Dirty Computer is exactly the kind of story I was talking about when I said I wanted more simple and clear stories instead of ones that tried too hard to be clever and shocking and deep. The basic structure of the story is simple, and one could argue that the premise is not particularly new or original. Yet it leaves a lasting impact because it’s all in the characters, how they feel, how they relate to each other, how they change. You don’t get into the narrative because you particularly care about the mechanics of mindwipe technology in a sci-fi dystopia, it’s because you come to care about the characters and their lives. Like think about how stupid it would have been to waste time on the origins and workings of brainwashing technology instead of Jane’s suffering, Zen’s doubts, and what they meant to each other. The depth of the story comes from their emotions and relationships against the backdrop of a world that wants to tear them apart, not out some fiendishly clever narrative or setting element.
It is on this deliberately pared-down framework that the music videos add even more depth to the character and story. Each one of them excellent on its own with numerous references, satirical digs, and musical styles, in the aggregate the videos give us more insight into Jane’s character, the life she once had, her relationships, her feelings and sensuality and yearnings. They tell us what is being stripped from her. By letting us know who Jane is in beautiful and artistic imagery, symbolism, and of course music, it heightens the tragedy of her situation by showing us the nature of the annihilation she is being subjected to.
By using multiple narrative devices that added extra dimensions to the characters and situation, Dirty Computer took what is an old story of oppression versus freedom--which is not a knock in any way, all stories are old and the more honest one is about the old deep roots the better they get--and made it fresh and deeply impactful. It’s new media storytelling that succeeds by keeping to the rock solid fundamentals.
