SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 6:14 Min.
In the spring/summer of relentless ‘Bat-hype,’ Prince released MTV’s Batdance music video to promote both the 1989 film, Batman, and his own accompanying soundtrack.
Playing dual roles as himself in a ‘Batcave’ and as his nefarious Joker-like counterpart, Prince exuberantly performs the upbeat pop/dance/funk fusion track. Back-up singer-dancers clad as Batman (or really more man-sized bats), the Joker, & Vicki Vale are incorporated. Also interspersed in the video are audio clips of Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, & Kim Basinger in character from Batman.
Notably, this music video has appeared as an extra on the film’s DVD and Blu-Ray releases.
REVIEW:
Though the song risks overstaying its welcome, Prince’s visual creativity conjures up one of the most original soundtrack music videos ever produced. Designed for teens and above, Prince’s video also cleverly succeeds in baiting viewers into wanting to see the film.
Still, there are two glaring parental caveats. First, on his hands and knees, Prince’s lascivious smirk up at the cameras while smugly crawling, tunnel-like, between the legs of his Vicki Vale impersonators comes off as both vulgar and just plain creepy. Then there is Prince’s unnecessary profanity just prior to the end of the song, which makes no sense. In either instance, the inevitability of young kids viewing Prince’s suggestive video makes such optics an irresponsible choice.
Assuming Prince was given full creative control, that might explain why Warner Bros., and/or DC Comics let him get away with over-sexualizing the song. Then again, selling movie tickets and Bat-merchandise probably meant the video’s corporate sponsors couldn’t have cared less.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5½ Stars
