The Video Genius Of Chris Cunningham And Jonathan Glazer

26th January 2006 · Last updated: 5th October 2016
 

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I ordered several cheaply priced DVDs recently in an online sale, including five compilations of work from outstanding video makers from the world of pop music, advertising and movies. I don't hesitate to use the word "outstanding", because each featured director is the source of many classic videos. When I saw the list on each DVD, I just had to order each one. Dozens of top bands and memorable videos are packed on each disc, so I knew the quality to expect. There are also interviews and commentaries, along with extra short films and other material.
I have no hesitation in calling what this group of directors produce as "art". These aren't your everyday MTV videos. These are ones that stick in your mind long afterwards, winning awards, or just being simply incredible to watch. I actually hate a lot of pop videos — I find a lot are bland, lacking in originality and technique, or edited so quickly that they become an annoying flash of imagery. So it was a joy to discover some of the new videos on these DVDs that I hadn't seen before, along with gems I knew already were great.
I haven't watched all of the discs yet (one is a double-sided DVD!) but I'm enjoying each one as I get to them. The first two I received in the post were the separate collections from directors Chris Cunningham and Jonathan Glazer. You may know Glazer from the classic movie Sexy Beast (no, it's not a porn flick, but a superb gangster movie, featuring Ray Winstone and Ben Kingsley. If you haven't seen it, it's a must.) Here is a selection of screenshots from these two DVDs. See if you remember any of these videos or adverts.

Screenshots from the Jonathan Glazer DVD

Screenshots from the Chris Cunningham DVD

As you can see, I've included a lot of shots from Björk's video All Is Full Of Love. I'd seen it once before, and it was to be honest the main reason I got this DVD. It is to me, without question, a complete masterpiece. Created for a song remixed on a B-side(!), there was no pressure to meet a deadline or a single to market, so creativity came to the fore. I can't explain why, but I feel it's the perfect marriage of sound and vision. One of those rare times where the movement, graceful and futuristic, perfectly matches the music. It's quite short, but brilliantly made. Björk appears as a humanoid being constructed piece by piece by robotic welding machines you'd normally see in a car factory. I was surprised to find how much was computer generated. It's so well done that you can't tell. I totally love the music too — one of my all-time favourite Björk tracks for sure.

Comments (3)

Comments are locked on this topic. Thanks to everyone who posted a comment.
 

  1. Robert:
    It is amazing what can be accomplished with computer generated video.

    Posted on 10 February 2006 at 7:57 pm
  2. me man:
    the links do not work on Menu2 :-(

    Posted on 12 February 2006 at 10:54 am
  3. Chris Hester:
    It's just a screenshot of the DVD.

    Posted on 13 February 2006 at 9:09 am