21st Century Breakdown Music Video

[*withoutadoubt*]

WOW. I am sitting here with my jaw hanging open. That was just plain awesome. Best video, maybe ever. Great job Marc Webb! Just wow.

[green_melly]

fucking epic video....one of my favorites

it totally blew me away

[parinaz]

why there is no wiki page for this ?

[valentinesandcigs]

but can they get nominated for VMA 2010?

if viva la vida can get nominated for one after a year of being out then this can too

at least i think viva la vida was out a year already i dont know i dont follow

[Guest jetblackheart]

They deserve to win every possible award there is... but I really couldn't care less because I just saw the best video ever.

[jenni]

what to say about this video?!... Awesome!

I really like all the references throughout the video, and let alone the end, when BJ "comes to the real life!"

Good job Green Day, as well as all the people who worked on this video

[Bastard of 1967]

Is there any difference in quality, or only in size?

Thanks

Some folks can't play native FLV easily so I've provided an MP4 alternative. Same quality for both -- these are rips directly from the mtv.co.uk stream. You can also stream it directly from the GDA streaming link now too at http://www.greendayauthority.com/TheBand/Videos/21CB.php (thanks Andres!)

[Spastic Socialite]

ok, just watched this through now ( twice) and here is my review :

First off, so not what I was expecting! I liked Webbs work previously ( 21 guns, waiting) but this one.. i must say left me a little disappointed. I understand that amazing graphics, special effects ect are popular, but personally I feel that they take away from the cinematography. Yes, it does relate to the banksy/sixteen esque style of the album artwork. But we get that, I don't think it was really necessairy in this video- Webb made a link to the album cover in 21 guns previoulsy and to me it just seems that his idea pool was running a bit dry where christian and gloria were concerned.

Then again, why was Gloria pregnant?? Im guessing this is to do with the class of thirteen thing and growing up in the world of hypocracy blah blah. But this to me i found a little .. i dont know, not right? Then again, mabye this is how we are supposed to feel; they are both very young characters and the topic of having children young can still be seen to be a slightly contriversial subject. I just feel if Webb went to all the effort of re-enforcing the album artwork he should have wanted to have stayed as true to the lyrics of the album - idont think there is any mention of childbirth.

The notion of the banker and the politicans was quite good i felt- Webb has encapsulated the issues of the time in this music video and so causing the video to be a clear depiction of social history which will be good in the future. Again, hightening meaning that Green Day wanted to include in their album. However- The kiss between the politicians? Im guessing this is to be suggestive of the corruption in politics; really no matter who you vote for they are all the same. I dont know if its a bit bold of me to say that, but thats what i felt the kiss was suggestive of. I particularly liked the spiral "staircase" with the boquet and the politician coming out of the grave- very surrealist.

However, I feel my favourite part of the video was the end section. This is how i envisaged the video to look. As interesting a video this is, I feel that what Webb does best is simple, with effects done in camera eg the squibs in 21 guns, and in this video the moving dollies which both Tre and Mike were on, although if you look closely you can see tre's drumkit wobble as it moves.. this made me laugh. sometimes even the professionals can't get it perfect. The warm oranges of this part of the video suggested a movement out of a dark era, and kind of to me placed the band on a pedestal (which im sure no one here minds)

So to conclude: A good concept for a music video, but sometimes I feel the most effective music videos are those which leave fancy graphics and effects to the r'n'b artists and concentrate on the bands performance and the "visual". There were parts which I felt to be too cheesy to bear , the lyrics on screen and the part where the wall "smashes" to reveal a hyped up crowd were what I would deem as effects that an amatur would use when making a music video. But who am i to judge?

[parinaz]

it must win record of the year. it's an order.

[Princess Consuela]

The way Billie sings 'Is the song that strangles me' makes my laugh.

Aaand don't know if anybody had noticed but they must've shot the very last part first because Billie doesn't have those blond... highlights(?) unlike in almost whole video.

[parinaz]

@ Heros and cons, you really think the whole graphic concept was from webb? I really don't wanna think like this.

The way Billie sings 'Is the song that strangles me' makes my laugh.

Aaand don't know if anybody had noticed but they must've shot the very last part first because Billie doesn't have those blond... highlights(?) unlike in almost whole video.

auhh. true. let's ignore it.

[Daughter.of.Rage.and.Love]

Some folks can't play native FLV easily so I've provided an MP4 alternative. Same quality for both -- these are rips directly from the mtv.co.uk stream. You can also stream it directly from the GDA streaming link now too at http://www.greendayauthority.com/TheBand/Videos/21CB.php (thanks Andres!)

