Film and music have always gone hand-in-hand ever since sound was incorporated into moving images, so it’s natural once in a while for an artist’s music video taking a lean towards a certain film. Whether it be a shot-for-shot re-enactment, or little hints, here are a select few music videos that have been inspired by the movies...
Kanye West - Stronger
The ever-so-talented producer-turned-rapper Kanye West proved his love for the 1988 classic Akira by paying homage to many scenes from the iconic film, casting himself as the teenage Tetsuo.
Stronger video:
Akira trailer:
Stars – Your Ex-Lover is Dead
Indie band Stars put pen to paper and churned out Your Ex-Lover is Dead, a song dedicated to the wonderfully heart-warming Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The band went one better though and re-enacted Joel and Clementine lying on the frozen lake with their whole crew in tow.
Your Ex-Lover is Dead video:
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind trailer:
Lady Gaga ft. Beyoncé - Telephone
The marmite pop phenomenon Lady Gaga surely had an all-nighter, binging on Tarantino’s back catalogue when she came up with the concept for the Telephone video. Tarantino dug Gaga’s pitch of her video so much; she managed to bag The Bride’s Pussy Wagon from Kill Bill.
Telephone video:
Kill Bill trailer:
Foo Fighters – Everlong
Multitalented drummer/guitarist/singer Dave Grohl took on The Evil Dead and a Freaks and Geeks-style Sid Vicious punk look with Everlong’s video, marking a humours spoof of the cult 80’s hit.
Everlong video:
The Evil Dead trailer:
Michael Jackson - Thriller
The daddy of music videos and a short film in its own right, the late King of Pop Michael Jackson took such a shine to An American Werewolf in London that he had to create his own little masterpiece; a video that still has the power, 30 years on, to have little kids cowering behind the living room sofa.
Thriller video:
An American Werewolf in London trailer:
Jay-Z ft. Pharrell Williams – Blue Magic
Music mogul Jay-Z was so taken with American Gangster that he opted for a change in his whole image – from the baggy jeans to the smart suits and cigar; he even managed to write a whole album about the movie in the process, notching up one of his best records to date.
Blue Magic video:
American Gangster trailer:
30 Seconds to Mars – The Kill
Actor Jared Leto decided to walk the rickety bridge from actor-to-musician, and managed, as he did with his acting career, to garner a fan base, and still remains to be one of the few actors who have transcended into the music industry so easily. The man didn’t totally forget his acting routes, and with his fellow band members, the four create a pretty good homage to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining.
The Kill video:
The Shining trailer:
The Killers – Mr Brightside
The Killers have Moulin Rouge! vibes in their, without a doubt, most remembered song Mr Brightside. Eric Roberts, probably now most known for his role in The Dark Knight, sneaks his way into the video too.
Mr Brightside video:
Moulin Rouge! trailer:
Madonna – Express Yourself
Man of the hour David Fincher started off like many of Hollywood’s big-guns by directing music videos, and for Madonna’s 80’s hit Express Yourself he looked to the classic 1920’s silent science fiction film Metropolis for his inspiration.
Express Yourself video:
Metropolis trailer:
Hot Chip – Ready for the Floor
The British electro band Hot Chip have flashes of The Joker in their 2007 single. Lead singer, Alexis Taylor, when explaining his vision for the video, cited Tim Burton’s Batman as his inspiration, particularly on the main chorus line, “You’re my number one guy”, which was a line spoken by Jack Nicholson’s Joker.
Ready for the Floor video:
Batman trailer:
Cherokee Summer
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