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For the better part of a decade, director/filmmaker Spike Jonze has shaped our perception of what music videos can -- or for that matter, should -- be. His groundbreaking work with artists like Fatboy Slim, Weezer, Björk and the Beastie Boys bucked convention, eschewing preferred methods of video production for outlandish spectacle and over-the-top visual anarchy, forever changing the landscape of MTV in the process. Packed to the rafters with videos, commentaries, short films and lost bits and baubles, The Work of Director Spike Jonze, celebrates the filmmaker's pervasive impact on the music industry via the small screen (his feature films Being John Malkovich and Adaptation and his work with MTV's Jackass are excluded).
Side A is devoted to Jonze's music video work. Videos like "Sabotage" by the Beastie Boys and Daft Punk's "Da Funk" are iconoclastic in their use of kitsch imagery as a reflection of society's warped idealism. However, by and large, Jonze's most memorable work has been highbrow by way of a lo-fi aesthetic: the Breeders' "Cannonball", which he co-directed with Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon, is uncluttered and surreal, while Fatlip's "What's Up Fatlip", the Pharcyde's "Drop" and the Beastie Boys' "Sure Shot" are so relentless in their minimalism as to be almost inane. The most infamous clips, for Fatboy Slim's "Praise You" (featuring Jonze himself) and "Weapon of Choice" (starring Christopher Walken) are here, included to further fuel debate as to whether Jonze is a bona fide genius or a certified wacko. For some reason the clip he cut for Ween's "Spirit of '76" has been omitted -- presumably licensing issues are to blame for one of his most inspired videos not making the cut.
In addition to the videos, there's a lighthearted documentary on the making of the Pharcyde's "Drop", as well as video-by-video commentary by the Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim and Christopher Walken, among others. Jonze's old friends the Beastie Boys even drop by to critique a few videos they had nothing to do with -- which, as you might imagine, makes for pretty hilarious listening.
Side B serves as a catchall for various film projects Jonze has helmed over the years -- everything from short films to promo videos to full-length documentaries. While all the content here is enjoyable, most intriguing are the 1997 short film The Oasis Video that Never Happened, in which Jonze scours the streets of London soliciting ideas from random street dwellers in the hopes of coming up with a brilliant video pitch, and the documentary Amarillo by Morning, a grainy film that follows a group of suburban cowboys through a typical day in their quest to become professional bull riders. Both are suffused with Jonze's dry wit and appreciation for nonconformist nuances, which transform even the blandest of subjects into joyous affirmations of the human spirit.
While the disc is largely a celebration of Jonze's work behind the camera, the documentary Torrance Rises showcases his abilities in front of the business end. A true "mockumentary" in the classic Christopher Guest sense, Torrance Rises chronicles the journey of Richard Koufey (Jonze) and his Torrance Community Dance Group as they prepare for a career-making performance at the MTV Video Music Awards. As with nearly everything Jonze has done, it is a touching, surreal and slightly awkward look inside the mind of a would-be superstar.
The booklet that accompanies The Word of Directory Spike Jonze is nearly as informative as the DVD itself -- it's a lavish, 40-page full-color account of Jonze's career behind the lens, filled with photographs, stills and personal anecdotes from the director and those closest to him. It's an intriguing read, as well as a fine codicil to the material housed on the disc.
Depending on whom you ask, Spike Jonze is either a demonstrable genius or a crackpot skate kid who caught a few lucky breaks. However, love him or hate him, his wracked artistic vision helped to transform music videos from toss-away promotional tools to a bona fide art form. If you disagree, spend a couple of hours with The Work of Director Spike Jonze.
-- Jason Jackowiak
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