R. E. M.'s Video Album Includes Uncensored "Nightswimming"
The just-released R.E.M. longform, Parallel, includes a rather
amazing video/short film for "NIghtswimming," directed by Jem Cohen.
Two version of Parallel have been released, one with the
uncensored version that includes some beautiful erotic footage of
women swimming. Like most of R.E.M.'s videos in recent years,
"Nightswimmming" is an art piece that brings a '90s sensibility to the
experimental film-making of the '60s. The piece seems to be about he
singular calm and sexual electricity of being with friends and lovers
in a rural environment, way out at the lake, amidst nature, where the
environment is pure and anything seems possible. Also included are the
videos for "Drive," "Man On The Moon," "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite,"
"Everybody Hurts," "Find the River," "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?",
"Bang and Blame," "Star 69," "Strange Currencies" and "Crush WIth
Eyeliner." These videos make the case for R.E.M. as one of the first
bands to have continuously used the video medium to do more than just
sell their latest single. These are brilliant short films; the group
pushes the medium in a challenging and provocative way. Also included
on this 70 minute work are excerpts from the short films used during
the group's current world tour, plus material from Rough Cut a
documentary about the group's preparation for the tour. This is the
future.