Cage the Elephant - Cold Cold Cold (Video Analysis)

Visuals & Lyrics relationship
There is a tight link between the two in this video, directed by the lead singer of the band himself. The song explores feelings of unrest or discontent; "Doctor can you help me, something dont feel right." The speaker reaches out to a 'doctor' to help him. This is reflected in the narrative of the video where a man in a straight jacket, presumably insane, is taken to an alarming experimental hospital to be cured. "Before I change my mind" suggests he is unstable and may no longer be willing, just as the patient in the video is foced into treatment against his will.

Mid shot is used here to present a new character into the narrative

Intertextuality 
I believe the director must have been hugely influenced by Stanley Kubrick's Clockwork orange. Both revolve around the idea of cruel experimental treatment on a mentally unstable patient. The treatment is delivered to music, in front of an audience making the procedures appear more like fascinating specticles or research than an actual endevour to help the patient. The patient is central to the narrative in both texts and a similar 60's style is present.

Mid shot is used here to show the interaction and keep the patient's expression and discomfort central.

This shallow depth of focus here is used to create a creepy and uncomfortable cinematic experience, drawing your attention to the face of one of the masked audience members

Performance/ narrative / concept
The band is present during the entire treatment of the patient. Although appearing passive to the storyline, they are on stage in the theatre and so much like in Clockwork Orange, their music may be significant to the experimental treatment. They do not address the viewer, reinforcing the idea that thye may be part of the narrative. However, the heavily linked lyrics suggest they might fulfil a storytelling role - perhaps a link between the narrative and the viewer. We see several energetic shots of their performance, including close ups, elevating the band's 'star factor' and giving the viewer a sense of relationship and closeness with them, especially the lead singer and director of the video.

This establishing shot is used here to present the alarming close proximity and involvement of the band in the narrative.

Locations / Mise en scene
In the opening black and white shots, a 60's style car pulls up to the bleak institution fenced off to the world acompanied by eerie diagetic sounds. This establishes the dark nature of the video from the beginning. However this gloomy melancholy is soon replaces by alarming scarlet reds inferring danger once inside the building. The 60s setting is continued with costume; many props again align with Clockwork Orange, including slighty concerning brain wear while the patients of both texts are pinned down to a medical chair by nurses in white coats, building the shocking nature of the video. We are made to feel incredably uncomfortable throughout, with flexing body builders, mysteriously sexualised veiled nurses, sword swallowers, needles and everything else you could want from an off the grid gothic physchadelic science fair. This discomfort fits with the patient's, inducing a more powerful effect on the viewer.

This tracking establishing shot lets us see the new surroundings from the prisoner's perspective. 

 This close up makes the audience feel uncomfortable and shocked.

 This long shot sexualises the new characters, fitting almost their whole bodies on the camera as they mysteriously dance.

Todorov's theory
The theory can to some extent be applied here, A state of relative calm and equilibrium turns into a period of carnage once inside the asylum, disequilibrium, before returning to a state of relative (If morally questionable!) calm at the shock conclusion of the clip

 Establishing shots used at the start to set the dark setting.

We return to this medium shot to show the now different relationship between the doctors and the patient