- Thirteen Smiths' recordings, half of them in a club with a live audience. These alternate with five rock videos, two directed by Derek Jarman (Panic and Ask), two by Tim Broad (Girlfriend in a Coma and Stop Me...), and one by Paula Grief and Richard Levine (How Soon Is Now?). It concludes with Jarman's short film, "The Queen Is Dead," with a three-song soundtrack. The rock videos, particularly Jarman's, are filled with multiple and superimposed images, changing tints, and little narrative coherence; they get their pace from the music's rhythm. Androgyny, dancing children, belching smokestacks, graffiti, angry young men, a waif in a cap: collages of modern alienation.—<jhailey@hotmail.com>
- Channel 4 aired this superb video on their "Influential Music of the 80's" series on 20 December 1993 and it is a firm favourite with all Smith's fans. Anyone who likes the Smiths definitely needs to see this fantastic compilation. The tracks include This Charming Man, What Difference Does It Make?, Panic, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Ask, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, How Soon Is Now?, Shoplifters Of The World Unite, Girlfriend In A Coma, Sheila Take A Bow, Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before. Altogether, a terrific summary of who the Smiths were and a very valid representation of what they presented to the stage. Such classics as "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" playfully take off the 60's hit of the similar title, "Heaven Knows I'm Missing Him Now" and "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" is charming for the Moz sports the word "Bad" on his neck, written in black. Ultimately, Derek Jarman's video consisting of songs from the classic album "The Queen is Dead" drags on, and to me is rather boring, but the aforementioned appearance from "The Top of the Pops" makes up for it 10x over. My only complaint, where are all of the other hits? And that is why, I guess, it is ironically titled "The Complete Picture"
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