"Sabotage," Beastie Boys

Before rap-rock became a dirty word, there was the Beastie Boys.  While the New York-based trio drew on many influences for their unique brand of rap, many of their biggest hits during the 80s and early 90s had a decidedly rock flavor.  1994’s “Sabotage” was the most memorable of these:

Directed by then-rising director Spike Jonze, “Sabotage” became a staple on MTV in the mid-1990s.  Like many videos of the time, it played like a mini-movie – except this was no dramatic epic – it was a slice of pure comedic genius.  “Sabotage” paid homage to ‘70s police shows, with each Beastie Boy donning a wig and fake facial hair to play characters like “The Rookie,” “The Chief,” and Bunny.  There’s lots of car jumping, roof climbing, and, of course, mindless running through the streets of Los Angeles.  Each scene becomes more ridiculous than the next, concluding with our trio walking in slow motion down the street, as if we had just witnessed an average day in their life.

Although “Sabotage” wouldn’t be the last Beastie Boys video to break new ground, it remains their most memorable collaboration with Spike Jonze.  Jonze would go on to produce more iconic videos (“It’s Oh So Quiet,” “Weapon of Choice”) and direct Being John Malkovich and Where The Wild Things Are.