Video Rec: Hell of a Place [The X-Files]
As I mentioned in an earlier post, today is the 15th anniversary of The X-Files' first episode. So much, good and bad, can be said about the show but the true foundation for the show--Mulder and Scully--have always been the perfectly flawed heart. Together they stood at the center of a maelstrom filled with weekly run-ins with mutants, monsters, aliens, government conspiracies, ardent campaigns of misinformation, family tragedies, and personal losses to name just a few. That's why this vid by giandujakiss is so powerful and all consuming. She categorizes it as a shipper video and while I am a shipper I don't think of this vid in that way. At least not in the strictest sense of the world. It's about the MSR but not necessarily in an "I love you" sense, which Mulder and Scully never did. It's Mulder and Scully as partners in arms, comrades in the field and watching each others backs. Forever united and forging ahead, together at all costs despite the emotional toil their journey has taken on them. The MSR is epic in every way imaginable. It's romantic without being saccharine. It's tragic without completely falling into despair but most importantly...it's life affirming. These are two people you want to follow and revisit again and again and she captures this beautifully in this vid.
The intro wonderfully sets up the world of The X-Files complete with the mutants, monsters, etc, etc. that I'd mentioned above. This is the world that Mulder and Scully live in.
The first of several expertly executed montages is of Mulder in outrage trying to make TPTB accountable for their actions in the grand conspiracy that encompasses the show to the lyrics, "It's about time the people know that the walls they climb, they keep on closing"
1:21
The second and third montages emphasizes the procedural aspect of their daily lives. Mulder and Scully are FBI agents--officers of the law--and with it comes privileges and authority. Side by side and clothed in dark winter coats (Thanks Vancouver!) they walk into crime scenes. Sometimes Mulder leads the way. In others its Scully. Immediately they are given access the moment they flash their badges. How many times have we seen them do that and never really given it much thought. The instances chosen cover a range of scenarios.
1:41 "The shock waves moves, across the nation."
I really liked the overlaying of Scully's testimony in front of the Senate review committee from "Tunguska" and the American flag with Mulder's entrance into the room. It's long been one of my favorite scenes. (Scully risks prison for Mulder!) Especially her reaction when she turns and sees Mulder.
2:26
Oh the Scully and Mulder abduction storylines from seasons 2 and 8, respectively. Perhaps the most trying times in each of their lives. Mulder loses his cool and tries to choke information about Scully from alien abductee Duane Barry. "Where is she! Did you kill her?" he yells at him. Then there's Scully collapsing in grief just after shooting the alien bounty hunter and perhaps her last good chance at finding Mulder.
2:38
Then there's the beginning of the great big montage of mucho Mulder angst moments. The musical interlude is really great here.
2:56
David Duchovny would often joke about the number of times Mulder lost his gun during situations. So much so that Mulder even mentioned it an episode. Also of amusement is the number of times Mulder would get his ass kicked. If you need a little reminder it starts right here. Heck even the scene of his mother slapping him is here.
3:10
I just gotta say that I love this scene of Mulder literally rubbing the Morley package in Spender's face. It's weird that I've always received amusement from it.
3:44
This features a shot from FTF of a black helicopter's shadow over the Tunisian sand dunes. I love the way the shadow undulates over the dunes and how it lines up with the reintroduction of vocals.
3:50
Another great parallel between the Mulder and Scully abductions. Scully collapses on her knees and screams to the heavens in the aftermath of losing Jeremiah Smith and her only hope of reviving the deceased Mulder. Then it's the "Redux II" night time scene in which Mulder visits the dying Scully and quietly cries in agony at her bedside. It's an extra bonus that we are allowed to marvel at the twin awesomeness of Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny.
3:54
Scully and Mulder each look to the heavens for answers during each of the abduction arcs.
4:10
Wee! Mulder/Scully hug montage. Bring it on!
4:17
I have a thing for Action!Mulder&Scully and the tiny glimpse of them running down the airport corridor in unison from "Terma" really made me sit up and go yay. Awesome clip selection.
4:22
This here is my most favorite part of the vid. I'm not lying when I say that I've played this part over and over again. It's really quite sad. I love it so much and it's so simple and unexpected. It's a shot of Scully from the "Pilot" inside Mulder's basement office. She turns around and smiles and it's perfectly in tune with the music. I can't really articulate what it is that I love about it. Part of it is my happiness at Smiley!Scully from season 1. That girl smiled a whole lot in that season.
4:40 & 4:47
More Action!Mulder&Scully this time in silhouette as they round a dark corner with their guns ready.
