Video: Mr. Christian’s Birthday: Difference between revisions

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'''Mr. Christian’s Birthday''' starts with the song [[Happy Birthday, Mr. Christian]]. The video for that track shows [[Apollonia]], [[Brenda Bennett|Brenda]] and [[Susan Moonsie|Susan]] as three lingerie clad widows gathering to listen the reading of Mr. Christian’s prerecorded testament at his lawyer’s office (portrayed by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edy_Williams Edy Williams]). Mr. Christian leaves his houses, cars, furs, fortune and animals to his lawyer and, to work to their great despair, encourages the girls. Until then, they had been supported by Mr. Christian, and did not know the value of ”hard and honest” work and must now provide for their own needs themselves. When recording his will, Mr. Christian had anticipated [[Apollonia]]’s reaction when she points out that they "have nothing to wear", by responding humorously with "precisely".
'''Mr. Christian’s Birthday''' starts with the song [[Happy Birthday, Mr. Christian]]. The video for that track shows [[Apollonia]], [[Brenda Bennett|Brenda]] and [[Susan Moonsie|Susan]] as three lingerie clad widows gathering to listen the reading of Mr. Christian’s prerecorded testament at his lawyer’s office (portrayed by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edy_Williams Edy Williams]). Mr. Christian leaves his houses, cars, furs, fortune and animals to his lawyer and, to work to their great despair, encourages the girls. Until then, they had been supported by Mr. Christian, and did not know the value of ”hard and honest” work and must now provide for their own needs themselves. When recording his will, Mr. Christian had anticipated [[Apollonia]]’s reaction when she points out that they "have nothing to wear", by responding humorously with "precisely".


The girls see no other choice than to go to work. Still in their lingerie. They enter a restaurant to the sound of [[Sex Shooter]], but their alluring entrance is interrupted by the jukebox playing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teddy_Bears%27_Picnic Teddy Bears Picnic] by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Hall_(bandleader) Henry Hall and his Orchestra]. [[Susan Moonsie|Susan]] then approaches the jukebox and starts the song [[Ooo She She Wa Wa]] which she performs while [[Apollonia]] and [[Brenda Bennett|Brenda]] wash the dishes. During her performance, [[Susan Moonsie|Susan]] plays with her teddy bears which transform into men for the second part of the song. After swiftly being fired from the restaurant, [[Apollonia]] is quickly hired as cashier in a supermarket and performs the song [[Sex Shooter]]. A customer, (played by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_Henry Buck Henry]), buys a product bearing her image and becomes a product himself, complete with a barcode in a shopping trolley as the song progresses. This footage is entirely different from the original promotional video of [[Video: Sex Shooter|Sex Shooter]] delivered to TV-stations in 1984. (see [[Video: Sex Shooter|Sex Shooter]]).
The girls see no other choice than to go to work. Still in their lingerie, they enter a restaurant to the sound of [[Sex Shooter]], but their alluring entrance is interrupted by the jukebox playing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teddy_Bears%27_Picnic Teddy Bears Picnic] by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Hall_(bandleader) Henry Hall and his Orchestra]. [[Susan Moonsie|Susan]] then approaches the jukebox and starts the song [[Ooo She She Wa Wa]] which she performs while [[Apollonia]] and [[Brenda Bennett|Brenda]] wash the dishes. During her performance, [[Susan Moonsie|Susan]] plays with her teddy bears which transform into men for the second part of the song. After swiftly being fired from the restaurant, [[Apollonia]] is quickly hired as cashier in a supermarket and performs the song [[Sex Shooter]]. A customer, (played by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_Henry Buck Henry]), buys a product bearing her image and becomes a product himself, complete with a barcode in a shopping trolley as the song progresses. This footage is entirely different from the original promotional video of [[Video: Sex Shooter|Sex Shooter]] delivered to TV-stations in 1984 (see [[Video: Sex Shooter|Sex Shooter]]).


