Guilty Pleasures

Despite being a long time lover of The Killers, their most famous song has often been regarded as overplayed by many, however it still remains to be one of my favourite songs ever released. 

Usually, I do not like to follow the latest music trends or even the mainstream music such as Calvin Harris, never the less, despite being more indie rock than DJ Pop, Mr Brightside is a song that has been played so many times it has become part of the mainstream culture because almost everyone has heard it.

For the video, the target audience is obviously fans of The Killers but also those who are quite partial to an almost Moulin Rouge style love affair, with two men competing over the same girl, only to end up with neither of them having her, in this jazzy melodramatic old-world setting.
The setting of this video is likely to appeal to the Mainstream audience because it is set in Paris, which is such an iconic and famous place that is associated with love. However the set design, being over the top and so glitzy and glamorous may appeal to the aspirer because it looks so expensive, which is something the aspirer may desire. However the glitz and glamour appears to mask the context, which is that the setting is just a brothel, filled with prostitutes and ran by a very wealthy man.
This challenges the safety needs and the love and belonging needs of the audience. The safety needs are challenged because, judging by the clothes all the characters are wearing, it's set in the past, maybe in the 1900's and prostitution and disease was rife, so the audience may feel threatened by the fact all these prostitutes could be riddled with diseases. Love and belonging needs are also challenged because prostitutes are seen to be these degrading creatures that cannot be loved and only show any affection and receive any affection through their job. They are typically seen to have a stream of lovers, yet not one that stays and remains to love them, which is what most of us desire to have in our life.

My reading of the text was that it was a classic fairytale with a realistic ending to show that fairytale-style love does not exist. The pale porcelain girl (The Princess) is idolised by Brandon Flowers (The Protagonist) but is under the rule of the rich man, who we assume owns the brothel (The antagonist). We always want the hero to have the happy ending and get the girl. which is how it happens in most fairy-tales,  films and stories. Throughout the story, we see the Protagonist and the Princess have a few passionate and romantic moments, but not as many as we see shared between the Princess and the Antagonist, and by the end the Protagonist doesn't get the girl anyway. This is realistic because not all love stories have happy ending like in fairy tales.
I enjoy this because it challenges my expectations, because I always expect the Princess and the Protagonist to live happily ever after, since that is what has drummed into me by classic Disney films, from an early age. But I also enjoy it because it's true to life and it sends a message that 'It is okay, of we don't end up with the one because we can move on'. Which is symbolised by the fact Brandon Flowers walks away from her at the end, presumably to move on with his life and love interest.