Tia Dunn

What happens when you mix art, music and a famous actress? It is certainly unpredictable, as these two videos testify.

The first is a collaboration between Sam Taylor-Wood and The Pet Shop Boys, in which photographer Taylor-Wood is dressed as Marlene Dietrich holding a smoldering cigarette. The video is for Sam Taylor-Woods’ cover of the Passions’ “I’m In Love With A German Film Star” (produced by the Pet Shop Boys). Although there’s not much action in the film, which is more of a “living” still-life, it is strangely mesmerizing watching  smoke patterns and waiting for Taylor-Wood to blink.

The second film is also a music video, art-directed by Damien Hirst (and featuring slaughtered cows), for The Hours’ single “See the Light”. Instead of a look-a-like actress this time there is real-life actress Sienna Miller, dressed in a hospital gown, talking suicide, painting with blood and smoking cigarettes.

And no, I still haven’t managed to give up smoking…