Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift

The fifth music video to come from her debut solely pop album, Taylor Swift's Wildest Dreams is an ode to ill-fated romance. Wildest Dreams plays with the on-off screen struggles of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton (Cleopatra, anyone?) as the perfect portrayal of her song.

Set in the golden age of the silver screen, Taylor (donning a less than ideal dark brown wig) resembles a young Elizabeth Taylor, while Scott Eastwood bears a striking resemblance to Elizabeth's acting peer, his father Clint. The two were never romantically involved, however Elizabeth Taylor and her often paired actor-husband Richard Burton were famous for their tumultuous relationship.

Though her acting chops on the big screen may not be on par just yet, Taylor's ability to express the conflict of her lyrics and the emotions of her protagonist are clearly visible.

It's shot beautifully with much of the backdrop being the African savanna (kudos for the final conservation proceeds notice!). However, part of me just still can't get over her wig...

The video is also arguably her most provocative to date, though still tame in comparison to some of her peers. Before the first refrain she's already lip locked with Scott - oh and cue Princess Diaries reference with the foot-popping kiss!










“I hope you get your first real foot-popping kiss."😂
 
Structurally, the video is coherent - a characteristic that seems to be more and more difficult to find in today's music videos. It's evocative of a 50s/60s Hollywood and an enjoyable watch. Will it be as big as Blank Space? Probably not, but it's the perfect pair to her fifth single off 1989. 

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