Music Video Masters
MTV hits directed by Scorcese, Coppola and more
Michael Jackson’s “Bad” directed by Martin Scorsese
In 1987, the esteemed director collaborated with Michael Jackson to create an 18-minute, West Side Story-inspired short film for the song (a shortened version of which was used for the music video). “I was mesmerized by his dancing,” said Scorsese of the shoot. “In the first shot, when his face is looking up toward the camera, there was a sense of loneliness and victimization. Those images had a resonance to them.”
George Michael’s “Freedom! ’90” directed by David Fincher
One year after directing Madonna’s “Express Yourself” video, David Fincher—who would go on to helm blockbuster films like Fight Club and Gone Girl—directed this infamous 1990 George Michael hit, which featured supermodels Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington and Tatjana Patitz lip synching the lyrics.
Fat Boy Slim’s “Weapon of Choice” directed by Spike Jonze
The Being John Malkovich and Her director earned raves for this 2001 Fat Boy Slim video which featured Christopher Walken dancing around the lobby of an LA hotel. Fincher’s work would go on to win a Grammy for Best Music Video.
Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day” directed by F. Gary Gray
The director of last year’s surprise hit film Straight Outta Compton teamed up with the rapper on this 2007 video, which Rolling Stone deemed one of the top 100 videos of all time.
The White Stripes’ “I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself” directed by Sofia Coppola
Here’s how the director of Lost in Translation pitched White Stripes’ frontman, Jack White, on her concept for the 2003 video: “I said, ‘I don’t know—how about Kate Moss doing a pole dance?”’ Coppola recalled to the New York Times. ”I said that because I would like to see it. That’s the way I work: I try to imagine what I would like to see.”
The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Under the Bridge” directed by Gus Van Sant
After Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea appeared in Van Sant’s 1991 film My Own Private Idaho, the director agreed to direct this video, which Flea credits for helping the band become a mainstream success. It won “Breakthrough Video” honors at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards.
Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” directed by John Landis
The director of The Blues Brothers and National Lampoon’s Animal House filmed this epic 13-minute video which has been dubbed the most influential music video ever made. In 2009, “Thriller” became the only music video to be added to the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry which acknowledges “works of enduring significance to American culture.”
