Spike Jonze has directed plenty of music videos in his time. And many of those videos are some of the most visually interesting that you’ll ever see. He’s also worked with Karen O before, on various projects including the soundtracks to both “Where the Wild Things Are” and “Her.” But what the duo did on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” is something very different. Jonze directed Karen O and her collaborator Danger Mouse in what is being described as a “live music video” for the song “Woman.”
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If you’ve ever watched late night TV, you’re probably familiar with the live performances by musicians. However, Jonze, Karen O, and Danger Mouse flip the script on a typical late night performance by delivering a one-take music video filled with all the style and creativity you’d find in any typical musical short. Sweeping camera motions, incredible dancing, props, and even a black & white sheen gives “Woman” a true music video…that just happened to be captured live and in front of a studio audience.
And for those eagle-eyed viewers, yes that is Beanie Feldstein as one of Karen O’s dancers. You probably are familiar with Feldstein from her standout performance in “Lady Bird,” and what is soon to be her big breakout with Olivia Wilde’s film “Booksmart.” In this music video, she’s simply just one of several female dancers used throughout.
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Hopefully, other filmmakers are inspired by what Jonze and Karen O did on Colbert’s show, as this is a really unique take on what could have been a run-of-the-mill performance. Oh, and before the music nerds get upset, yes the song is actually pretty good too! So, watch for the filmmaking acumen of Spike Jonze and stay for another solid song from Karen O and Danger Mouse.