4:59
In nine seasons and two movies I don't think I've loved Mulder and Scully more than I do in this shot from "Requiem" of our dynamic duo. "We'll probably turn up nothing," Mulder says. The memory of his session with the FBI's shortsighted auditor still fresh in his mind. "Let's go waste some money." replies Scully with a teasing smirk as the two walk out of the X-Files office. At that moment, in that scene they are not the same people from the pilot despite all the intentional parallels that surfaced in "Requiem". Practical Scully, especially, is sticking it to "The Man" and choosing to continue in her path alongside the more impulsive Mulder.
The intro wonderfully sets up the world of The X-Files complete with the mutants, monsters, etc, etc. that I'd mentioned above. This is the world that Mulder and Scully live in.
The first of several expertly executed montages is of Mulder in outrage trying to make TPTB accountable for their actions in the grand conspiracy that encompasses the show to the lyrics, "It's about time the people know that the walls they climb, they keep on closing"
1:21
The second and third montages emphasizes the procedural aspect of their daily lives. Mulder and Scully are FBI agents--officers of the law--and with it comes privileges and authority. Side by side and clothed in dark winter coats (Thanks Vancouver!) they walk into crime scenes. Sometimes Mulder leads the way. In others its Scully. Immediately they are given access the moment they flash their badges. How many times have we seen them do that and never really given it much thought. The instances chosen cover a range of scenarios.
1:41 "The shock waves moves, across the nation."
I really liked the overlaying of Scully's testimony in front of the Senate review committee from "Tunguska" and the American flag with Mulder's entrance into the room. It's long been one of my favorite scenes. (Scully risks prison for Mulder!) Especially her reaction when she turns and sees Mulder.
2:26
Oh the Scully and Mulder abduction storylines from seasons 2 and 8, respectively. Perhaps the most trying times in each of their lives. Mulder loses his cool and tries to choke information about Scully from alien abductee Duane Barry. "Where is she! Did you kill her?" he yells at him. Then there's Scully collapsing in grief just after shooting the alien bounty hunter and perhaps her last good chance at finding Mulder.
2:38
Then there's the beginning of the great big montage of mucho Mulder angst moments. The musical interlude is really great here.
2:56
David Duchovny would often joke about the number of times Mulder lost his gun during situations. So much so that Mulder even mentioned it an episode. Also of amusement is the number of times Mulder would get his ass kicked. If you need a little reminder it starts right here. Heck even the scene of his mother slapping him is here.
3:10
I just gotta say that I love this scene of Mulder literally rubbing the Morley package in Spender's face. It's weird that I've always received amusement from it.
3:44
This features a shot from FTF of a black helicopter's shadow over the Tunisian sand dunes. I love the way the shadow undulates over the dunes and how it lines up with the reintroduction of vocals.
3:50
Another great parallel between the Mulder and Scully abductions. Scully collapses on her knees and screams to the heavens in the aftermath of losing Jeremiah Smith and her only hope of reviving the deceased Mulder. Then it's the "Redux II" night time scene in which Mulder visits the dying Scully and quietly cries in agony at her bedside. It's an extra bonus that we are allowed to marvel at the twin awesomeness of Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny.
3:54
Scully and Mulder each look to the heavens for answers during each of the abduction arcs.
4:10
Wee! Mulder/Scully hug montage. Bring it on!
4:17
I have a thing for Action!Mulder&Scully and the tiny glimpse of them running down the airport corridor in unison from "Terma" really made me sit up and go yay. Awesome clip selection.
4:22
This here is my most favorite part of the vid. I'm not lying when I say that I've played this part over and over again. It's really quite sad. I love it so much and it's so simple and unexpected. It's a shot of Scully from the "Pilot" inside Mulder's basement office. She turns around and smiles and it's perfectly in tune with the music. I can't really articulate what it is that I love about it. Part of it is my happiness at Smiley!Scully from season 1. That girl smiled a whole lot in that season.
4:40 & 4:47
More Action!Mulder&Scully this time in silhouette as they round a dark corner with their guns ready.
4:59
In nine seasons and two movies I don't think I've loved Mulder and Scully more than I do in this shot from "Requiem" of our dynamic duo. "We'll probably turn up nothing," Mulder says. The memory of his session with the FBI's shortsighted auditor still fresh in his mind. "Let's go waste some money." replies Scully with a teasing smirk as the two walk out of the X-Files office. At that moment, in that scene they are not the same people from the pilot despite all the intentional parallels that surfaced in "Requiem". Practical Scully, especially, is sticking it to "The Man" and choosing to continue in her path alongside the more impulsive Mulder.