80sonVEVO GAMV Takeover Week 6 w/ FEATURED VIDEO DIRECTOR: David Fincher
THE GOLDEN AGE OF MUSIC VIDEO has partnered with the folks at VEVO (the world’s leading all-premium music video and entertainment platform) with our weekly curation of the 80sOnVEVO YouTube page. Each week, we’ll be dusting off the shelves of the VEVO video vault to spotlight all-time favorites, award winners and lost gems from the decade of decadence. We’ll also supplement the VEVO list with a rundown and info/commentary about our weekly batch of clips right here.
This week is special because we’re not just spotlighting a video, but a director. From his early work with Rick Springfield to more iconic clips for Aerosmith and Paula Abdul, David Fincher proved to be a force during his music video years. Having most recently directed the Justin Timberlake video for “Suit & Tie”, Fincher still dips his toe in the video pond when he’s not helming stylized thrillers like “Panic Room”, “Se7en”, “The Social Network” or “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”.
We grabbed a few Fincher videos from the VEVO vault. We hope you dig them.
The featured video this week is for Aerosmith – Janie’s Got a Gun
The Bad Boys of Boston enlisted Fincher to shoot this cinematic epic for this song about incest, a true departure in theme for this band. The healthy budget and Fincher’s eye made this clip look like a Hollywood thriller.
Also, enjoy these great clips from the Fincher canon.
Bourgeois Tagg – I Don’t Mind At All
The only big hit by this band used just a few simple effects and sharp camerawork to pull together an arresting clip. Is that last shot of the singer supposed to invoke a straitjacket image?
Rick Springfield – Dance This World Away
The Working Class Dog himself has declared this as his favorite among his many videos. As political as Rick Springfield ever attempted, this video allowed Springfield and Fincher to collaborate several times, including the “Celebrate Youth” clip with the first isolated color effect to grace the music video world. Rick recalls working with Fincher here.
Paula Abdul – Straight Up
Fincher brought more tricks from the Peter Kagan/Paula Grief (or Leslie Libman/Larry Williams) playbook by using some alternative film stocks in this video. He directed several videos for Miss Abdul, with “The Way That You Love Me” using many elements of what had become the Fincher model: soft-focus models and extreme close-up shots. Talk show host Arsenio Hall appears in this video, fueling rumors of a relationship with Abdul.
The Motels – Shame
Martha Davis, lead singer/songwriter of the Motels, claims she saw the genius of Fincher from their collaboration on this, one of two Motels videos he directed. In this interview, she says Fincher was recommended to her by filmmaker Michael Mann.
The Outfield – All the Love in the World
Fincher shot a few clips for this Aussie band, including “Everytime You Cry” and “No Surrender”. Catch up with the still-active Outfield at their website.
Sting – Englishman in New York
This clip, shot on the streets of New York, features notable downtown personality Quentin Crisp as the Englishman in question. Crisp also appeared in the Sting & Jennifer Beals film “The Bride”.
Eddie Money – Endless Nights
From his album Can’t Hold Back in 1986, this song extended Money’s run of hits on the charts, reaching #21 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Loverboy – Notorious
Possibly the strangest pairing in the filmmaker’s history, Canadian rockers Loverboy enlisted Fincher to shoot this high-end models-and-cars clip.
Jody Watley – Real Love
This video, looking much like a late eighties fashion layout, was nominated for six MTV Video Music Awards in 1989, but took home none; Fincher actually took home many awards that night for other videos he’d directed.
SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!