Hooray! Another fine review! Sad to see the Duranalysis reviews come to an end.
I seem to recall a couple of rumors floating around about the Girls on Film video: 1) Simon was actually the lifeguard! and 2) the sleazy vignettes were individual fantasies of each of the Duran Duran members.
Simon's definitely not the lifeguard, though I've heard that rumor too (I think it's even mentioned as a debunked rumor in the Wikipedia entry for the song). As to the vignettes being individual fantasies of the boys, I suppose it could be, though they're all pretty adamant these days that this video was not their idea in any way and that it was entirely the brainchild of their managers. So probably not, though it makes for a good story.
It would have made perfect sense for Simon and the others to appear in this video in other roles other than just performing as the band. I'm not sure why they didn't -- Simon would have made an excellent lifeguard...
Thanks for the delightful reads -- and the naturally resulting re-watches that must accompany the Duranalyses! The whole series is awesome. And wow - thanks for putting the time-lapse hair pics together. My sister had asked me to do something like that for us to survey to pick our favorite look for each... and you nicely provided that before I could do it! And the comment regarding Andy's hair had me laughing out loud. And I'd get tv again, just to watch your special! :-D
This whole series was glorious, Morgan. I think you were especially hilarious channeling the inner thoughts of Nick and Andy, the yin and yang of Duran. The "Nick will hate it, therefore I will love it" line wins the gold medal. I laugh every time I recall it, and it won't get old. Not for a long time!
In a way, Andy's inner thoughts on his hair seems to have turned out into a masterstroke of the Pixie/Kitten's ways in the end, don't you think?? You are so right on the Power of the Pixie!
Guess no thoughts are occurring in John's pretty, pretty head!
I particularly and request your take on the inner dialogue of Simon, John and Roger! (Or are you saving it for Dance Into The Fire? :)
Heh. Dan, I had a sneaking suspicion you'd take more of a keen interest in this video than in any of Duran Duran's other masterpieces. Just a crazy guess...
In a way, Andy's inner thoughts on his hair seems to have turned out into a masterstroke of the Pixie/Kitten's ways in the end, don't you think??
Oh, certainly. I'm sure Nick managed to spread his magical-pixie influence to every single aspect of Duran, up to and including Andy's hair. If he can make Andy feel defensive and neurotic about his appearance, then his work is done. For such a wee little thing, Nick is an awesome force of nature.
Guess no thoughts are occurring in John's pretty, pretty head!
Ah, beautiful John. Back in the day, John usually seemed so unfocused and dreamy and... well, maybe kind of dumb, like there just wasn't that much going on beneath that pretty, pretty surface. And now that he's cleaned himself up/sobered up and has gained a little perspective, he seems sharp and witty and self-deprecating and fun. It's a huge difference. I vastly prefer John 2.0. More fun at dinner parties, just for starters.
(Gah! Sorry, Ingrid, I forgot to respond to your comment with the link to the cute McSweeney's article on '80s bands, and now I see you've deleted it! I'm sorry! I got sidetracked! It was an inadvertent snub, I promise!)
As I only stumbled upon your blog through the Duranalysis I must admit that I am sad that they've come to an end. But then all good things must come to an end. Well done on the final video. The end hair comparisons were a stroke of genius! ;0)
Sorry fo the delay in replying, willow - I'm on vacation, no computer, typing on my sister's phone. So glad you enjoyed the duranalysis! They were fun to write.. Kinda sorry I reached the end.
Anonymous said…
Morgan, please can you tell me the girl(model) who fights with the sumo wrestler ? How do I find it ?
Victor, your best chance of finding that out might be to ask the band members directly through their official website -- it's one of the best ways to find information about the models who've appeared in their videos. Email questions to askkaty@duranduran.com, and Katy, who works with Duran Duran, will pass them along to the band members, and some of their answers will be posted on their site. Here's the link: http://www.duranduran.com/wordpress/new-site-ask-katy/ I hope that helps.
synthesia said…
Okay, confession time.
