Music Appreciation
One notable instance of a music video surpassing the popularity of its accompanying song is Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice." Released on April 23, 2001, the song is part of Fatboy Slim's third studio album, "Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars," featuring vocals by Bootsy Collins of Parliament-Funkadelic.
Directed by Spike Jonze, the music video was filmed in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel (now the L.A. Grand Hotel Downtown) in Los Angeles and starred Academy Award-winning actor Christopher Walken, and also known for his dance skills. In my view, this music video stands out for its exceptional direction, choreography, and editing.
The video begins with Walken sitting pensively on a lobby chair, captivated by a portable AM/FM radio on a nearby cleaning cart. After a brief moment of contemplation, Walken succumbs to the music, breaking into a dance that takes him around the lobby, up an escalator, onto a table, in front of mirrors, and even airborne. As the song concludes, he returns to the chair.
This sequence showcases the impeccable direction, choreography, and editing that make it one of the best-executed music videos.
