First of the Gang to Die video

[Tingle]

This is pure fantasy I know, but just supposing there is to be a new Morrissey single release - and I'm assuming it might be FOTGTD, what would your script for the video be? My favourite Morrissey videos are 'Tomorrow' and 'NSAM'. I think the very worst video was 'My Love Life' which is only rivalled by the Style Council's 'Ever Changing Moods' for vehicle on a trailer while singer pretends to drive down the road naffness.

 

[Harsh Truth]

Videos have never been Morrissey's strong points, in my opinion. I would only consider a handful "good" and several border on unwatchable. Not including the Viva Hate and Bona Drag clips, most Morrissey videos just feature him and the Lads walking around! The others usually feature some really bad acting.

> This is pure fantasy I know, but just supposing there is to be a new
> Morrissey single release - and I'm assuming it might be FOTGTD, what would
> your script for the video be? My favourite Morrissey videos are 'Tomorrow'
> and 'NSAM'. I think the very worst video was 'My Love Life' which is only
> rivalled by the Style Council's 'Ever Changing Moods' for vehicle on a
> trailer while singer pretends to drive down the road naffness.

 

[CrushingBore]

What the hell is going on in "Sunny"?

> Videos have never been Morrissey's strong points, in my opinion. I would
> only consider a handful "good" and several border on
> unwatchable. Not including the Viva Hate and Bona Drag clips, most
> Morrissey videos just feature him and the Lads walking around! The others
> usually feature some really bad acting.

I love Moz's early vids, but everything he's made since the "Vauxhall" clips strike me as utterly banal. The early stuff is fantastic ("Sunday", "Interesting Drug") becuase the very nature of them is such that they're almost NOT videos, at least not according to the already-bland stereotypical MTV archetypes.
And can anyone out there explain to me how the hell the narrative in "Sunny" is meant to run? What the hell is going on? Who are these people, and why do I dislike them so much?
And I'm sorry, but I think "My Love Life" is FANTASTIC. You see, no-one on earth does vanity so well as Moz, and that's why that clip (and "The More You Ignore Me") work so well.
And it's a pity Derek Jarman's dead, because those Smiths clips are easily the best videos made. Ever. Period.

So, my script - let Moz act out his "Me & My Gang" fantasies, but with a twist - have them fighting each other with those squeezy tomato-ketchup squirters a la that Goodies episode from all those years ago. Ideal director: Martin Scorcese, in fact he could make it like that multi-million dollar mini-film Jacko made for "Bad" back in the day. You can almost picture Moz in a hooded tracksuit top screaming at his homies (Boz and Alain in Ali G costumes); "You ain't bad, you aint nuthin'!" Almost. Alright, leave me alone, it's past my bedtime and it may well be showing.

 

[Melissa]

Re: What the hell is going on in "Sunny"?

My main problem with the Derek Jarman videos is that there is no Morrissey! I don't care for the dizzying shots of greyness or that blonde chick, I want to see that beautiful man. Therefore, I love "My Love Life" (although Moz looks sort of pissed off, don't you think) and TMYIM, and "Tomorrow" is excrutiatingly beautiful. As for "Sunny", it actually makes me cry because of what the song itself is about, then i watch the video and I think that it shows friends having a good time together but there is a mood of sadness, like it's not always this fun due to some problem (perhaps heroin, eh?) one of the friends has that makes the happiest times extra sad because you think if only it could always be like this. SO much vibrancy and love is there but there's something wrong too.
Yeah. I work in theatre. I like to analyze these things. "Dagenham Dave" is a real fave, it's so camp and delightful.
Love & Moz,
Melissa

 

[Lucky]

what a great question Tingle!

I would have to say that my favourite video is either November Spawned a Monster (see the elastoplast) or We Hate it When Our Friends Become Successful. Moz is at his weirdest/sexiest in the former and I think he looks at his best in the latter.

As for First of the gang to die, given the subject matter, I think it should be in the style of an episode of the Sopranos with Tony, Paulie, Christopher et al in the video... with a hit on a Jackie Jr-style kid playing Hector at the end. Perhaps Moz and the lads could cameo by having some vegetarian risotto at Artie Bucco's restaurant or possibly Moz could lie on Dr Melfi's couch and have some therapy. The possibilities are endless! However, I don't think that an evening's entertainment at the Bada Bing would be Morrissey's cup of tea...

 

[Mindy]

Re: What the hell is going on in "Sunny"?

the "sunny" video kind of bothers me as well. could they have found three more unattractive people? i don't mean to say that they were ugly (for i have no room to talk). they just all looked so nasty and unappealing, just plain mean. the dog was cute though.