VANESSA-MAE's VIDEO CLIPS

IN REVIEW PART 1

During her career so far, Vanessa-Mae made 14 video clips. Some of these clips were used only as promotional material, others were available as bonus VCD to regular releases of the albums. The tittles of the video clips are listed below.

Toccata & Fugue (1994)
Vanessa-Mae first and worldwide famous video clip that was broadcasted on television in many countries all over the globe many times, and it made her a well-known musician instantaneously. The clip received acclaim for the original setting, but also severe criticism. Moral censors criticised it as child exploitation, whereas classical purist and elitists motivated their disapproval saying that the integrity and honour of classical music was violated. The so-called wet T-shirt photos come from this video. Fans of Vanessa-Mae and music lovers in general love the clip because of the original ideas and direction of the clip, the funny winks and fresh innocence that exhibits from it.

The setting of the shooting is on a tropical island. Vanessa-Mae enjoys herself playing the violin and running around on the beach, standing in the surf of the sea. The video starts with the violin flying over the island towards the shoulder of the already prepared Vanessa-Mae to start playing dressed in a long white dress. Later in the clip, wearing short pants and boots, Vanessa-Mae rejects by holding of the violin flying towards her. Nice are the scenes when Vanessa-Mae, while standing in the sea playing, sees this other girl (played by herself), wearing a red dress and a white T-shirt underneath, running over the beach glimpsing at her in amazement. Vanessa-Mae is shown wearing several different out fits: a long white dress (falsely referred to as wet white T-shirt), a long black dress with buttons on front, an olive green dress, a red dress with white shirt underneath and short pants with long black boots.

All in all, Toccata & Fugue is a great video that is worth watching  - see the captures below.  

Red Hot (1995)
Video clip for Vanessa-Mae's second pop single Red Hot. The setting is a story of seduction that takes place in an amusement hall and Vanessa-Mae plays several different roles. First Vanessa-Mae is a Suzy Wong character (captures 2-4 and 10-12) wearing a Chinese style red dress who performs the acoustic violin to entertain the people who are playing cards, dancing and so on. For this, Vanessa-Mae combines her Chinese style satin red dress and heavy lipstick in matching colour red. Then there is the manager of the club, a guy wearing a striped suit. The violinist try to seduce the manager by winking with her eyes (captures 10-12). In his turn, Vanessa-Mae as the manager answers the hints by smiling (captures 4,5, 13 and 14). Other characters of Vanessa-Mae are an electric violinist wearing a white wig (captures 15-18) and a dancer (captures 19 and 20).

The video is very entertaining and funny. The use of flashing lights gives a real moody atmosphere  - see the captures below. 
 

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Classical Gas (1995)
Vanessa-Mae as reggae violinist. The clip starts with a young girl watching television and seeing this band with Vanessa-Mae that she loves. Next, Vanessa-Mae with her band members drive in a truck towards a garden party where they will perform. Vanessa-Mae has her hair styled in rasta dreadlocks. She wears a white netting sleeveless shirt and green one underneath, red scarf and hat. Close-ups of a talking and signing Vanessa-Mae reveal her right one side dimpled cheek. Vanessa-Mae and her band members dance, sing and clearly enjoy themselves  - see the captures below.

I Am A Doun (1996)
The clip for 'I Am A Doun' is an artistic and stylish masterpiece. The setting of the clip is in a church (captures 1, 2, 11 and 38). The clip starts with images of the ceiling (capture 1). Then a man walks in through a door (capture 2) and next Vanessa-Mae's lips are shown in close-up when she start singing the intro of 'I Am A Doun' (captures 3 and 4). Noticeable is the salmon pink lipstick and her perfect complexion of her visage that is heavily made up with foundation cream in a slightly lighter tone than her lipstick. When the camera starts to zooms out, Vanessa-Mae's eyes become visible. Because Vanessa-Mae has her eyes closed, the very excessive dark brown shadow on her lids becomes fully observable, as well as her lashes that are accentuated with lots of black mascara stand out against her pale complexion (captures 5-9, 17, 29-30). The very heavy make-up that covers Vanessa-Mae's face becomes especially apparent in a spectacular way because of the strong and bright spotlights pointed towards her (captures 5-10). After the intro has been finished, the camera has zoomed out further and Vanessa-Mae is shown playing her acoustic violin dressed in a long sliver coloured silk dress (captures 12-13 and15-18). The light garment floats around her body adding to the moody atmosphere of the music in the special venue. A second man comes in through the door (capture 14) and both men start an acrobatic dance (captures 24, 25, 31-35) while Vanessa-Mae keeps playing (captures 23, 26-28). Towards the end, the men finish their dance and sit on the floor (capture 36-37). Vanessa-Mae spreads her arms to finish her music, seen from the back first and later from front (captures 39-43).

The setting in the church, Vanessa-Mae in a  long silver silk dress and the very heavy make-up, especially the noticeable dark smouldering eye shadow, that she wears suit the mood of the music nicely, and all is filmed in an artistically well considered style and the result is a fantastic clip  - see the captures below.       

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Copyright © VMSPOS @ www.vanessa-mae.nu, Groningen May 14th 2005