bite sized

MTV, I have to admit, was once the pinnacle of contemporary art culture for me--as a junior high/ high school girl in the suburban Midwest especially. But can you blame me, when you glance at these logo riffs? (Compiled at notcot... click on image to see closer up) Almost everyone my age that I talk to laments the Real-World-ing of MTV, after having grown up with the music video-centric version. And there really *were* some fantastic short films and animations that were born out of this medium. When musicians team up with strong visual artists and film-makers, we get the gratification of synesthetic pleasure! All within a bite sized time frame! Of course, the music video is still alive--mostly through youtube, vimeo, and other web-based sharing--but here are a handful of the most memorable TV delivered videos for me:

Owner of a Lonely Heart: Yes This video always captured my attention-- so eerie, and such a good match with the song. I actually associate this even more with "Friday Night Videos."

Sledgehammer: Peter Gabriel (of course) directed by Stephen R. Johnson, in collaboration with Aardman Animation (known later for Wallace and Gromit) and the Brothers Quay, who did another, very 120 minutes, favorite of mine:

Are We Still Married? His Name is Alive

So Whatcha Want: Beastie Boys This is not a work of film genius, but it's very memorable because I literally saw it, jumped in the car and bought "Check Your Head." How's that for marketing success?

Human Behavior: Bjork (below) was directed by Michel Gondry, who also directed Bjork's video, Army of Me... and films Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind... The Science of Sleep... etc.


P.S. Two things sabotage this list. One is that after linking to a "small handful" my mind is flooded with other examples. The other is that youtube videos can be such low quality that the pieces aren't very readable. Oh well... maybe worth a little shot of nostalgia anyway.