Stellina's Blog

A few days ago the new Justice video, "Stress" was released... I found about it on Yahoo, there were many news about it saying that the video was "shocking" and would be censured or even forbidden on TV!! When I read that I was really surprised cause most of the time, Justice videos are kinda cool, very hype and colorful... the kind of electro nice video that good teenagers like to watch!! 

So I was very curious to see what was so shocking about "Stress"... Then, I read that the video was directed by Romain Gavras from Kourtrajme Productions (quite famous French team of directors, artists, actors) which was already a sign that the video would be pretty different from what we were used to with Justice. I mean Romain Gavras is not an amateur... he already showed his talent by making DJ Mehdi's video "Signature" which was already kinda disturbing... 

"Stress" is even more: the video follows a group of teenagers wearing black blazers with Justice's famous Cross symbol on their back... walking around in Paris, attacking people on their way, beating them up, destroying everything around them... its violent, brutal and it totally matches the song's name... pure Stress. 

Most of all it is very realistic... Im French, I lived there for 20 years of my life and I know that these things DO happen... maybe its not as extreme as the video shows it, but yeah, there are always some guys who will just feel like attacking the first person they see or simply destroying things for absolutely no reason... 
Why? I have no idea, I guess its just anger... but its a too simple answer. and it would take hours to try to explain what make these kids so angry. 

This video is not very shocking for what it shows (maybe it will be shocking for you... I mean these things just don't happen in Japan). What disturbs me is why a band like Justice decided to make that kind of video? 

Thing is, the guys from Justice they know exactly what they are doing... they are good, they know how to build their image and make people talk about them. I mean, their album was released last summer and see, we still talk about it like it was something totally new... These guys are good! 

Now, Im wondering what exactly was their message or goal with that video... I don't mean that Im against it, (the film in itself is a very good piece of work in my opinion... reminds me of some masterpieces like "A Clockwork Orange" or the exellent "La Haine"). Im just curious about what kind of reaction they expect from people who will watch this video... Do they want to provoke them? to make them angry? 

These past two days people have been talking a lot about "Stress", lots of them criticize Justice, saying that this video will encourage teenagers to act violently... (which is the usually reaction when there is something a bit provoking, and I think it is stupid... most people are able to make the difference between a movie and reality) Others say that the video will stigmatize youngsters even more... which should really be avoided... there are already enough problems in France, and their image is already bad enough. 
Or, is this video a way to attract a broader audience? Do Justice wants to take over the kind of teens from suburb who usually are more into dirty hip hop than hype electro? 
Im wondering what non French people will think about this video... espeically Japanese people who usually have a very nice and neat image of France... 

Anyway... once again people are gonna keep talking about Justice for a very long time!! And these guys deserve it... they are pure genius! (And the "good" news is that Romain Gavras is gonna be the one working on Justice Live Tour DVD... very promising!)

No more talking here is the video: Please watch it!!! 

 

 

 

Everyday there is a blog I check... it's from a French girl who just talks about her daily life; things she likes, things that make her angry, her husband and kids, fashion and chicks magazine... all of this with a lot of humor. I absolutely love her blog and although I never met her, every morning, when I read her stories I feel like chatting with an old friend!

Anyway, yesterday her post was about her 5 best... she just made lists of her 5 favorite songs, movies and memories. Of course I thought about mine and in 2sec I had made my lists but after a while I realised that my choices were not good and actually it was pretty hard to choose only 5 things that are really meaningful and describe myself and my life. So I decided to think more about it and find my real and forever top 5!

Top 5 Songs:
"John, Im only Dancing" David Bowie
"Try a little tenderness" Otis Redding
"Cheek to Cheek" Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald
"Ceremony" New Order
"Rapture" Blondie

Top 5 Movies: (I changed this list a bit because many movies were French...)
"Blade Runner"
"Singin' in the rain"
"Dracula"
"Mononoke Hime"
"Monty Python and the Holy Grail"

Top 5 memories:
* Around 5 years old: My blue bedroom in our first house. I can still remember the smell and the color of the light of that room. Spending my time hidding under my bed and secretly eating some old fashioned candy stolen at the local store. And my old big brown tape-player that I was carrying everywhere with me.

* 12years old - One day I spent with my dad. That summer he was working at a touristic place: Josephine Baker's Castle in the south west of France. Before the opening for customers he had to cut trees, maintaining the park, feeding the animals... That day I came with him and we could walk in the castle freely with no one else but us. I remember the golden bathroom and the cherry tree. This was one of the few perfect day I spent with my dad, only him and me, no critics, no fighting, just good time.

* 14years old - The summer spent at my family's camping with my best friend. I remember the afternoon at the swimming pool, the delicious lemon pies made by my uncle, the ping pong tournaments, the 14th of July's fireworks, the first person I saw with a piercing on his tongue, Viktor the cute dutch boy who almost became my "first" one... but I changed my mind at the last moment.

* 18years old - My first trip to Tokyo. The beginning of the most important love story of my life. I remember my first feeling when I got out of the plane... the air was so special, heavy and wet with so many new smells. The way from Narita to Tokyo in the train... with my eyes wide open looking at all the small japanese houses, the green rice fields soon changing into huge grey buildings. My first evening walking in the crowded, noisy, illuminated streets of Shinjuku. And my heart racing and opening wider and wider, ready to explode. Most of all, this feeling of being "at home" finally.

* 20years old. When I decided to leave everything, my familly, my university, my friends, my cat (poor cat), and just move to Tokyo. The best choice and the best year of my life... one year of discovering places, people, food, sound, smells. And my love for Tokyo growing and growing.

After years and years wanting one I finally bought myself a Polaroid camera... I feel like a little girl who would just have received her long time-desired doll and is so excited that she can't even play with it. Just staring, touching, observing every angles and imagining every games awaiting for her and her new treasure.

Hum... you and me are gonna be good friends, Im sure you'll like Tokyo and it's neon lights as much as I do.