Meckseper's parodic high-octane video 0% Down (2008) engages the politics of consumerism that undeniably extend to the automotive industry. Meckseper edited the most militaristic and aggressive sequences of campaigns produced by various manufacturers—including Ford, Saab, Mazda, Toyota, Mercedes, and Chevrolet—into a six-minute, black-and-white montage. Boyd Rice’s industrial noise anthem “Total War" accompanies the imagery. As a male voice shouts, “Do you want? Yes you want…Total War!” seemingly indestructible cars are glorified in implausible scenarios. A military aircraft morphs into an SUV, a truck drives through swinging metal beams in a rock quarry, and a sedan plays chicken with a fighter jet. While similar types of commercials run daily on American television sets, when grouped together in 0% Down, they appear absurd. - UTexas

01 January 2008

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