Thursday, June 04, 2009

In the midst of the GFC and domestic political turmoil... let's go back to the Eighties

If you remember the eighties you'll probably remember this film clip, now reworded:

HT: Tory Maguire, The Punch

I actually liked the film clip at the time. And I loved the eighties.

Here's the original - a work of art, although I don't know what it means, and perhaps that's the point.

And an Australian, Russell Mulcahy, produced it.

More details below the fold:

"Russell Mulcahy's career began with making early music videos while he was working for the Seven Network in Sydney, Australia. In early 1974, former radio DJ Graham Webb launched a weekly teen-oriented TV music show cawlled Sound Unlimited which screened on Sydney's ATN-7 on Saturday mornings.

In need of material for the show, Webb approached Mulcahy (who was then employed in the Seven newsroom) and asked him to shoot film footage to accompany popular songs for which there were no purpose-made clips. The success of his early efforts encouraged Mulcahy to quit his TV job and become a freelance director, and during this period he made clips for several popular Australian acts including Stylus, Marcia Hines, Hush and AC/DC.

After relocating to the UK ca. 1976, Mulcahy made successful music videos for several noted British pop acts -- his early UK credits included XTC's "Making Plans For Nigel" (1979), The Vapors' hit "Turning Japanese" and his landmark video for The Buggles' "Video Killed The Radio Star" (1979) which became the first music video played on MTV in 1981.

By the mid-1980s Mulcahy was one of the most sought-after video makers in the world, directing videos for some of the

Mulchay's hallmark was water. He used a lot of it.

Here's Video Killed the Radio Star:

And here's I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues:

Wow! (You'll probably need to hit play then pause and wait for some of it to download)

The way this works with the music is awesome. What does it mean?

Maybe that's not the point. Brian Eno said on Radio National last week that too many composers tried to make the lyrics literally "mean" something. Instead he wants lyrics to feel right. He says those are nearly always the lyrics that first come to mind.

And here's Allentown(Again, you'll probably need to hit play then pause and wait)

Wow again.

But back to Total Eclipse:

"The Gothic themed video features Bonnie Tyler clad all in white, apparently having a dream or fantasy about her students in a boys' boarding school. Young men are seen dancing and participating in various school activities such as swim team, fencing, football, and singing in a choir. Also, there are unexplained ninjas."

That's enough for me: