b'Did You Know?John Hughes. How did that one come to you? Stan Ridgway worked with. I had aabsolutely in love. Billy I had the trailers for Sixteen Candles, and Johngreat time with him.was the greatest, you and I got along, and then the talent that ran UniversalBut you know, therecouldnt ask for your star also knew me from other trailers. And Ned Tanen,are not a lot of insightsto be more collaborative who was the studio head, wanted a video, and theinto itexcept that Iand generous, and also marketing department wanted a video that waswas probably awake forsupportive. Hed done so more prominent in the campaign for that movie. Sofour days. Thats what Imuch more than me. He I lobbied to do it, thinking that if I didnt use any filmremember mostly.was so giving. footage, that would be more impressive to Ned andI also rememberDid you guys come as a potential director someone who could makethat it did go well. Andup with the concept his own footage. And I did that. I had an ulteriorwe liked each other,together ormotive to the whole, it was really about trying to be,Billy and me. I mean,Im trying to you know getting a job to direct. we were going to do aremember who came The video has a very candy color scheme to it.movie together calledup with the courtroom. Its very bright, its very pastel and stuff like thatKing Death which JoelI cant quite remember to it. Was there a real conscious effort to colorSilver wanted to make.who came up with it. I code it?We went to the studios.dont recall if it was the Yes, I felt that it must be pop, and those colorsI remember and pitchedwriter, but Wayne Cilento kind of reflected it. I felt the nature of the song, theit. It never materialized,was the choreographer sensibility of it. But you know, from the movie, it wasso thats what I mostagain. about a girl and her sixteenth birthday. It all felt like itremember about thisIt looks like a full was a happy pop song. experience when IBroadway musical, and Also, I knew Bob Fosse. I knew him from doingthink of it. Truth is, lifessuch a massive shoot. trailers, and this was now in the later years, and Ifunny, you know. I wasHow many days did you went to him and asked him for help. I said, coulddevastated when weshoot?you help me on Hang Up The Phone and do thecouldnt get it made. IYeah, I cant, maybe choreography, which was really, you know and evensaid heres my ticket,three, maybe four? I now, repeating it, it was so shameful that I did that.heres my chance tocant remember now. His daughter was a dancer and I said, Ill put her in it.make feature film withI remember it was the And he said okay, and then she never showed, nevera big guy like Billy Idolmost days ever at the helped, but he did send me a disciple of his and thatsand Joel Silver producingtime, and the highest who choreographed. It was Wayne Cilento, whoit and that would havebudget of any video, but became a huge choreographer and stage director asbeen my first movieI dont remember what well.and undoubtedly, itthe budget was. That Lets talk about Billy Idols Flesh Forwould not have beenwas quickly erased by Fantasy video. Its very conceptual, very angular,the kind of movie thatsomething else, but he with a surreal kind of feel to it. The sets are sortmy first feature Pretty inwas great. Ive got to tell of exaggerated. How did the concept evolve if youPink became. My wifeyou; he was just a doll. can recall? uses this expression,Early on, directing Well, Perry Lister who was Billy Idols girlfriend,Rejection getsmusic videos wasnt was the choreographer, and had a lot to do withprotection. I think in thisanybodys ultimate conceptualizing it. I wanted it to be a choreographedcase, that happened togoal, right? I thought piece, and I felt that at the time, honestly, I was prettyme.everybody wanted to intimidated by Billy.Yeah, Billy did notmove on to features.Billy was well versed in the process by theexactly go on to aWell now, everybody? time you guys worked together. Also, Fleshmajor film career as weI dont know, youll know was the third single from the Rebel Yell album,both know. best if you talked to them, with the first two singles being big hits. WhenYeah.but there was some they came you, and its Billy Idol and the songWhat aboutamazing guys who didnt is Flesh for Fantasy, was that a somewhatdirecting Billy Joelsget a break. And I was intimidating starting point? Keeping the Faithalways shocked about Well, yeah. [laughing]. I was unusual casting forI wanted to do likevideo? that because they were that video, frankly. I mean, I dont think for a secondYeah. John Small isreally, you know, gifted. I that I think Toby Hoopers much better casting forthe producer who hireddont think people realize Billy. Although I had a great time with them, I did mya Broadway musicalme, you know. That wasexactly the, I mean, best. It was a very collaborative experiment, it wasa big break for me.some of the work that, a kind of adventure. Perry Lister and Billy and I hadJohn had wonderfulfor instance, the director input throughout that collaboration. It was that kind ofthings to say about thewho did The Wild experience for me. But I mean, I think it worked out.and Billy liked that,experience. It was anBoysRussell Mulcahy! You have that kind of S&M feel to it, a subversive feelenormous production.Compare what Russell to it. I wanted to do like aMulcahy did to what I It does, it absolutely does. The whole chorusand that was theBroadway musical anddid, it deserves a fucking could be interpreted as an underground rallyingBilly liked that, and thatAcademy Award. I mean, cry of sorts. was the whole approach.thats brilliant stuff. Great, Yeah. Its not really me. Actually, I remember theBilly Idol "Flesh for Fantasy Steven Hendrickson thegreat artist, you know. He cameraman was just like a cowboy Tony Mitchell.whole approach.production designer ondid some amazing work And he was more fun to watch than anyone Idthat, I believe. And itin those videos.was a blast. Billy I was 64MVTMISSUE #1 ISSUE #1MVTM65'