Some of the best/worst music videos were always videos from a movie soundtrack. This generally is because if a movie had to promote itself so heavily that it took up the entire music video, that movie wasn't worth seeing anyway. This phenomenon is not as prevalent now, but when music videos were actually watched, this was the norm and looking back, the norm was super cheesy. We love cheese.
In weeding out the many examples of these awful music videos and whittling it down to a fine 10, we awarded points for:
- Most movie footage useage
- Interaction between the artist and the fake movie characters
- How bad the song was
- How bad the music video was
10) Ray Parker Jr. - Who you Gonna Call, Ghostbusters
If you need a theme song that will never get out of your head, who you gonna call.....Ray Parker Jr. The cheese factor for this video is thru the roof. Directed by the guy who did Meatballs, this video features a ton of 80s celebrities, many of whom no longer have any identity. Immediate observations: 1)Ray Parker Jr could easily be mistaken for a member of the 86 Bears Super Bowl Shuffle team 2) RPJ most definitely boned the cute white girl in this video. Gotta love the lyric "bustin makes me feel good (2:56)" 3) The movie clips are horrendously integrated into this video. It's more like a Ghostbusters sizzle reel.
Years from now when I'm senile, lying on my death bed and can't remember my name...i can guarantee you that the only question I'll know how to answer is 'who ya gonna call?'
9) Will Smith - MIB
Only Will Smith has the ability to turn a song like this into a dance hit, just like he did with that god awful Wild Wild West. One listen to these lyrics and you'll instantly feel ashamed that you actually danced to this song. Shame on you.
8) GNR - You Could Be Mine, Terminator 2
"You Could Be Mine" was not originally going to be the official theme of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. However, the references to Guns N' Roses that were made in the film (from John Connor's friend's Guns N' Roses t-shirt, to the T-800 taking out his shotgun from a box of roses, thus playing a pun on the band's name) were so clear and obvious that James Cameron had to pull the trigger. I just cant believe that Axl allowed this to happen. All in all the video does sort of kick ass. It's also long enough to feel like you've just watched the entire movie
7) Goo Goo Dolls - Iris, City of Angels
The perfect storm for a soundtrack video: Goo Goo Dolls, Nic Cage and a chick flick not even the sappiest of girlfriends would care enough to see. Too bad the music video is super boring and you can't help but wonder what the rest of the Goo Goo's had to say when they watched it for the first time and realized all their parts were left on the cutting room floor. Also due to repetitive airplay of this song, everyone that went to college between '98 and '05 immediately starts foaming at the mouth and looking for any object to puncture their eardrums every time it comes on. True but strange
phenomena.
6) PM Dawn - I'd Die Without You, Boomerang
This is the movie where Halle Berry was casted as the "ugly" girl, right? That makes sense. Fact: 98% of black babies in 1992 were conceived to this song. I think Tevin Campbell makes up the other 2%.
5) UB40 - I Can't Help Falling in Love with You, Sliver
Sliver is one of those movies that seemed a lot hotter when you first saw it at the age of 13. The whole voyeurism bit made you feel like you were really watching Sharon Stone take a dump. Now when I watch it I can't believe a) how bad the storyline is, b) that William Baldwin was casted for this role and c) that this song made the soundtrack? In any case, points for incorporating the band into Baldwin's jerk-off chamber.
4) Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You, The Bodyguard
Oh Whitney, was has become of you? When this came out you had the whole world by your fingers, starring in a huge movie with the Costner, plus mulitplatnum records and singing in a music video about a movie that your also in!? Thats so meta its hurting my brain to think about. Oh well... Rick James is right, cocaine really IS a powerful drug.
3) Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise, Dangerous Minds
This video stands as the gold standard for character integration within a soundtrack music video. Is Coolio in the movie? Sure looks like it doesn't it! Sure we all saw this movie when it was called 'Stand and Deliver', but you didn't see Edward James Olmos in a cool ass music video. Music video aside, the song left its biggest legacy with the Weird Al cover "Amish Paradise"....."i churn butter once or twice, livin in an amish paradise."
2) Seal - Kiss From a Rose, Batman Forever
Just try to hold back from singing along with this bad boy. Great usage of the movie in here but I wish Seal would have been more involved than just screaming from a random rooftop Batman symbol in his Playboy brand silk PJs. Other than that this is the perfect soundtrack video and you can tell the movie had a huge budget because the entire video is clips from the movie which is awesome because that movie was a total piece of crap. Could this movie have been the jump-the-shark moment in Jim Carrey's career?
1) Bryan Adams - Everything I Do, Robin Hood
And on the 7th day, God created the ultimate soundtrack music video! Bryan Adams never felt as popular as he did when the director, Kevin Reynolds, invited Bryan and the boys on to the set to meet the crew and record the ultimate cheeseball video. I'm really surprised that Kevin Costner missed the opportunity to sing with the band in full Robin Hood costume. Maybe next time Kev.
Add your comments