Michael Jackson feat. Janet Jackson
Scream
We'll start with what’s easily the most-seen video on this list, Scream from Michael Jackson's HIStory album. That was a simpler time for MJ, when he was only strange and accused of molestation, not run out of the US and a sad joke. The possibility of a comeback seemed just one duet with a sibling away, and this stupidly expensive and incredibly dated video seemed like just the ticket.
In case you didn't see it at the time, we'll remind you that this was once considered amazing-looking, with such pinnacles of CG as a floating guitar. But the peak of the video’s effects was seeing the futuristic space videogame the Jacksons played, which was Pong, except the paddles were bent at a right angle. As silly as it is seeing them play a game that looks doable on a DS, it makes for a nice moment of brother-sister bonding. Looking back, it was probably just one of many ploys to get us to believe Michael was normal, or even human.
Air
Kelly Watch the Stars
Oppositely, here's one from the “less is more” school of video-making. Experimental electro-pop Frenchies Air are featured in this video that also takes the only game that everyone on earth knows - Pong - and makes it the center of a dramatic sports battle. This one will probably age better than Scream, but only HIStory will tell.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Californication
Ugh, this song was inescapable for one summer, playing all the time on every radio station (radio being what people listened to before iPods). Anyway, this hit from the Peppers goes in the “cheap-looking and dated” column. Our guess is the band was really tired/hung over and didn't want to film anything.
"Can't we just stand in front of this blue screen and you guys just put in whatever?" said Flea. "What would we put in the rest of the video around your sleepy/strung out faces?" the director replied. Then they noticed another person in the room was playing Tony Hawk Pro Skater and Crazy Taxi, probably at the same time. The rest is Dreamcast-level graphics HIStory (sorry, last time we'll do that).
Royksopp
Happy Up Here
Okay, time for honesty: we had never heard of this video or band before researching this article, but we're pretty happy we found them. The difficult-to-pronounce Norwegian trip-hop band has been together since 1998, but only recently made a splash Stateside. Partially it's because of the great song, but this video is too badass not to be a big part of the excitement.
Unlike most of the videos on the list, this “fake” game is set in reality, as a live-action Space Invaders battle explodes above the cityscape. The special effects are understated, but work wonders for defining a reality. Soak it in, Atari/Taito nerds - this is the closest thing you'll ever get to a Space Invaders movie.
Mindless Self Indulgence
Animal
Mindless Self Indulgence, the electro-punk-industrial heavyweights, have been around for 12 years, one of a growing pile of sad facts that make us feel ancient. This recent video is a real standout for them, taking place in an empty city that is a mass of polygons and gamer culture. The fake game in question comes in at the middle, as we briefly leave the CG band and enter a Final Fight-type arcade game starring MSI.
Special attention should be paid to the director, M dot Strange. This independent filmmaker works in digital animation largely by himself, and has produced a hauntingly gorgeous film, We Are the Strange. Check outhis blogfor more info on this one-man army of animation.
Next page: we go 8-bit crazy!
