Special
The McCain TV ad “Special” contains what may be the most disturbing sequence of all official ads. Whether this juxtaposition is random or chosen is up to the viewer to decide.
First the ad:
Like “Celebrity” and many previous ads, “Special” mocks the media glitz of Obama’s televised messages, specifically the recent 30-minute special. The McCain campaign’s response juxtaposes shots of Obama on stage with problems like the failing economy and terrorism (punctuated visually by bright blasts of light, and aurally by popping noises–ostensibly the sight and sound of flashbulbs).
Here is the troublesome segment, divided into 26 frames (the video is shot at slightly less than 30 frames per second, so this sequence lasts less than a second). The frame numbers are 267-292, and the timing is 8.907 seconds to 9.741 seconds.
Frame 267
Frame 268
Frame 269
Frame 270
Frame 271
Frame 272
Frame 273
Frame 274
Frame 275
Frame 276
Frame 277
Frame 278
Frame 279
Frame 280
Frame 281
Frame 282
Frame 283
Frame 284
Frame 285
Frame 286
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Frame 288
Frame 289
Frame 290
Frame 291
Frame 292
…
Here is a video version of the above frames:
Although the juxtapostion of soldier firing gun and Obama may be accidental, the direction of the burst of light transition (to the right of the gun, like gunfire, then left to right like a bullet emerging from Obama’s head), along with the timing of the sound of the flashbulb popping, suggests a subliminal association that would be extremely unsettling if it was intentional. (Replay the commercial and notice the timing of the bursts here and when the image of Obama at the end.)
And if the association was accidental, why did the filmmakers (who have lavished attention on each frame of other commercials) not notice the disturbing possibility and edit the transition?