therevolution, Tuesday, 13. May 2008, 14:49
Ladytron - Ghosts (Dir. Joseph Kahn)

See the premier of Joseph Kahn's amazing new video for Ladytron 'Ghosts'. The video was shot on 16mm (correction - not HVX) over a weekend in the desert with a skeleton crew and a haunting treatment that would frighten many record execs. This is by far their best video, I never imagined such a vivid portrayal of the girls would work so well. After another viewing, this one's a classic to be hailed, especially considering the state videos are in. It's also interesting insight into the director Joseph Kahn who is famous for his high profile work with major artists. *He invested the entire budget for the sake of creating the piece. 5/5 stars.

"http://www.josephkahn.com/music/index.xml"
click on: LADYTRON - GHOSTS
         
this feels a little inspired by depeche mode's work with anton corbijn, I remember them being listed as one of Ladytrons main influnces. I really love this video, for the first time the band looks sexy, the girls are amazing and the idea is pretty cool too. I love the themes and undertones... We need more videos like this!
         
I LOVE THE LADYTRON CAMBELLS SOUP. MAKE ME A BOWL OF THE GOOD STUFF!!!
         
60mb flv. pretty damn tight, this: stellar edit, nice style & photographic choices (swing&tilts're back!), nails the track.
         
STUNING images, but very traditionally music video.

Maybe it lacks narrative.
         
okay, this is great looking HVX. And it's cool that Joseph Kahn is doing a low budget video.

But other than that, it's just shots of people walking around with some cool lens shit on it.

I dunno. It's not bad. But it's pretty forgettable. Sort of reminds me of a 00's version of a 90's video.

I admit though, the field of rabbits at the end was awesome... but not enough to make me think anything more than "not bad."

And how could this treatment scare record execs? I was expecting nudity and/or decapitations.
         
Apparently Kahn dropped a ton of his own money into this one.
         
I'm not really believing this to be an hvx. Even with an M2 or movietube mount, this is still surprisingly film looking (ignore the grain/scratches/and grade -- notice image).

Would love to hear more on this.....
         
bless kahn for time and again spending his torque-effyou money on music videos.

i can hardly believe this is really hvx, thanks to the desert sun and grading i guess - only in the night shots do you get doubts that its not film.
         
you know, yeah, it's a traditional music video, but everything that comes out now is just saturated with self-referential bullshit that only works if it can grab you in fifteen seconds and then you lose interest after two anyway.

i'd be all for seeing more "traditional" music videos that look this amazing. that's probably what scared the record execs so much. there's no hook!

thank fucking god...
         
Really glad that the band didn't whip out their guitars and drum set in this video. I like this song a lot... I think a track still makes or breaks a video, no matter how great the visual component may be.
         
Oooh!
         
the video doesn't lack narrative in my oppinion, there's subplots happening all under the umbrella of ladytron driving across the desert - ghosts behind the wheel of their little beat up yellow car. the girl is the witness to their bizarre witchcraft (so cool).

there is a book with rabbits during the bridge scene at night... i forget what the title says.

personally - this is one of my favorite videos by kahn and BY FAR the best thing ladytron has ever put out.

it is a "traditional" music video... it actually attempts to be artful. screw obvious narrative. this is raw imagery conjuring raw emotion.
         
it's "watership down" 'course. (nice to see all these new commenters... like little rabbits just appeared in the desert...)
         
Interesting. I am not a fan of this. The Corbijn reference seems pretty clear, yeah. Parts of "Personal Jesus" had a remarkably similar feel -- but it was a much better video.

Sorry, file this under boring and over-produced. I'm expecting Neuromancer to be an epic fail.
         
MY GOD IT'S BEEN PULLED!!!!!!!
         
couldn't see it on that website, its on youtube though, youtube.com
         
(^^^ or you could download the FLV above ^^^)
         
great!!! havn´t seen a video like this for a long time...reminds me of DJ Shadows "High noon"...if anyone remember that one....
www.youtube.com
         
if this was shot on an hvx then the dop deserves to be paraded through streets of his or her local town on the shoulders of models whilst people chant their name and feed them grapes, fan them with big leaves and worship them like a hero.
         
meh, this is like so 95.
with all those scratches and noises
besides, ive seen 16mm perform better than this.
yadda yadda, rabbits in the desert (10 narrative subplots - give me a fucking break), blah blah blah

         
95 was way cheesier. no complaints the film treatment or that aspect. as far as the narrative goes, i guess i just prefer the abstract and open ended - if it's going to be a music video i want to be moved by iconic visuals and the music, not a pretentious plot.

for the people that enjoy music videos-trying-to-be-films,here's one you might like, it has very 'modern' cinematography and a really cohesive story... so it appears anyway, i couldn't made it through the chorus. videos in 08 suck. i say bring back the 90's and early 00's. at least there was promise then.
         
