Rocket Man Video

[nbc@inf.rl.ac.uk]

The video for Rocket Man was featured on ITV's "The Chart Show" on
Saturday morning. Here is my (non-artistic) description of it. I am sure
someone like Scott or Andy will post a better account, but here goes.

It is an black and white and features Kate and the musicians who recorded
the song (except for late Alan Murphy). The directory of photography was
Julian Doyle (worked on Brazil) and special effects were by Richard Conway
(worked on Star Wars).

I'll describe the scenes and indicate which lines of the song they correspond
to.

The video starts with close up of Kate at the keyboard as the camera rocks
from side to side.

"I miss the earth ..." - shot changes to Kate with arms crossed and
Alistair Anderson playing the concertina with his arms around Kate,
both in front of a backdrop of the moon. Camera still doing rocking
motion.

"And I think .." - shot changes to Kate "strumming" a ukulele (closet
George Formby fan?) in front of the band (Del, Charlie Morgan, Alistair
Anderson and Davey Spillane [N.B. since I don't actually know what they
look like I am assuming these last three] - there is no substitute guitarist).

"Oh, no, no ..." - Kate "waddles" back and forth (sorry there is no better
word to describe the way she moves! Nearest equivalent is Jack Lemmon
in Some Like It Hot!) in front of the band.

"Rocket man burning ..." - Facial shots of Kate and two black backing
singers. Wind machine blows their hair back.

"Mars aint ..." - Shot of Kate in space helmet against background of stars

"And all this science..." - Kate with back to the camera conducting on
a surface of black waves (the effect that is made by blowing air under
velvet material or similar) to a background of shooting stars, starbursts
etc. as the moon rises up.

"And I think ..." - Back to kate in front of the band again.

"Oh, no, no ..." - Kate does her waddle.

"And I think it's ..." Individual shots of the band members shot against
waving curtains. There is a shot of a guitar resting on a chair and a
candle burning - clearly in memory of Alan Murphy.

"Rocket man burning ..." Close up of Kate and singers again with wind blowing
hair back.

The video was cut here (this show usually cuts the end of) so I don't know
how the fade out is handled.


All in all fairly simple and the overall effect for me was rather humourous
- what with the George Formby impression and the funny walk - I hope that
was Kate's intention.

Neil
--
Neil Calton                          UUCP:   ..!mcsun!ukc!rlinf!nbc
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