Talking Heads: Psycho Killer

Of all the greatest hits of Talking Heads, "Psycho Killer" was the one that got away for not having a music video made at the time of its release, the band's debut album in 1977. But now, one has been made and what a joyful, incredible and highly interesting video that was. Destined to be included in a mental note of the greatest music videos of all time, and bear in mind that the Heads had lots of them since they were one of the musical groups that cared a lot about their sound and visual, delivering memorable and powerful artistic creations that cause impact with audiences. And this one, directed by Mike Mills (of many other videos and the feature "Beginners") and starring Saoirse Ronan ("Lady Bird"), will not leave you unimpressed despite a very simple idea with its presentation that somehow fits with the song's idea - depending on how you tend to interpret it.

The basics: Saoirse is the hard-working young woman who goes through a series of routines during her day-in, day-out: driving to work; then at work with colleagues and bosses; at home with her boyfriend; venting with her therapist; sun goes up and down, moon goes up and down. Cleanse and repeat, with subtle variations of happiness, craziness, angry, fear, discomfort, anxiety, and everything feels like an endless spinning wheel with audiences keep waiting for something drastic to happen or something that can make that lady stop for a while. It's not just following her daily life that goes repetitive, the settings of it all were all shot in the exact same scheme, the camera does not move from frame to frame, showcasing the echoes of a routine - the details within each shot change: the character moods, clothing, reactions. And all of those moments and descriptions allow Saoirse Ronan to deliver a wide variety of expressions and actions (that were probably fun to shoot), and one of the best clip performances of all time.

It's not like Mr. Mills have invented the fire of music videos, but it gives us the impression that an explosion was created and it feels unique despite a commercial idea being shown. Films, shorts, advertising and even music videos used that notion and I can't even mention them all. Perhaps the use of "Psycho Killer" with such concept was the key factor that allowed me a heightened perception of life, reality, routines and how little by little people can cross the thin line between sanity and insanity, or maybe that all of us have a crazy and wild side that sometimes come to surface. This video took me out from the typical interpreation one can make about the song (the inner thoughts of a serial killer) without going too distant from the original idea. At the center, music and video are combined with the idea of a person having a mental breakdown and the potential outcome for dangerous acts. I loved it because it shattered the cemented ideas I had about the song, gave me a different perspective about it that feels more relatable, plus the cinematic experience that was greatly filmed, greatly acted and put together, very fun to watch and sing along. 10/10.

Talking Heads' song "Psycho Killer" came out in 1977, but for some reason, we only recently got an official music video for it. Well, to be fair, music videos weren't common in the '70s. Still, it's been a very long time. I love the song and I thought this video was a nice surprise. It's about a woman's daily routine. Every day, she wakes up, goes to work, and comes home. She soon starts to behave strangely. The woman is played by Saoirse Ronan and she gives an excellent performance. The video actually isn't very violent. I'd say it's only mildly violent and that's fine.

The editing is pretty quick, but I didn't find it distracting. It felt appropriate. The video is also definitely well-shot. I guess it's a *little* funny because of the woman's odd behaviour. So yeah, the video is very entertaining and rewatchable. I highly recommend it.