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lazorra99, March 6, 2010 9:42:40 PM CET
Many Artists - Everybody Hurts [HQ director's cut] (dir: Joseph Kahn)


Original video cut from Joseph Kahn (video director)

Leona Lewis, Rod Stewart, Mariah Carey, Cheryl Cole, Mika, Michael Bublé, Joe McElderry, Miley Cyrus, James Blunt, Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, Jon Bon Jovi, James Morrison, Alexandra Burke, Susan Boyle, Aston Merrygold, Marvin Humes, Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kylie Minogue and Robbie Williams
         
This could go both ways, either exploitive or somber.

There are the shots of the amputee, ect. The images comment on the devastation but curiously I didn't feel anything. It's because Joseph's work is sheen, glossy, so this is to get used to. An artist allowed to grow. When you use honesty as your guide and intercut the shit with celebrities two inches away from the lens it's less than subtle. That's just a man's opinion.

And yet, it's a video. The footage captured is among the best Kahn has shot, it's just the intercut with celebrities that hurts. Stand alone, it's powerful. That's just my opinion. I like his work so this is very different. This is better than that atrocious cover of we are the world, my vote for most despicable charity remake ever covered.

And Mariah, the tears kill credibility. I felt manipulated rather than moved. Cut to devastation - now that's tragedy.

Tony Kaye is a good director. His use of black and white is very poetic rather than synthetic. Use of Red here is another thing. Good for pop video, bad for documentary work.



Man in the mirror. Remember?



         
Great cover and a well crafted video, but I think the impact is lost slightly when we see how stunningly beautiful each of the celebrity singers is. I think it might have worked better if each singer was shot Take-Away Show style, in street clothes and in an urban environment.