DVD Review: Work of Director Chris Cunningham, The (B+)

Work of Director Chris Cunningham, The (2003)
Directed by Lance Bangs, Chris Cunningham
MPAA: UR
Grade: B+

Review by Scott Standish

I can't seem to get an image out of my head. It's disturbing, funny and completely unforgettable. The image is of the distorted face used through out Aphex Twins videos by Chris Cunningham. And this is exactly what the director was looking for.

Perhaps the most influential music video director in the last 20 years, Chris Cunningham has become famous for his disturbing, yet mesmerizing images. Whether it's the previously mentioned distorted face of Richard James put on the bodies of young girls or the cyber robot version of Bjork making love to her robot clone, Chris Cunningham delivers memorable images. Perhaps best known of his videos (and my least favorite) is the Madonna video for Frozen. The video shows the superstar in a gothic black costume that swirls in the wind, then transforms into animals (crows, dobermans, etc). Although this looks cool, it doesn't hold up to the disturbing power of Cunningham's video for Leftfield (showing a man's limbs falling off) or Portishead (of people seemingly drowning in air).

Dramatic. Unforgettable. The Work of Director Chris Cunningham is a wonderful DVD and a must buy for anyone who collects vanguard music video. My only beef with this collection is that it did not include Cunningham's wonderful video for Holy Barbarian's Space Junkie. I have heard that other key works from Cunningham are also missing, so could disc #2 be in the works? Let's hope so! In the meantime, do not hesitate to scoop this one up.

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