Synopsis

Shot in stark black and white, the video follows Arcade Fire through a strange, dreamlike chase involving oversized papier-mache heads, a mirrored figure, and a giant disco ball. The band performs from the back of a moving truck while the surreal pursuit unfolds around them. Reflections, masks, dolls, and a mirror-covered coffin turn the song's themes of identity and disconnection into a stylized film noir fantasy that ends in an eerie rural gathering.

Factoids & Trivia

• Arcade Fire released two official videos for "Reflektor" on September 9, 2013: this conventional black-and-white film and the interactive short "Just a Reflektor."

• The oversized heads deliberately recall the visual world of "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)," linking the video to the band's earlier experiments with theatrical masks and exaggerated identities.

• The mirrored character, disco ball, and coffin covered in reflective tiles extend the song's central idea of seeing reality through layers of imitation and distortion.

• The video won the 2014 MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction.

• The interactive companion was filmed in Jacmel, Haiti, and stars dancer Axelle "Ebony" Munezero. Viewers could use a smartphone, tablet, or computer mouse to alter the imagery as the film played.

• "Reflektor" was produced by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem and features backing vocals from David Bowie, adding to the track's unusual blend of indie rock, dance music, and art-pop.