Friday Video Premiere: Manhattan Island Monkey Edition

*Every* Friday, we're highlighting a specific video (or two, or three) for your end of week enjoyment.


This week's video is from one of the best Woody Allen movies evurr:



The opening scene of Manhattan, god bless it.

I may be the only JJer who listens to classical music in a context besides studying, but I have no doubt that we can all enjoy George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue together here. Don't let United Airlines ruin it for you. It is an astounding piece of music. Really. It's playful and buoyant, it's smooth and rich--kind of like the girl of your dreams. And what more could you want from music?

As it is proclaimed so prominently on the back of the DVD box, Woody scored the entire movie to Gershwin. The composer's cosmopolitanism, the way he composed popular, jazzy, Broadway, as well as classical masterpieces, befits the movie because even though it's not always merry, it's ALWAYS urban.

That opening scene is so well shot, too. Woody mixed it up with far away shots of the island, close up and personal shots of humanity; then moving shots following still shots; wet scenes interspersed with dry ones--it's a legendary montage, capped with that epic fireworks show that feels nothing short of celestial.

Now how's THAT for singing someone's praises. Yeah I'm sprung.

OK, check out this progression:

From original Gershwin:



Very pretty. Move to a bit more spunky version with Billie (this video is crazy!):



Then to the Sublime application:

Doin Time - Sublime

We could end with the Pharcyde version, but that would involve spending too much time trying to find it on the increasingly slow cafe interwebs, so just take my word that Gershwin goes much, much further.

Woot woot!

Happy Friday!