Lot's of new posters and all almost instantaneously after the original post. I smell a Rep. therevolution is almost certainly the director, his rep, his producer, or his friend. I'd say the same for iheartelectro and tHeCaLlInG. Post reads like a press release. "Rumor has it he invested the entire budget just for the sake of creating the piece. 5/5 stars." What rumor? Was that on Perez?
         
Im a friend and a freak fan of ladytron and a video director myself (i'll spare my resume for fear of slaughter). I hope this reaches Perez, they're part of the Justice camp - it could happen. They need the exposure here in the states. Spread the link!
         
not amazing but not bad either, love the shots with the dogs and de light.
         
Crystal Castles eat Ladytron for breakfast.
         


CLICK HERE to download the HIGH RESOLUTION MOV

So far Velocifero sounds ike it's going to be a more mellow than Withing Hour, but still a fantastic record. Crystal Castles are a different flavor of candy, also delicious... but I can't compare the two
         

         
IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW :gasps:... very creepy.
         
therevo: erm, merely over-upping the datarate and inflating the audio doesn't get you *any* higher quality than the h.263/mp3 of the original flv. recoding this to h.264/aac, even at isquint's "perfect" setting to conserve the maximum possible quality (datarate 1500kbit/s) would get you a 46mb file instead of your 148mb bloat. jes sayin'...
         
offtopic: wkw's 'there's only one sun/aurea' promo for philips aurea looks more than a music video-tryina-bein-a film than this one here


         
i really like it, some really beautiful images going on.

With the recent Dougal debate in mind, who cares if the style is old. Most music is exploring something older, so it follows that the videos do too.

Many things trying to push forward are great now, which is good for the semi-disposable nature of music videos, but date badly.

Sounds like we're still loving the A.C. Depeche Mode stuff though. Room for all if it.

Sells the band, and is a beautiful watch, thats for sure.



         
some cool imagery, but i found it kinda boring to be honest...
         
Good vid and I seem to be enjoying JK's work more and more every day. He's a vastly talented Director/DP/Editor combo and doesn't get nearly as much credit as he deserves. That said, I can imagine no possible defense for 'Torque' but we're all allowed one or two mulligans.

Anyhow, with regards to any and all comments about being bored - I'm stunned that the video kept me as interested as it did given that the last half of the video is one line of the chorus over and over and over and over again...Ack! A director's worst nightmare that.

After all, we live and die by the music we create visuals for and if the song has nothing to say...
         
I can't get enough of the 70's split screens. It looks amazing in full rez. Thanks!
         
Some bullshit commentary getting posted round here....

Above says this was shot with a 'skeleton crew'. What does that mean for Kahn?
         
Agreed. I'd also say kalstark = iheartelectro = tHeCaLlInG = therevolution = JK.
         
erm, suss: kalstark = mv director in hollywood; th'others are indeed new round here - as are you, i might add...
         
this aint joseph kahn, i'm a friend and fan of him/ LT. you craze. if you'd like to speak to the real man, his myspace is googleable. but maybe i should roll with this whole JK indent... i like the electric power i'm feeling in my fingertips!!

there's some haters on this forum!
         
why are people with high standards and good taste often referred to as haters?
         
nothing against the oppinions here, all valid - the reason why i dig this forum..

just dissaponted by unnecessary negativity... call me a bitch.
         
what a bunch of shit comments.
         
hvx video forget it.

arriflex 16 sr3.
the last time i looked it was made in germany and had film in it.
yes it's traditional but a real nice job.
great analogue images.

         

I like the fact that he invested the entire budget in the video, like on what bunny rentals? a bunny wrangler? probably more likely the majority of the budget went to a post production agency to make his aimless direction of cliche "band in a desert" footage tolerable.

5/5 bunnies

Good to know skate video are "in" though. (Directors take note)
         
Ladytron qt