P.T. Anderson, David Fincher and Sofia Coppola all direct music videos. In fact, as you’re probably well aware, many of the world’s most respected filmmakers direct music videos. It’s therefore surprising that up until now Tommy Wiseau, the master, the mind and the mastermind behind The Room, hadn’t directed a music video. But alas, with his just-released music video for L.A. band Corsica Arts Club, he can once again be considered among the greats.
As Noisey pointed out in their posting of “California I Follow,” the music video is… a music video. It likely won’t satisfy The Room‘s fandom much outside of the simple fact that it’s directed by the for-the-wrong-reasons midnight movie megastar. The video — outside of a few Room-y references — features a central romantic story and a rollicking good time in a scenic house, set against the band members performing in letterman jackets and tighty-reddies.
The band said in an email to Noisey that they’d met Wiseau at a screening of The Room (which itself satisfies the delightful “what if?” of Wiseau spending his entire life attending screenings of the film, unable to pry himself from the rooms that bear The Room):
To us, [The Room’s] infamous billboard and midnight screenings are just as much a part of the fabric of LA as the Pacific Ocean or Amoeba Music. The opportunity to work with Tommy was the experience of a lifetime. He is so passionate, focused, and single-minded in his vision that everyone on set had no choice but to buy in.
Wiseau’s statement elucidates what they meant by his “vision.” Far less vaguely, he explains that the concept was actually “vision, vision, vision.” He also mentions that it’s Romeo and Juliet for a “new generation.” Now that people think Shakespeare may have been a stoner, it’s fair to say he probably would have been into this very loose, er, adaptation(?).
Here’s Wiseau’s full statement:
I enjoy very much working with the band, the Corsica Art Club. I think all the members did very a good job. They have certain vision. Same here. I’m, as a director, always, you know, I’m looking for detailed work. And they present me detailed work like lyrics, they already have the music, and I say ‘Okay, let’s just analyze what we can do.’ The concept was vision, basically – what we can do. What the story? So, we brainstormed this story, and I say ‘Romeo and Juliet, what about that? New generation.’ And they accepted, and we did rehearsal, and that’s the finished product. So the concept was ‘vision, vision, vision.’ Thank you.
And the video: