VIDEO PREMIERE: Ultraviolence

[Slumdog 817]

Blue Jeans didn't had too much going on, but it was atmospheric and still somehow told us a story.

I don't hate this new video, but you can just see that there was 0 effort put into it and the scenes y'sll are trying to interpret seem very random to me. There is not really any passion behind it, that's what's bothering me. And however she will explain and make excuses for this in interwievs, the video will stay boring. Not because it was filmed on a phone or because it has no plot but because it was filmed without any motivation.

 

You said exactly what I was thinking.

 

Running out of ideas is no excuse for this. Yoann Lemoine had the ability to turn a cliche idea into a masterpiece with Blue Jeans. He has such an eye for detail.

Summertime Sadness, the song, for example, wasn't that great to me, but the video made it more powerful.

 

To mention other artists, look at what Romain Gavras did with just "human beings in a mob" (please watch No Church In The Wild).

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJt7gNi3Nr4

 

You don't need an outlandish concept, just someone who can execute it properly.

[Paperface08 32]

It's a actually pretty easy to create a storyline for UV. So maybe Lana's running out of "Lana ideas". I mean I can easily see a cheesy but not boring vision for the bridge of the song. She's dying and the man is regretting that he was violent towards her and now shes on the verge of dying while the song "I love you the first time etc." is going on. It would make the song iconic for alot of people just cause of that cheesy emotional scene. Casual fans like cheesy scenes anyways. But Lana's never really had any obvious story in any of her videos. Like Katy Perry's "The one that got away." Almost all of Lana's videos need your imagination and we all have different interpretations for it. So maybe Lana's running out of ideas like THAT.

[PrettyBaby 2,219]

Just pretty enough and just creepy enough that the viewer can project her own trauma into the storyline. Showing the cult daddy ( /abusive lover /aliens with cattle prods) could interfere with that I suppose.

 

But yeah, I don't feel the need to watch it again. Ever.

[Miguel3Zero 202]

Take it for what it is: a little fun around a church in Italy filmed by her lover. Teasing everyone, showing what she can do to him, but not to us. If some thinks that she is only allowed to do epic videos, then surely you must be disappointed. I think the video is funny, she has a hard time keeping a serious face and not starting laughing.

[HEARTCORE 18,969]

The video would kinda work for a filler track ie. Sad Girl. But Ultraviolence is not a filler track - it's possibly the most important track on the record (especially due to it being the title track). As such, it deserved something epic and at least a monologue.

[ilovetati 15,297]

UV doesn't have any filler tracks, and that's what makes it a great album.

[Thunder Revenant 20,936]

The video would kinda work for a filler track ie. Sad Girl. But Ultraviolence is not a filler track - it's possibly the most important track on the record (especially due to it being the title track). As such, it deserved something epic and at least a monologue.

Agree with you on the epicness thing but PLEASE no more monologues ... they are sooo kitsch-y and annoying and everyone screms "so personal!" ....More acting and less monologue would have been very good for Tropico and the so-beloved ridologue also feels so awkward for me, especially the second part.

I dont think an epic video needs a monologue

 

 

but I also don't buy this "she's making art, you can interpret do much, so simple but good, so deeeep" excuse anymore. Eitherway she does a good atmospheric video ala Summerime Sadness, Born To Die or Blue Jeans, atmospheric homemade vids or she could maybe start doing really interesting, storytelling vids. She definitly HAS the potential but I often have the feeling she's just to lazy.

and with storytelling vids I don't mean Katy Pery storytelling. Lana could have the potential for a short-movie-esque musicvideo (what tropico should have been) like the wonderful musicvideo for the yeah yeah yeahs' "sacrilege"

[BENTLEY 3,495]

It's been uploaded to her Vevo channel.

[NamiraWilhelm 5,043]

Is this the worst video yet, then?

 

It's a single... maybe there'll be a proper video and her own, like with Blue Jeans ? Geh...

[GodBlessMe 2,141]

Its better than the video for Young and Beautiful..

[ilovetati 15,297]

I love that the video has been met with critical acclaim by those with knowledgeable opinions of music video production. It's an intentionally simple, hauntingly beautiful video, even if it's not the kind of overdone, polished pop video that most of you appear to be used to, and it carries a lot of meaning.

 

You guys are starting to sound like Little Monsters with your histrionics.

[GangstaBoy 3,930]

Its better than the video for Young and Beautiful..

 

You are so wrong, pls leave

[BENTLEY 3,495]

Its better than the video for Young and Beautiful..

I actually agree w you.

[Thunder Revenant 20,936]

I love that the video has been met with critical acclaim by those with knowledgeable opinions of music video production. It's an intentionally simple, hauntingly beautiful video, even if it's not the kind of overdone, polished pop video that most of you appear to be used to, and it carries a lot of meaning.

 

You guys are starting to sound like Little Monsters with your histrionics.

I have NO problem with simple, unpolished videos with atmosphere and meaning.

 

However, tell me, what kind of meaning has this? I mean, if you search hard enough you can make up something, but I don't see anything intentional in there. It's just a super lazy execution of what could have been a good idea.

[Coney Island King 25,991]

Its better than the video for Young and Beautiful..

 

Sorry but the Y&B video is very atmospheric and haunting. Simple, but perfect for the song and she looks gorgeous.

[toshi 948]

Its better than the video for Young and Beautiful..

 

I actually agree with you too, I had such high hopes for Y&B. To be honest, this video does nothing for me at all but I'm not bothered either because there are other songs off the album that I want better videos for. For those for love this song though, it has to be dissapointing.

[Angel Forever 145]

Exactly! And you know... How it sounds - the official promo video is directed by Lana del Rey with... IPhone.

I don't mind spontaneous videos recorded with phone and I like older unofficial Lana's videos.

But this one looks like a joke. I love Lana anyway but in this video she looks just ridiculously.

HA! Yes. I mean, Summer Wine was probably recorded with an iPhone too, but that video is pretty nice, not just walking around in a wedding dress 

[Rem 2,392]

First West Coast is her worst video now UV topped it. can't wait for her next one to top UV.

 

It's doing reverse of her debut era

 

I still remember when BTD debuted...LAWD!!!! the transition from VG video to BTD shocked the world...

 

Now... lol

[Pancake Karma 176]

After a second watch I think it's just "ok"

 

I think it is her worst video, but I'm hoping the PWYC video is better.

 

The main problem I have with it is the finger sucking thing. It's so gross and just doesn't make sense.

[butterflies 3,039]

First West Coast is her worst video now UV topped it. can't wait for her next one to top UV.

 

It's doing reverse of her debut era

 

I still remember when BTD debuted...LAWD!!!! the transition from VG video to BTD shocked the world...

 

Now... lol

How ARTPOP of her