Let me take you back to 1998. Some company name Apple released a computer called the iMac, unknowingly causing me to have deal with the letter ‘i’ place in front of random electronics, furniture, and snack foods for the rest of my life. You were gleefully listening to Chumbawumba, still years away from the inevitable shame, guilt, and condescending look of the register-jockey at your local record store when you tried to sell it. Also, for some reason, the world had not quite made the realization that techno did indeed suck, meaning you probably traded that Chumbawumba CD in for a Moby CD or something.

Despite the dearth of repetitive-bass thumping mind torture, a few diamonds in the rough could be found. UNKLE (an acronym of some sorts I refuse to recognize) represented the collaboration of James Lavelle (best known for remixing stuff) and DJ Shadow ((DJ shadow has since moved on, but UNKLE still remains.)) (better known for remixing everything ever). Instead of the typical ‘thumping-bass/obscure-sample/throw-in-a-guitar/call-it-a-day’ formula that was defining america’s love affair with turntables and little bald men, UNKLE took the high road by daring to construct actual songs that varied in purpose and structure. By collaborating with notables such as Mike D, Richard Aschcroft, and Thom Yorke, an album with a textured and multi-faceted style was constructed from the stock that was the individual contributors vocal strengths.

The greatest track to emerge from this collaboration is arguably “Rabbit in Your Headlights” featuring the vocals of Thom Yorke of Radiohead. Instead of beating you over the head with unnecessary scratches, the song is almost serene in its simplicity yet subtle in its complexity, essentially combining elements of the unadorned beauty found on “OK Computer” and the more challenging structure of the forthcoming “Kid A”.

Jonathan Glazer.

The video for the track by Jonathan Glazer mimics the winning formula of the song itself. In many ways this music video is a perfect example of the medium. It complements the song, adds its own unique layer of paint to the canvas, but never loses sight of the essential foundation lying underneath. The end result is like a wonderful short film with a slow build and a satisfying finale. A chilling portrait of being misunderstood and overlooked by those around you, the payoff brings freedom to those dark feelings of claustrophobic isolation we’ve all felt at one time or another; that loneliness that permeates when nobody around quite understands. This is a revenge piece for the soul.

What Glazer is able to accomplish in 5:00 minutes is simply astounding because it truly transcends the separate media from which it is composed. The music drives the visuals and the visuals reinforce the music. The fact that the two pats come together to create an even more compelling whole shows the power of the medium when in the right hands. This would not be the same without the visuals, it would not be the same without the music. It gives you everything needed to suck you into the world and spit you back out for the dramatic finish. This story could not be told and the same emotions could not be evoked in any other medium in any other fashion to the same effect. If someone ever questions what music videos have to offer, show them this and shut them up.

At the very least, this video encourages all of us to think twice before we play ‘bumper bums’ on the streets at night.

This video and other works by Jonathan Glazer can be found on Director’s Series Vol. 5 – Work of Director Jonathan Glazer. Go buy it.

Note: this post was one of SRO’s first from way back in 2005, so you long-time readers may recognize it. It has been modified slightly from that original appearance to be placed as part of the “Video Classics” series. The video file has been upgraded as well.

UNKLE – Rabbit In Your Headlights, directed by Jonathan Glazer.

Quicktime 7 (iPod compatible: 58.0 MB)