The Story
As the video opens we see the patient, one of our main characters, riding in the back of a black car with two men sitting beside him, one on each side. The two men are dressed in police like prison guard uniforms, all white from head to toe. They ride in an intense still silence. Riding through hill and forest covered surroundings; they come down a gravel road arriving to a sinister looking structure. Its scorching outside and sweat is pouring down the guard’s faces. In the front of the vehicle, the driver and front seat passenger are also both wearing the same guard uniforms. The vehicle comes to a stop. Our patient gazes out the window at the haunting looking structure (abandoned hospital in Nashville TN). A silhouette of a person can be seen peering out of one of the building’s many windows. The curtains are quickly closed and a silhouette disappears. Seconds later, one of the massive front doors of the hospital opens. They’ve been expecting him. All four car doors open at the same time. The guards step out followed by the patient. They quickly assemble around him, one on each side with their arms under his, one in the front and one following behind leaving no room for escape. A small struggle occurs with no success. They walk a little more and then once again a struggle with no success, our patient is forced into the building. Once inside the building, all other guards that can be seen are wearing the same perfect white uniforms. Our patient is in a cold sweat, dark circles under his eyes.
The guards open a set of double doors entering into a room that seems to be some kind of assembly in a strange like medical theatre. The assembly has a very cultish vibe to it. Almost like a radical military group, full of symbols and stark striking aesthetic. Guards hold very tall banners with the group’s symbols. In the middle of the stage, there is an operating table. Bizarre nurses stand at attention and periodically make synchronized contemporary ballet like dance movements. All of the audience members are dressed the same, wearing perfect white doctor wear, have similar hair cuts perfectly combed the same way. The women long straight perfectly brushed. They all are wearing the same white mask, which is a mold of a face all holding the same blank expression. (Different masks will be interchanged throughout as the audience reacts to what is happening on stage. Happy face, surprised face, angry face, sad face, excited face, etc.) No matter what the expression changes to, the audience will always all being wearing the same expression across the board. They sit erect at attention.
Our patient is placed on an operating table and strapped down, arms legs and head. Suddenly, an introduction is made and bursting through the double doors, full of bravado and theatrics is our sinister looking lead doctor. (Who will be performing all surgical experiments) Flailing his arms about as if he is the ringmaster of some strange circus. The audience, all at the same time, speedily stands at attention and bursts into a furious but controlled applause. The expression on their face is excitement. He soaks up their praise. He’s wearing what seems to be a judge’s robe and wig and quickly climbs what seems to be a very tall judges podium. A short trial ensues in which our patient is obviously convicted guilty. The crowd boos our patient and then erupts into happiness when conviction is made.
Nurses quickly help our doctor out of judges wear and into his surgical wear. Song begins. He then proceeds to conduct experimental treatments on the patient, each with its own strange contraption. These treatments are almost a cross between spiritual, ritualistic and medical science fiction. Nothing seems to cure our patient’s inner affliction or rid him of his guilt. He looks to be on the brink of death or almost as if he’s facing an intense withdrawl from substance addiction. Each treatment seems to draw different reactions. The reactions are maybe dark and somewhat comical, but none achieve the desired effect.
The First chorus kicks in and our patient’s body curves in intense strain and almost comes off the table. Guards subdue him and a shot is administered. Operating chair is then sat upright and second verse begins. The crowd all begins to sway with placid expressionless faces. As the lyrics “sweet nurse…” kick in, the nurses begin doing a ritualistic like sexualized synchronized dance. They part in the middle and one main nurse steps through to give him a dance. (Nothing too trashy, more like what you might imagine a sixties go go dancer would have done). His eye’s become very wide and with his head strapped into place, he struggles to look away. The crowd cheers at the reaction. The nurse sways up to him and forces a pill in his mouth. Then in a synchronized fashion the other nurses dance in a circle around the main nurse making her disappear. (next part optional) The circle breaks into two single file lines, one on each side of the up right operating table. They unstrap him from the table. Second chorus begins. His body begins to dance against his mind’s will, intense, striking, funny and very entertaining. The audience erupts once again. Guards throw him back on the table and quickly put the table back into a laying position.
Doctor reaproaches now wearing a top hat and looks somewhat like a magician. He raises a sword that almost looks ancient Arabian. Its sharpness glimmers in the light. He brings the sword down and chops off our character’s head. Then hands the head to the lead nurse. She holds the patient’s head up above her head to the crowd. Flashes of light begin and a strong wind whips through the room. (Camera violently shakes for earthquake like effect). The patients severed head begins to sing the bridge. “And as the darkness falls, it fills up both my eyes”, his entire eyes become black. The doctor reaches down the patient’s headless neck and pulls out a black sludgy heart. A beam of light shoots out of neck.
Last chorus breaks in, mostly band performance, but also cutting back and forth between the doctor, audience, the nurse, the patient free falling, etc. When song ends we see our patient sitting on the table upright perfectly healed looking well in physical appearance but obviously brain washed of some sort. The doctor raises his hands in victory and the crowd cheers, once again giving a standing ovation. Everything is now either Black and white or color. Undecided on whose perspective is what.