Video cut-ups are ten-a-penny, and the days when editing Tony Blair to make him say “I enjoy killing civilians” or having Cliff Richard put the children on the fire instead of the logs (Mistletoe & Wine) was amusing are long gone (oh ok i admit its still quite funny). Occasionally however a brilliant cut-up surfaces, and Cal-TV’s “Imagine This” is a work of genius.
In it George W. Bush sings a word perfect version of John Lennon’s “Imagine”, and I have to admit I got goose-bumps half way though when the choir kicks in (although I often get goose-bumps at inopportune moments, and it may just have been cold in the house). With over 40 video clips synced together, it must have taken an absolute age to create, but I can’t recommend it enough. Superb!
Download: Imagine This (Quicktime) or an MP3 version.
WaxAudio who did the original audio cutup have a dozen more free MP3’s over at their site.
Another video collage doing the rounds is Stephen McQuillen’s “The Bottom Line”, but this one is definitely not for the squeamish! It uses a backing track from veteran cutup merchants Negativland, and many pretty grim pictures of US torture in Abu Ghraib prison. Its well made, and makes its point, but be warned.
Download: “The Bottom Line”(16meg Quicktime)”
Its opened up a fairly predictable “debate” over at WFMU with people lining up on both sides to trade insults. Hornsofthedevil comments :
“The forces of ignorance intolerance and oppression riot in the streets, burn churches of other religions, murder holy men of other religions, praise Hitler and call for the beheading of anyone disagreeing with them all in the name of…. cartoons.
…but i guess that not newsworthy, not we we can all cut ourselves a big slice of self loathing. immerse yourself in the gruesome details of crimes comitted 3 years ago!”