Music Video: The Specials - Ghost Town CSP

 Music Video: The Specials - Ghost Town CSP

Background and historical contexts

Read this excellent analysis from The Conversation website of the impact Ghost Town had both musically and visually. Answer the following questions

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

It combines elements of cinematic soundtracks and the British music hall tradition, which work together to create a powerful sense of tension in the song.

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

2 Tone music developed as a blend of the Mod and Punk subcultures, taking influences from both and merging them to form a new style

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

In 1981, the UK was deep in recession, with high unemployment and urban riots breaking out in cities like London, Birmingham, Leeds, and Liverpool. These protests reflected the frustration of young people from disadvantaged communities.

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

I think the low lighting and shadows contribute to the unsettling mood, creating a chilling, ghostly atmosphere, and the eeriness can also be seen throughout the setting of the empty streets.

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 writer argues that the video is more than just a ska song; it’s a protest against social inequality and a show for lost opportunities. It shows the anger of young people who feel abandoned. I agree, as the setting of the video clearly shows emptiness, which symbolises the abandonment and void of almost everything.

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


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

The article highlights how industrial decline was hitting hard in cities like Coventry, leading to mass unemployment. This economic struggle turned in violent riots that erupted across the country shortly after the song came out.

3) How did The Specials reflect an increasingly multicultural Britain?
The Specials embodied multicultural Britain throughout by depicting different races.

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

Gilroy's ideas on the Black Atlantic and cultural hybridity are reflected in "Ghost Town" through its fusion of musical styles and multicultural band composition, challenging postcolonial narratives and highlighting diasporic influences in British culture.

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?

John Barry was known for composing iconic film score , especially for the James Bond series.

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 factsheet says the mise-en-scene reflects a British social realist style. The setting is an abandoned, decaying urban environment, which conveys a sense of hopelessness.

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

The lighting mirrors horror films through its eerie, low-key look. In the car, the band is illuminated by dim, torch-like lighting, giving the scene a haunting atmosphere.

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

The band’s expressions are blank and emotionless, and their rigid movements make them look zombie-like. This make them also loook lifeless, which contrasts the chaotic scene where they all move frantically.

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

Low-angle and establishing shots in the early scenes make the city seem threatening and unwelcoming.

The editing uses day and night shots to create a disorienting, dreamlike feeling.

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

Todorov’s narrative theory applies:

• Equilibrium: The band aimlessly drives through the city, searching for something to do.

• Disequilibrium: They travel through an abandoned, broken environment, highlighting the city’s decay.

• New equilibrium: They end up at the riverbank, throwing stones, accepting the futility of their situation.

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

The video links with social realism and protest genres. It highlights working-class struggles in a time of economic hardship.

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.

Working-class men, urban decay and empty space, a group of musicians, and youth.

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

Gauntlett’s theory suggests that the video reflects the collective identity of young, working-class men during a period of uncertainty.

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

Butler’s theory of gender as performance is visible in the band’s behavior. The men adopt traditionally masculine traits of toughness and a lack of emotions.

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?

The factsheet says the video supports Gilroy’s view that music can unite people across racial and cultural lines