Still reeling from that Federline dir. Cunningham "joke", so here's the real deal from 1998

10mb mov You Tube

         

Courtesy Kev: www.director-file.com

         

That's a surprisingly simple way to get me to do a rewrite. I've posted my copy (from rsa), it has a bit of noise in the first 5sec. If anybody here doesn't have his DVD anyway, you're asking for trouble.

         

I have a confession to make, I don't like Chris Cunningham videos. There, I said it. Cast your stones, but that is just how I feel.

The screaming, freaky Aphex Twins one was the first video of his I recall seeing, but they ALL have that same "are you not feeling eerily disturbed?" tone to them. (Imagine that quote being said by a gladiator in the middle of an arena).

Seriously, everything this director does has the exact same FEEL to me. Maybe he just likes that kind of music and sees lots of nuance in there where I do not. CC is obviously incredibly skilled, but he uses his skills to make the same, spooky "sense of creepy but un-named dread" clips over and over again.

I do NOT have the Cunningham/Palm Pictures DVD, so maybe I am speaking about something I do not fully understand. Perhaps Cunngham does other videos that express different feelings and I just haven't seen them. Enlighten me, if that is the case.

On the thread about Hype/Pharrell's new "Angel" clip someone commented (accurately, IMO) that Hype seems to be a "girl collector" in that video. Hype's recent work DOES seems to be all about photographing sexy ass with a great sense of style. (Hype deserved his VMA award for his past work but the guy is a shadow of his formerly creative self.)

Folks here rip Hype for his one-dimensional videos that all seem tthe same. How come the same criticism is not leveled at Cunningham? Hype may only make well-lit hoochie porn, but Cunningham only makes green-lit dread porn. Is that so different?

         

Not so different. Doesnt really matter does it? Why bother comparing?

I agree Cunninghams rarely strays from the mildy disturbing, but if you look at his Squarepusher next to Bjork next to this then hes pretty obviously a talented fella & theyre undisputably great vids... so whats your point? Hes not as good as you thought he'd be? ... oh. Same with Hype - hes done some good ones & some clangers... so?

This sites such a crock of shit sometimes, spending far too much time wallowing about in its own thesis of 'what makes a great director' and then hosting the 80s greatest hits via youtube for fucksake.

Unless youve got a decent vid to post, which given that theyre not for free these days is unlikely...just dont post anything - comments or otherwise.

"I dont think so & so's as good as such & such said he thinks he thought he might be ..."

fucksake.

         

PUTTY: C'mon, you just sound frustrated after a day of animating (ha!)

30f's got a right to post his opinions and in the case of this, he's absolutely got a point. The Ville tends to slam the 'factory line' directors but in view of promos, they're ALL factory line directors.

Expecting more from a guy people call one third of the "Holy Trinity" (wildly problematic label), is never a bad thing.

         

30f: You're looking for more of a Fincher or Nispel, I guess? Truly, though, it would be interesting to see what kind of work Chris could do with a happy song. I don't think he's interested, though.

         

kev: Not really looking for anything specific. I admire the skill and execution in Chris's work. I am not a big fan of the type of music he often directs for, so that obviously plays a role. My point isn't to slam the man, but to put a question out there.

Cunningham is one of those directors that many folks here on the Ville admire with an ecclesiastical zeal. I know CC is one of your guys, but I submit that the respone puttyfingers added above makes my point. The beliefs held by an orthodoxy are not always correct.

Look, like who and what you like. I would rather watch a Dave Meyers video most of the time. That is probably just me, though.

         

I don't have the Cunningham Director's Label DVD either. I thought I couldn't stomach his violent/disturbing vernacular when I bought the other two (Jonze & Gondry). Actually, I still find his thing a bit Eugh but the important thing is that it really gets the songs to resonate for me.

(I suspect that Cunningham is probably quite a nice fellow, rings his Mum on a Sunday etc. and that the horrorvision idiom is something that comes through honesty and calculation rather than a wanton, pornographic need to freak everyone out.)

In addition to reclaiming the work of this director that I'm just getting to know, I also put the post up because I like Portishead. Until I saw this video however I always thought of Portishead as a somewhat 2-dimensional font of idealised urban cool. The video helps to re-centre the song, in my mind, as more comprehensive, cool in idiom but exposed and vulnerable in expression. That was all there before Cunningham dropped it in a large swimming pool but I geddit now.