While they are complaining about their fate, a handsome man approaches them in a car to seduce them. They then find themselves at yet another new workplace, a gas station which serves as the backdrop for the performance of [[Blue Limousine]] by [[Brenda Bennett|Brenda]]. As the song end, a luxury car approaches. When the window rolls down, Mr. Christian, portrayed by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Nelson Ricky Nelson], reveals to the girl that he staged his death to put them to the test and that it is time to go celebrate his birthday. The girls join him and his lawyer and go to the party to the sound of [[Happy Birthday, Mr. Christian]].
While they are complaining about their fate, a handsome man approaches them in a car to seduce them. They then find themselves at yet another new workplace, a gas station which serves as the backdrop for the performance of [[Blue Limousine]] by [[Brenda Bennett|Brenda]]. As the song end, a luxury car approaches. When the window rolls down, Mr. Christian, portrayed by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Nelson Ricky Nelson], reveals to the girl that he staged his death to put them to the test and that it is time to go celebrate his birthday. The girls join him and his lawyer and go to the party to the sound of [[Happy Birthday, Mr. Christian]].

Revision as of 16:47, 31 July 2024

None: Unreleased videos (Related artists) ◄ Unreleased Music Videos
(Prince) 		Music Videos
(Prince) 		► 1987: 6
Mr. Christian’s Birthday

Unreleased Music Video details

Shooting or Planned shooting date: 1985
Producer(s): Limelight
Director: Brian Thomson

Mr. Christian’s Birthday was a short film project focused on the Apollonia 6’s first and ultimately only album. In a 2014 interview, Brenda Bennett discussed the idea:
"The project was a concept of doing an extended EP, only in a video format as opposed to an audio EP: take one of the songs from the album (Happy Birthday, Mr. Christian), write a story line around the subject of that song and incorporate other songs from the album into the story to create a short film. The project was dubbed Mr. Christian’s Birthday."

Shooting took place in early 1985 in Los Angeles, California, USA. The long-form video was directed by Brian Thomson and scripted by Keith Williams. Videos for Happy Birthday, Mr. Christian, Blue Limousine, Ooo She She Wa Wa and (an alternate version of) Sex Shooter with appearances by Edy Williams, Buck Henry and Ricky Nelson were shot. This long-form video never went beyond rough-cut as Prince didn’t like the first results and lost interest in the project (which was subsequently abandoned during the summer of 1985). Apollonia 6 disbanded shortly after. According to Apollonia, Prince offered to finalize the edit in 2014, but she refused and the short film remains unreleased.

Mr. Christian’s Birthday starts with the song Happy Birthday, Mr. Christian. The video for that track shows Apollonia, Brenda and Susan as three lingerie clad widows gathering to listen the reading of Mr. Christian’s prerecorded testament at his lawyer’s office (portrayed by Edy Williams). Mr. Christian leaves his houses, cars, furs, fortune and animals to his lawyer and, to work to their great despair, encourages the girls. Until then, they had been supported by Mr. Christian, and did not know the value of ”hard and honest” work and must now provide for their own needs themselves. When recording his will, Mr. Christian had anticipated Apollonia’s reaction when she points out that they "have nothing to wear", by responding humorously with "precisely".

The girls see no other choice than to go to work. Still in their lingerie, they enter a restaurant to the sound of Sex Shooter, but their alluring entrance is interrupted by the jukebox playing Teddy Bears Picnic by Henry Hall and his Orchestra. Susan then approaches the jukebox and starts the song Ooo She She Wa Wa which she performs while Apollonia and Brenda wash the dishes. During her performance, Susan plays with her teddy bears which transform into men for the second part of the song. After swiftly being fired from the restaurant, Apollonia is quickly hired as cashier in a supermarket and performs the song Sex Shooter. A customer, (played by Buck Henry), buys a product bearing her image and becomes a product himself, complete with a barcode in a shopping trolley as the song progresses. This footage is entirely different from the original promotional video of Sex Shooter delivered to TV-stations in 1984 (see Sex Shooter).

While they are complaining about their fate, a handsome man approaches them in a car to seduce them. They then find themselves at yet another new workplace, a gas station which serves as the backdrop for the performance of Blue Limousine by Brenda. As the song end, a luxury car approaches. When the window rolls down, Mr. Christian, portrayed by Ricky Nelson, reveals to the girl that he staged his death to put them to the test and that it is time to go celebrate his birthday. The girls join him and his lawyer and go to the party to the sound of Happy Birthday, Mr. Christian.


Shooting Information
Shooting Sessions
Date Location Additional info
Early 1985 (assumed) Unknown location,
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Cast
Crew
  • Brian Thomson - director
  • Keith Williams - script
  • More information needed
 
Additional Information
See Also Quotation & triva
References
◄ None
Unreleased videos (Related artists) 		Unreleased Music Videos (Prince) Music Videos
(Prince) 		1987
6 		►
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