There is an obvious and direct line from the very first video to Be Kind Rewind. This is a man who fell in love EARLY with the joy of moving pictures, and realized that even complete artifice can be used skillfully to convey the story. Budget be damned. The truth lies in the vision, and a persistent artist will not be dismayed by such trivial things as lack of location or even actors. Make The Movie. If you imbue your work with heart, the artifice falls to the wayside. posted by hippybear at 2:08 PM on June 26, 2009
Wow, I was going to put some snarky post about having no mastery of story, but damn! I had no idea he made so many videos. And i've checked out his dvd.
Whatever else I can say about his cinema, his craft is exquisite and I actually think it finds it's highest form here.
I always thought that the "Let Forever Be" video was suppose to be what life in hell was suppose to be like. posted by Weebot at 2:17 PM on June 26, 2009
Gondry made the "Little star" video for Stina Nordenstam? As a fan of both (but by far more interested in Stina Nordenstam, actually listening to her right now), why didn't I know this...
That video was what got my interested in Stina, and I first saw it on some MTV Europe show late one friday evening on some show by a small blond woman mostly showing ambient/techno-music-videos? Well, it was 15 years ago... posted by rpn at 2:19 PM on June 26, 2009
Oh, thanks! His videos have been some of the best among this very new form of expression.
He's not doing it as a standalone product anymore, but for a hundred bucks you can purchase a DVD set and a personal, hand-drawn portrait from him of your ugly mug on his website. posted by defenestration at 2:20 PM on June 26, 2009
Oh man this is a fantastic post. I'd had no idea that he'd done that inspiral carpets video!
The "hardest button to button" video makes me laugh uncontrollably every time I watch it. I love this guy. posted by capnsue at 2:49 PM on June 26, 2009
Absolutely fantastic post. Thank you for your indelible kindness. posted by Lacking Subtlety at 2:56 PM on June 26, 2009
The Cibo Matto video was my first taste of Gondry. I saw it on MTV2 when M2 first debuted. I was so excited by the video that I missed the artist and song title. I think I watched MTV2 religiously just to find the video again.
Split screen - one going forward, one going backward.
Then, when I went to college I heard the song playing while someone was watching an episode of Buffy. Pre-YouTube, I searched the Internets high and low to get a glimpse of the video, but could only find a 30 second clip on a Japanese website.
I know he's all hyped up now, but after watching Science of Sleep, I looked him up on Wikipedia, only to discover that although I didn't know of him, I had inadvertently loved almost 90% of his music videos between 1996 and 2004. Every time I had watched a movie or a music video of his, I'm left incredulous that he can translate his visions so beautifully. posted by alice ayres at 3:06 PM on June 26, 2009
One of my favorite anecdotes from the DVD about the making of Sugar Water was how Miho Hatori would mess up the intricate plotting and filming by misspelling "Su" and "Wa" (her half of "Sugar Water") at the very end of the shot. posted by Weebot at 3:16 PM on June 26, 2009
benzo8, I should have previewed! I wish I had had AskMe in seventh grade! The comments in your AskMe echo my exact sentiments. And the same thing happened to you (being so captivated that you missed the blurb at the end with the name of the song).
I don't know if it's because I worked so hard to see that video again, but it is one of probably my favorite music videos. posted by alice ayres at 3:19 PM on June 26, 2009
Yeah, it's a totally hypnotic video. At first you're not even quite sure what's going on, but then it dawns on your what your watching and you get totally swept away - it's a bit like watching Memento! posted by benzo8 at 3:23 PM on June 26, 2009
Gondry's work is just fantastic. Palindromes (Sugar Water), recursion (Bachelorette), making visual elements represent the music (Hardest Button and Star Guitar). And Kylie looks way sexier in Come Into My World than in Spinning Around (aka the Hot Pants One). Contra a previous comment, a DVD of his work is available under the "Director's Label" label (if that's not a tautology). Also available in that label: Chris Cunningham and Spike Jonze.
Gondry's advertising work is listed here and includes: Smirnoff, Gap and Air France (with music by the Chemical Brothers).
I recognised so much of myself in Jim Carrey's character (and a couple of my exes in Kate Winslet's) that Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind genuinely frightened me. posted by Electric Dragon at 3:34 PM on June 26, 2009
Wow, great link. Love his work. posted by hypersloth at 3:40 PM on June 26, 2009
If you were exposed to this nightmare song through the DS game Elite Beat Agents, the definitive video would be here. (Mega64) posted by kid ichorous at 4:05 PM on June 26, 2009
Just got my "portrait by Gondry" today. I love it! posted by ElmerFishpaw at 4:09 PM on June 26, 2009
hypersloth: oh, thankyouthankyouthankyou. It's like Being Michel Gondry, only you don't get dumped out on the side of a highway, and you actually learn how his mind works a bit! posted by hippybear at 4:18 PM on June 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
I discovered Gondry's work when a friend showed me the video for Star Guitar. Trippiest thing ever.
Best thing on MetaFilter all day.
*bookmarks it for later viewing while unsober* posted by spitefulcrow at 4:57 PM on June 26, 2009
Awesome. It's hard to pick a favorite Gondry video for me, but the one that pops into my head from time to time is Come Into My World for Kylie Minough. The song is disposable but what an amazingly fun video. posted by zardoz at 10:37 PM on June 26, 2009
Er, by "great link", I meant "great post". With a capital great.
hippybear: You're welcome. I had a horrible day; glad to hear something went right. posted by hypersloth at 11:18 PM on June 26, 2009
When I saw "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" in the theatre, right when Jim Carrey's character narrated the line "Why do I fall in love with every woman I see who shows me the least bit of attention?", there was an audible groan of painful recognition from the male part of the audience. Bullseye! Right in the heart.
Gondry is nothing if not a romantic. posted by Bobby Bittman at 3:04 AM on June 27, 2009
Lovely stuff. posted by Artw at 6:17 AM on June 27, 2009
Bobby Bittman: I always thought that Jim Carrey's character was more Kaufman than Gondry. I think that Gael Garcia Bernal in Science of Sleep was closer to embodying what his ideas of men and romance are -- which is to say it is much more autobiographical, and much more self-lacerating. posted by Weebot at 11:29 AM on June 27, 2009
hypersloth - cheers for that one! Always wanted to know how he did that.
and Gondry has a second dvd of his work. WOOT! posted by AzzaMcKazza at 7:06 AM on June 29, 2009
can somebody please make a youtube playlist of all these? posted by jcruelty at 2:12 PM on July 10, 2009
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Thank you SOOOOOO much.
posted by hippybear at 2:02 PM on June 26, 2009