As a group, Animotion is destined to be most remembered for Obsession but they did record other songs. I Want You appeared on Animotion’s second studio album and was one of the first single releases from it. Despite a good beat and a video that was very MTV-friendly, it only reached the 84th position on the U.S. charts. It was, however, considerably more popular in Germany, reaching the 24th position.
Nick Morris, the prolific director of this video, also did videos for Big Country, Cliff Richard, Europe, Cheap Trick, and Mister Mister. He also directed a production of The Toxic Avenger: The Musical, which was released in 2018.
In 1988, evangelical preacher-turned-comedian Sam Kinison had a hit with his cover of Wild Thing. For the music video, he not only recruited a host of 80s rockers, he also cast Jessica Hahn, who was at the center of the scandal that took down two other evangelical preachers, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker.
For completists, here is who can be seen in this video, backing up Sam and Jessica: Joe Perry and Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Steve Adler and Slah (Guns ‘n Roses), Sebastian Bach (Skid Row), Jon Bon Jovi, Alec John Such, and Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi), Jonathan Cain and Deen Castronovo (Journey), Robbin Crossby and Warren DeMartini (Ratt), C.C. Deville (Poison), Tommy Lee (Motley Crue), Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot), Billy Idol, and Dweezil Zappa.
In 1980, Bauhaus covered Mac Bolan’s tribute to his drug dealer, TelegamSam. Of course, they added their own unique spin to the song. The music video finds them apparently locked away in a boiler room. While the band plays, Peter Murphy dances through the room while dressed up as the contortionist from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Hopefully, Telegram Sam will get everyone out in time to record the first Love & Records album.
The Black Sabbath YouTube channel lists this as being the official music video for Rock ‘N’ Roll Heaven and the IMDb says that the video was released in 1976 so that’s what I’m going with. I’m going to assume that this video was filmed at one of the American stops during the first part of the Technical Ecstasy Tour.
Like most 70s music videos, this is a pretty basic performance clip, one that lets the band do the talking.
Produced by Martin Bregman, directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone, and starring Al Pacino, the 1983 remake of Scarface is one of the best-known, most iconic gangster films ever made. It opened to mixed reviews but it’s gone on to be recognized as a classic. Everyone can quote the script: “Say hello to my little friend!” “In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women.” “Say goodnight to the bad guy!”
Scarface starts with one of my favorite opening scenes of all time. Powered by Giorgio Moroder’s score, the opening credits of Scarface play out over footage of the real-life Mariel boatlift. Combined with footage of Fidel Castro ranting that Cuba does not need the Marielitos, this opening gives real-world credibility to everything that follows. We then segue from the actual boatlift to Al Pacino as Tony Montana, answering questions with that shit-eating grin on his face.
Listen to the interrogation scene carefully and you’ll hear both Charles Durning and Dennis Franz, dubbing the lines of the actors who played the immigration agents.
This video was shot in downtown Los Angeles, near Pershing Square and its popularity on MTV helped to push the song to the top of the US charts. The song was inspired by Waite’s feelings while he was working and away from his wife. Myself, I’ll always think about it as being the song playing on the radio while I was driving a white Cadillac across the beach in Vice City. Unfortunately, I got so into the song that I drove the car straight into the ocean. That was when I discovered that Tommy Vercetti couldn’t swim.
“I think I finally figured out my new song, ‘Los Angeles’, this morning. They got one in South Patagonia, they got another Los Angeles in Mexico, they got so many Los Angeleses. Bangkok has a Los Angeles, I read recently. I imagine there’s a lot of places in the world named City Of Angels. I wrote about a futuristic one too: ‘They got one in 2525, where it’s just like a beehive.’ I mean that kind of Los Angeles you might see in a film like Blade Runner.”
— Frank Black in VOX, Issue 30, March 1993
In 1993, after the Pixies broke up for the first time, lead singer Black Francis renamed himself Frank Black and embarked on a solo career. Los Angeles was the first single to be released off of Black’s first solo album, Frank Black. According to Black, the song was meant to take place in a futuristic version of Los Angeles, much like the one seen in Blade Runner. The first time I ever heard the song, I misheard nearly every lyric and I thought it was about a man who Black met, a good man who worked as an insurance agent. (For some reason, my mind always heard “sailing and shoring” as “selling insurance.”)
The video makes it clear that Los Angeles is meant to take place in some sort of future, with Black riding a hovercraft through the desert and looking like an extra from a Mad Max movie. I’m not sure who directed this video. Some sources hint that the video was directed by Black himself but I haven’t been able to find any definite confirmation.
After releasing two solo albums, Black went on to front Frank Black and The Catholics before reuniting with the Pixies and eventually changing his name back to Black Francis.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan not only had the best battles and the most heart-breaking death but it also had the best score. James Horner’s score was as important a character as Kirk, Khan, Spock, and all the rest.
The first meeting between the Enterprise and the Reliant is one of my favorite moments in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, from the first phaser attack to Khan thinking that he has the upper hand to Kirk lowering Khan’s shields. This scene goes from action to comedy (with Kirk delaying by putting on his glasses) to tragedy when Scott shows up with the body of his nephew.
This scene is one of Star Trek’s best space battles and it establishes Khan as being a worthy adversary. For once, the danger is real.
Through the Shattered Lens 