Oh ok, thanks

[04rebhop]

I saw it about half an hour ago and i love it! I think it is the best video from the album yet. I don't know why but it kind of reminded me of the Stuck With Me Video, which is my favorite Green Day video.

[Jaddedkitten]

Well I love it it's so old school Green Day it's very stuck with me. When is it going to be on itunes I need it on my ipod like now

[Spastic Socialite]

@ Heros and cons, you really think the whole graphic concept was fro webb? I really don't wanna think like this

Im guessing so, its probably more likely to have been the creative or art directors idea than webb himself. Thats the way it works, and the webb/ the bands management get the final say. Usually the band dont have very much to do with it unless they want to. I mean i guess green day probably had some imput. but not alot

Also, reading back on some peoples comments- I now get the reason for the baby so thank you

Also also, i forgot to mention one thing i did like was the camera movements used with the graphical section- I am a big bigg fan of cantered angles and bizzare camera movements

[MusicalDeviant]

I was skeptical at first. After watching the underwhelming KYE and 21 Guns videos, and infuriating EJN video (that song means a lot to me, and the lack of a proper video hurts). But I was blown away by this video. It was unbelievably fantastic. "Epic" seems about right. It was different, but not unfamiliar, and it was just the right amount of flashy without being overly mainstream. And funny, something the most recent string of videos by our Boys has lacked (WMUWSE, JOS, The Saints Are Coming, Working Class Hero, KYE, 21 Guns). Its great to see the humor come back.

THIS is what the stupid AI musical should have been like. My god did that suck. Sorry, off topic. As I was saying...

Samuel Bayer, eat your heart out.

I think its funny that they used LA as the backdrop for the rooftop scene. Though using Oakland would have been a nice, and more appropriate, touch. I was two blocks away from where the scene was shot the night before the shoot (though it might have been two days prior to the shoot, I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure it was on a Monday). I was celebrating my birthday with my family. And had no idea Green Day was in town, which would have been a wonderful birthday gift. Oh well. This video makes up for that.

[Dookie93]

I apologize in advance if this was already posted, but I just ripped it straight from the GDA so it's in .avi format now. The other video was just made with Cam Studio, so I thought I'd just rip it from the GDA stream. You can download it here enjoy

[dolce]

Then again, why was Gloria pregnant?? Im guessing this is to do with the class of thirteen thing and growing up in the world of hypocracy blah blah. But this to me i found a little .. i dont know, not right? Then again, mabye this is how we are supposed to feel; they are both very young characters and the topic of having children young can still be seen to be a slightly contriversial subject. I just feel if Webb went to all the effort of re-enforcing the album artwork he should have wanted to have stayed as true to the lyrics of the album - idont think there is any mention of childbirth.

I see what you're saying, and no, them having a kid wasn't directly in the lyrics, but just taking from the child-like, lullaby sounding Song of the Century, it wouldn't be a stretch for me to believe there is a child somewhere in the album's storyline.

[Spastic Socialite]

It was different, but not unfamiliar, and it was just the right amount of flashy without being overly mainstream. And funny, something the most recent string of videos by our Boys has lacked (WMUWSE, JOS, The Saints Are Coming, Working Class Hero, KYE, 21 Guns). Its great to see the humor come back.

I see what you mean! It reminded me a little of the Insomniac front cover. I gess however, in reference to the video being humorous, its easier to instigate humor through graphic and computer effects than simple film. The banker sliding down on the financial chart for example, could not have been recreated in real life, and the baby being thrown would simply not have been as humourous.

[parinaz]

Im guessing so, its probably more likely to have been the creative or art directors idea than webb himself. Thats the way it works, and the webb/ the bands management get the final say. Usually the band dont have very much to do with it unless they want to. I mean i guess green day probably had some imput. but not alot

I really wanted to think that even the very details things are from band's mind. throwing the baby,politicians kissing, even shooting in the sunset which is very important to me.

[Robin105]

I just watched the video. I LOVE it! I can see why it took so long to be released. I just downloaded it from youtube.

[valentinesandcigs]

fuck you beyonce green days video is the best of all time

it really is amazing and i love that they brought the humor back i missed the funny side of them in videos

its amazing

[parinaz]

I see what you're saying, and no, them having a kid wasn't directly in the lyrics, but just taking from the child-like, lullaby sounding Song of the Century, it wouldn't be a stretch for me to believe there is a child somewhere in the album's storyline.

the time when the child became an adult (the teenager) I thought he's going to be Hitler.

[Alan86]

I see new things ever time i watch it. Just saw when Billie sings "Homeland security could kill us all" He put his hand in a gun shape points it at his head an pulls the trigger and red blood apears be hind him on the wall

[Metanoia]

i love the video so much

i could fuck it