James Blunt 'Cold' by Calum Macdiarmid
Rob Ulitski - 12th Sept 2019
Ever wondered what happened to James Blunt after he threw himself into the ocean at the end of the iconic music video for You’re Beautiful?
Rather than asking the obvious follow-up question - where have you been for the past 14 years? - let's embrace the fact that Calum Macdiarmid has ingeniously brought back that James Blunt, the one who had the balls to jump off a cliff for real in the original video directed by Sam Brown, for a sequel.
The video for Cold starts with him in the water, moments after his jump, and clinging to life. And then in the following few minutes, he is swept up onto shore, stepping on the rocks - and starts climbing back up that cliff, clinging to the rock face, and back up onto the summit - and beyond.
Max Witting picks up the DoP role from Robbie Ryan this time around, and carries something of the stark, bleak mood from the original video. But once again this smart idea works due to the unbelievable commitment from the artist, who delivers a top-notch physical performance - he's evidently still doing his own stunts - and a heartfelt vocal performance too.
An inspired sequel, as welcome as it was unexpected.
Rob Ulitski - 12th Sept 2019
Credits
Featured here in the credits?
Production/Creative
- Director
- Calum Macdiarmid
- Producer
- Dale Healy
- Production Company
- Great Guns
- Executive Producer
- Tim Francis
Camera
- Director of Photography
- Max Witting
Editorial
- Editor
- James Demetriou
Grading
- Colourist
- Jax Harney
- Colour grade company
- C
Commission
- Commissioner
- Dan Curwin
- Label
- Atlantic Records
Rob Ulitski - 12th Sept 2019