Not to be portentous, but this video is a very important addition to the Museum. A booming baritone in a documentary would intone “Ladies and Gentlemen, THIS is kitsch.” The passion of this video exceeds that of the Christ; the ambition and zeal could scale Everest, but the talent could not be evinced by the most sensitive of Sonars. When I played this video, the Velveeta in my fridge melted; the Elvis clocks stopped; and the velvet paintings of sad-eyed children beamed. I know that Allee presents a wedge of Camembert to the makers or distributors of classic kitsch, but this video may require a wheel of Brie. To paraphrase the line from “Jaws”: You’re gonna need a bigger cheese.
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Allee Willis
I don’t have enough to say about this video… Maria Dangell herself posted this video on my Facebook page a few days ago and I was stunned into silence, unable to comment (for many reasons). The line is so long to get to the cheese buffet on this one it deserves its own wing in the Museum. Thank you, Maria Dangell (and James, of course), for kitsch-starting my day and many more to come.
windupkitty
oh, oh, I , uh, uh, oh wow. I need a moment.
why can’t I come up with stuff this good?
and
what just happened here?
Allee Willis
I know… … it leaves one awestruck…. … dumbstruck… ….. every other kind of struck.
Mark Milligan
perfect placement of the “play” button if I must say so.
Allee Willis
Thank you Mark! I did that myself as it automatically pasted over the starburst, which I couldn’t hang with. It was screaming to be his nose.
tennwriter
There is another aspect of this video that catapults it into the nosebleed section of kitsch: the singer sloshes and sways like Liza Minnelli. Sibilant and saccharine–I’m in Heaven.
I was describing kitsch to the HBO people today, and decided a demonstration was better. I came to this site and played this clip. The room grew silent, jaws became slack. The faces looked as those on Calvary must have: horror, disbelief, sadness, skepticism, then laughter, nervous and quick.
They will never think of a pitch as being “over the top” again. They have been to the mountain top.
mariadangell
Thank you so much, Allee Willis, for posting my tribute to MJ in your Museum! Thanks to everyone for the awesomely great comments on it! I’m so proud about it! Wow!!! (I don’t know why I didn’t register here before… Maybe I’ve been struck by the emotion for quite a long time!!!…)