Imagine Dragons - Radioactive Prop analysis
In the video for Radioactive, by Imagine Dragons, centres around an underground gladiator ring. One of the first people we see is a mysterious women carrying a covered box in hand. As she is not a band member she is not immediately recognised, and without any of the narrative yet shown she is a complete mystery. The prop of the box and the fact that it is covered up adds to this motif. Once we enter the underground ring, the audience can now devise theories as to what’s under the cloth, as the setting and narrative become apparent. This makes the prop a centre of interest for the audience, which helps drive the narrative once what’s underneath is revealed.
After entering the gladiator ring, we see a largely archetyped character, portrayed to seem like a cruel criminal. This is largely achieved through his prop of a cigar in his mouth and hand. This provides connotations of stereotypical gangsters and mafia mobsters.
In addition to the mafia boss, the gladiator ring is surrounded by men in cowboy hats throwing money into the ring. The money acts as a symbol of wasted wealth, showing that someone is profiting from the murder of the gladiators, and this money is being wasted on someone horrible enough to create such a business. The fact everyone is through their money to bet on the champion, making the challengers feel outnumbered as so many people are hoping they fail.
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Another character we see is one of Imagine Dragons’ band members beating a drum with a gong stick. This stick makes him come across as strong, emphasised by the dust that explodes upon impact. This is at odds with the fact that he is trapped in a dungeon, which would usually portray a character as weak for being captured, or even breaking down a character’s tough exterior. However, the use of the prop redeems his strength.
