"Two Videos: Protagonists Remove Their Own Skins"

Common theme in both videos: protagonists remove their flesh until only bone remains.

It is of interest how both videos engage this gimmick, but in opposite ways. Robbie Williams' take (directed by Vaughan Arnell) is lighthearted--a visual gag where the punchline has our singer prancing amidst a bevy of disinterested model types. The twist here is that Williams starts stripping (wink, wink)suggestively, except that he takes it to a literal extreme until he becomes a dancing skeleton. I suppose if I was British I would call this a cheeky joke. (Was that even a pun?)

The Daft Punk clip is a little more complex. Mostly because it scares the living bejeezus out of me. It's like an Aphex Twin video crossed with a Japanese horror movie like The Ring. That being said, I'm still not quite sure what to make of this video (directed low-budget style by Tony Gardner). The narrative arc feels a little too "twist-y" (think M. Night Shyamalan), but it's hard not to empathize with this confused (and possibly bipolar) little girl.

I suppose it's best not to read too much into either video. I just enjoy the fact that these two videos take vastly different approaches to a similar concept. Interestingly, the Robbie Williams clip is far more bloody and violent, which is only meant to add to the slapstick humor, yet the bloodless razor slicing and peeling of the Daft Punk video somehow makes the act even more disturbing.

Enough of my ramblings -- here are the two videos:

Robbie Williams - "Rock DJ"



Daft Punk - "Prime Time of Your Life"