroin at Hilo International Airport. Reeves' father abandoned his family when Keanu was only three years old. Keanu spent his childhood traveling the world as his costume designer mother worked and married multiple times. Reeves' childhood and adolescence were not particularly stable. Reeves spent time in Sydney, Australia, and New York City before moving to Toronto with his family.

Keanu Reeves Highest Grossing Movie

- The Matrix (1999) - Speed (1994) - Parenthood (1989) - Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) - The Matrix Reloaded (2003) - Dangerous Liaisons (1988) - Something's Got to Give (2003) - John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) - Matrix Revolutions (2003) - Toy Story 4 (2019).

Keanu Reeves Career/Profession

Keanu Reeves began his profession in small roles on Canadian television, commercials, and stage productions before making his big screen debut in 1986 with Youngblood. He then landed several co-starring roles, including a larger role in the critically acclaimed film Rivers Edge. Reeves achieved unexpected box office success with the 1989 smash hit Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, which grossed more than $40 million domestically. Reeves went on to star in a number of major and independent films, including the drama Point Break and the indie cult favorite My Own Private Idaho.

Hobbies

- Keanu enjoys playing ice hockey. He had a dream of becoming a professional hockey player. - He enjoys riding motorcycles. Keanu has a collection of cool bikes. - Reading books is another one of Keanu's favorite activities. He enjoys learning new things. - Keanu enjoys playing music. He used to be in a band called Dogstar. - Traveling to new places excites Keanu. He enjoys exploring new cultures. - Keanu also enjoys spending time with his friends and family, doing fun things together.

Keanu Reeves Status

His marital status is unmarried. He is currently in a relationship with Alexandra Grant. 

Keanu Reeves Girlfriend

Alexandra Grant

Keanu Reeves' current girlfriend is visual artist Alexandra Grant, whom he has been dating since 2019. The couple's first public appearance as an item occurred that same year, after being together in secret for several months. Keanu first met Alexandra in 2009, and the two have collaborated on several projects since then. Alexandra has illustrated two of Keanu's books: Ode to Happiness (2011) and Shadows (2016). They also co-own X Artists Books, which they established in 2017. Keanu and Alexandra became best friends through their work, and then they went on to become romantic. Jennifer Syme (Ex)

Keanu Reeves started dating Jennifer Syme, a Hollywood production assistant, in the late 1990s after meeting her at an after-party for his rock band Dog Star. The couple immediately connected and fell in love, becoming pregnant with their first child shortly after their first meeting When the item was expecting their child, the baby was stillborn eight months into Jennifer's pregnancy, which they discovered on Christmas Eve 1999. Keanu and Jennifer's relationship couldn't cope with post-natal depression and the grief of losing their child, so they split. Q1. How did Keanu Reeves get famous?Ans. Keanu Reeves rose to prominence with his role in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, and he cemented his status as a superstar with The Matrix trilogy.Q2. Keanu Reeves' net worth in 2024?Ans. By 2024, Keanu Reeves' net worth is expected to be around $380 million.Q3. What are some of Keanu Reeves' most recognizable films?Ans. Keanu Reeves' most well-known films include The Matrix trilogy, the John Wick series, Speed, and Point Break.Q4. Is Keanu Reeves currently married?Ans. No, Keanu Reeves is currently single and has never been married.Q5. Keanu Reeves girlfriend name?Ans. Keanu Reeves has a girlfriend named Alexandra Grant. Also Read: - Steven Tyler Height, Age, Children, Girlfriend, Family and Wife, Net Worth, Biography - Mayuko Kawakita Biography, Height, Age, Family, Boyfriend and Net Worth - Tulsi Gabbard Husband Age Height Net Worth Ethnicity Read the full article