Michael Gondry arrives at "The Green Hornet" premiere at Graumans Chinese Theatre on Jan. 10, 2011 in Hollywood
Michel Gondry — the visually inventive writer-director of commercials, music videos, and movies — turns 50 today. To celebrate, we’ve put together a small but representative collection of his work.
Björk, “Human Behavior” music video (1993) — This haunting clip — the first of 8 videos he did with Björk — catapulted him into the top tier of music-video auteurs.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDbPYoaAiyc]
Levi’s 501 “Drugstore” commercial (1996) — According to Guinness World Records 2004, this spot holds the distinction for “Most Awards Won by a TV Commercial.” It never aired in the U.S. due to concerns about it showing the purchase of condoms.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7bgkZdM69w]
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) — Gondry found a kindred spirit in scriptwriter Charlie Kaufman – the two, with Pierre Bismuth, shared a best original screenplay Oscar for Sunshine.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwQVsB6k24Q]
Michel Gondry Solves a Rubik’s Cube Using Only His Feet (2006) — An early viral favorite, this clip convinced many that the director was blessed with an astonishing podalic dexterity (when, in fact, Gondry merely shot the footage in reverse).
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD-8SMOh9Qg]
“Haircut Mouse” (2012) — A recent short, in which we see a resurfacing of familiar themes…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbwvTW0lMVc]