This article is for the person who watched the movie “Vox
Lux”. This is not a movie review. Instead the article is to theorize what the
movie is really about.
The first time I watched the movie I had no idea what it was
about. I found it to be fascinating. It was one of those movies where I wasn’t
watching the clock saying, “Is this thing almost over?”
If you watched the movie you know at the very end Willem
Dofoe, the narrator comes on and tells us Celeste’s secret that she told Eleanor
at the beginning of the movie. That secret was the point of the movie. But we
could only speculate what it was. I had no idea what the secret was.
Here is the secret word for word that Celeste told Elenor:
“Shortly after her classmate pulled the trigger and sent her to the place
between life and death. A place that she could only describe as a place of rush
of color. She had met the devil and made a deal with him in exchange for her
life and he whispered her melodies and she returned with a mission to bring
great change to the next century. He said shut your eyes and repeat after me.
One for the money. Two for the show. On three we get ready and on four come
with me.”
Knowing the secret, I thought it would be a cool idea to
watch the movie again and see how the movie plays differently.
In the very beginning when you see a home video of Celeste
and Eleanor singing in their cowboy outfits you hear Willem Defoe say. “As an
adult Celeste was so popular that her name rolled off the tongues as soon as
you were born.” That tells us she became truly iconic. More iconic than some of
the one named singing stars like Madonna, Cher, Gaga, Britney, Christina, and
etc. What this tells us is that in
Celeste’s mind she was successful in
satisfying the devil. She became what the devil wanted.
In the hospital bed right before she told Eleanor the secret
she stated that she had done something really bad. This tells us she truly
believes she met the devil and she must follow through with her promise.
Did you notice in her hospital bed and in pain she starting
working on her music that would bring her fame. Dedication from the beginning.
I think this is one of the creepiest parts of the movie when
you know about the pact with the devil. When she is singing her first song,
“Wrapped Up” she is speaking to the devil. When I realized this, it gave me chills.
“I will listen, listen well. So, teach me. Show me all you got and, in your
words, I will be wrapped up. Speak to me, you’re my last hope. I will say nothing
and listen to your love.” I remember the first time I watched the movie I said
to myself this doesn’t have anything to do with the shooting. This song is also
commentary on pop music. The lyrics in pop can be about anything. As long as
the lyrics are catchy people will eat it up.
The song, “I,I,I,I.” was a truly selfish song. It said,
“Look at me, I survived the shooting. I am powerful. You will worship me as a
false god.”
When they went to Sweden, they mentioned that an atheist
Swede wrote all the music to her first album. An atheist put his music to a Celeste’s
lyrics. Celeste was working to become a false idol.
9-11 happens the day she finds out Eleanor is sleeping with her manager. She felt betrayed because two people she respected lied to her about being morally right. That’s when Celeste really went dark. Remember that creepy scene when she is wearing a mask in one of her videos and looked at the camera saying, “One for the money. Two for the show. On three we get ready and on four come with me.” That’s to reaffirm to the devil that she is all in.
We go to 2017 right after that. We have another shooting
across the world. The shooters are wearing Celeste masks. I admit that this
part is a little confusing to me. Willem Defoe comes on and says that America
is gaudy. Gaudy is defined as being extravagantly bright or showy, typically so as
to be tasteless. Is Celeste responsible for bringing gaudiness into the
culture? Look at her in 2017. So, over the top with the hair and makeup. The
thinking is that you have to be this way to be noticed and loved. I say that the
shooters were not followers of Celeste. The shooters were against the gaudiness
of today. They used the masks in a way to frame Celeste as being responsible
for the senseless shootings. The masks were a symbol of moral corruption in the
West.
The adult Celeste commented on the decay of the culture. “My
videos get worse but people still love them.”
She told the shooters to believe in her and she is the new
faith. She’s owning that promise to the devil.
Willem Defoe comes on and says, “There is a rise in
nihilistic groups throughout the world. Nihilism is defined as, rejecting all
religious and moral principles in the belief that life is meaningless. Is
Celeste responsible for this?
Celeste calls her fans, “Little Angels.” She believes she is
a God with Angels.
The very last 30 seconds is interesting to me. After all that
Celeste said to her daughter and sister they smile in amazement at Celeste that
she is truly wonderful. Devout followers? Yes.
In conclusion: Is Vox Lux commentary and how evil pop music
is? No, if you think that you’re taking the movie too literal. Pop music was a
vehicle Celeste used to promote her beliefs and her deal with the devil. Was
Celeste solely responsible for the decay of the West. No, of course not. In her
bubble with her people and her hardcore fans she might be responsible for idol
worship. She was indeed very popular. An icon. But had power just like Britney
Spears had at her height of fame. When Britney spoke the media and her fans
listened to her every word. But the overwhelmingly majority of the world didn’t
care about Brittney Spears. She did have major influence at her height. The
movie is commentary on the decay of societies morals. People worshiping
celebrity instead of a God. Our society is concerned with nonsense most of the
time. We like what feels good and not what’s right.
I also want to comment on the devil aspect. Celeste believed
the devil came to her. But of course, we all have different opinions on what
the devil means. Was Celeste delusional at the time of the shooting actually
thinking she spoke to the devil? The answer to that for most people is of
course. She didn’t actually speak to the devil. But some people do believe that
there is an actual devil. Some people say the word devil means “bad”. “The devil
made me do it” To them their bad side was talking to them. The important part
on the devil aspect is that Celeste believed that the devil spoke to her and
that affected her entire life.
Please leave a comment. I would like to hear from you.
#VOXLUX
#VOXLUX
