The release of a new Paul McCartney video is a true Hollywood affair these days. The ex-Beatles premiered his self-directed videos for his soft jazz song ‘My Valentine’ off his new album ‘Kisses on the Bottom’ released last February, during an exclusive screening event at the Stella McCartney store in Beverly Hills, and yes, everybody young or hip, or just famous in Hollywood was there. Just look at the list: Orlando Bloom, Jordana Brewster, Julie Delpy, Zooey Deschanel, Jane Fonda, Dave Grohl and Nate Mendel of Foo Fighters, Woody Harrelson, Joan Jett, Quincy Jones, Miranda Kerr, Jason Lewis, Lykke Li, Chris Martin, Jayma Mays, Gwyneth Paltrow, Richard Perry, James Ransone, Amy Smart, Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal of No Doubt, Kristen Stewart, Rumer Willis, Reese Witherspoon and more…
Actually McCartney did not make one but three videos, featuring two Hollywood royalties who also know their music: Natalie Portman and Johnny Depp. Based on an original idea by Stella McCartney, the two stars are translating the lyrics of the song into sign language in two different videos, and a third version combines their both performances into one.
It’s in fact the second time Natalie Portman stars in a McCartney video, so she must be a huge fan, as she is even lipsynching all the lyrics, whereas Johnny Depp plays the guitar part originally played by Eric Clapton.
The concept is supposed to be very artsy, shot in black and white with the help of Academy Award winning cinematographer Wally Pfister (Inception, The Dark Knight), editor Paul Martinez and producer Susanne Preissler, the cast of a super production with two of the hottest stars around,… but why do I find it kind of insipid? And was it necessary to repeat this borefest three times? Portman looks beautiful as usual and very focused, but may be a little too miss-Black-Swan-perfect? And Depp, with his ring-at-each-finger-pirate-meets-gypsy look seems as blasé as I was while watching the three videos!