For this music video, director Mark Romanek was inspired by both Midnight Cowboy and The 400 Blows.  Beck, wandering through New York City with his cowboy hat and his radio, was meant to be a modern-day Joe Buck while the freeze frames were inspired by the end of Truffaut’s portrait of alienated youth.

Two of the videos most memorable moments were accidental.  When the car nearly runs over Beck, it is meant to recall the “I’m walking here!” scene from Midnight Cowboy but the car’s driver didn’t hit the brakes soon enough and Beck was actually hit by the car and injured his leg as a result.  The other unplanned scene was when the pigeons took flight just as Beck approached them.

The video for Devil’s Haircut would go on to win two MTV Music Video Awards, one for Best Editing and one for Best Male Video.

Enjoy!