AN - Music Video Deconstruction 3: The Joker

Name of Song: The Joker
Artist: Fatboy Slim
Year: 2004
Genre: Rock
Director: Unknown



Fatboy Silm aka Norman Quentin Cook, is a British DJ and record producer. He is best known for being one of the pioneer's of the electronic dance genre that obtained popularity during the 90's. The Joker, was originally a 1973 song by the Steve Miller Band. However during the year of 2004, Fatboy Slim reworked on the song for his 2004 single, Palookaville.

• The video focuses on narrative and concept because the video shows a day in the life of a single person, however instead of people, there are cats. This is done to add a surreal effect to the video and apparently, Fatboy Slim added the cats because the video was originally made for the artist's girlfriend.
• The song also has no relevance for the video besides from the cat in the jester hat.
• Close ups and high angles are used throughout the video to show the cuteness of the cats.
• The protagonist cat is wearing a jester's hat. Maybe this signifies the cat as being the joker, the title of the video refers to, as well as the song's lyrics.
• Camera panning used to show the "cat" city and it's facilities.
• Cat's wearing clothes similar to human clothes, such as police hats, builder's hats and boxing gloves.
• Cat's riding around in cars to make them look human.
• Newborn kitten used to depict a homeless person.
• The cat's dealing "catnip", symbolises drug dealers dealing drugs with each other. This sequence also signifies that the protagonist cat's lifestyle as being a "druggie".
• Fast paced editing of the protagonist licking his paw and walking through the graveyard, in contrast to the rest of the video which is mostly made up of long takes.
• Distorted clip of the cats playing is used to signify that the protagonist is high after taking the catnip.
• Intertexual reference to the artist himself via the lit up sign.
• Fast paced editing also used for the two main protagonists beating up the bodyguards at the party.
• High angle panning used to show all of the cats at the party.
• Cat spinning on the deck, used to give a comic effect.