I obsessively and lovingly read every installment of the Duranalysis series when I first got into Duran Duran a year and a half ago at the ripe old age of fifteen. I will admit I fell out of love with Duran Duran around October 2016 and started getting into other, far different music and kind of getting annoyed with them. Which was a huge bummer, because life is dull without louche partyboys and expensive kittens (oh, Nick).
Last night I found myself really really missing the Durans for some reason, so the first thing I did was look this whole thing up and here it is!! The first thing I ever read that you'd written was this review and the second was the one of Rio (by the way, I got Nick and John mixed up perpetually when I first got into the band. I figured out John was the tall one by the time I saw the Is There Something video). I just wanted to say in a really long-winded fashion thank you so much for these reviews and for making me laugh, even when I didn't particularly want to laugh.
Aw, thank you so much, synthesia! Life is so much better when it's filled with beautiful partyboys and expensive kittens, isn't it? (Oh, yeah, I got Nick and John confused for pretty much all of 1984. It happens!)
Comments
I seem to recall a couple of rumors floating around about the Girls on Film video: 1) Simon was actually the lifeguard! and 2) the sleazy vignettes were individual fantasies of each of the Duran Duran members.
Care to weigh in on these? Rumors started around the time when Mikey from the Life cereal commercials ate pop rocks & drank pop and died, so, you know, grain of salt...
Great job on the Duranalyses, if not all the time you took to make the photo collages of each member's hairdos in this final post.
I enjoyed your perfectly articulated witty observations!
It would have made perfect sense for Simon and the others to appear in this video in other roles other than just performing as the band. I'm not sure why they didn't -- Simon would have made an excellent lifeguard...
Huh.
This whole series was glorious, Morgan. I think you were especially hilarious channeling the inner thoughts of Nick and Andy, the yin and yang of Duran. The "Nick will hate it, therefore I will love it" line wins the gold medal. I laugh every time I recall it, and it won't get old. Not for a long time!
In a way, Andy's inner thoughts on his hair seems to have turned out into a masterstroke of the Pixie/Kitten's ways in the end, don't you think?? You are so right on the Power of the Pixie!
Guess no thoughts are occurring in John's pretty, pretty head!
I particularly and request your take on the inner dialogue of Simon, John and Roger! (Or are you saving it for Dance Into The Fire? :)
Heh. Dan, I had a sneaking suspicion you'd take more of a keen interest in this video than in any of Duran Duran's other masterpieces. Just a crazy guess...
In a way, Andy's inner thoughts on his hair seems to have turned out into a masterstroke of the Pixie/Kitten's ways in the end, don't you think??
Oh, certainly. I'm sure Nick managed to spread his magical-pixie influence to every single aspect of Duran, up to and including Andy's hair. If he can make Andy feel defensive and neurotic about his appearance, then his work is done. For such a wee little thing, Nick is an awesome force of nature.
Guess no thoughts are occurring in John's pretty, pretty head!
Ah, beautiful John. Back in the day, John usually seemed so unfocused and dreamy and... well, maybe kind of dumb, like there just wasn't that much going on beneath that pretty, pretty surface. And now that he's cleaned himself up/sobered up and has gained a little perspective, he seems sharp and witty and self-deprecating and fun. It's a huge difference. I vastly prefer John 2.0. More fun at dinner parties, just for starters.
I obsessively and lovingly read every installment of the Duranalysis series when I first got into Duran Duran a year and a half ago at the ripe old age of fifteen. I will admit I fell out of love with Duran Duran around October 2016 and started getting into other, far different music and kind of getting annoyed with them. Which was a huge bummer, because life is dull without louche partyboys and expensive kittens (oh, Nick).
Last night I found myself really really missing the Durans for some reason, so the first thing I did was look this whole thing up and here it is!! The first thing I ever read that you'd written was this review and the second was the one of Rio (by the way, I got Nick and John mixed up perpetually when I first got into the band. I figured out John was the tall one by the time I saw the Is There Something video). I just wanted to say in a really long-winded fashion thank you so much for these reviews and for making me laugh, even when I didn't particularly want to laugh.
So: Thank you!! So much!! All the love!!