Smiley Smile: Blonde Redhead "The Dress"

Blonde Redhead "The Dress"
dir. by Mike Mills
Though not entirely original, the video for "The Dress" is a compelling portrait of sadness - and the beauty which lurks in every lonely tear. We see or hear people cry quite often, but rarely do we simply observe a stranger progress into weeping. Normally, especially if you knew the person, you would say something or reach out your hand to comfort. But here you are helpless; forced to be a spectator.

What you see, other than anguish, is fear. Lead singer Kazu Makino avers, "fear starts creeping up when you have so much to lose," and director Mike Mills fills the spaces around these troubled folks with foreboding darkness. The black emptiness seems to trap them in their sadness, swallowing all hope of escape.

Yet there is something quietly uplifting about watching these individuals sob. Each of them is uniquely distressed and have their own way of expressing that grief, but they are all crying - almost as if they lament some universal tragedy. And in that undeniable connection, one can indeed find beauty amidst the frowns.