DEPECHE MODE: "STRANGE/STRANGE TOO", the collection of music videos by ANTON CORBIJN, is released

An unmissable event for Depeche Mode fans. “STRANGE/STRANGE TOO” will be released for the first time on DVD/Blu-ray on Friday 8 December, the sought-after collection of music videos directed and shot in Super 8 by Anton Corbijn.

Anton Corbijn’s photography and artistic direction have played an indispensable role in the evolution of our aesthetics – say Depeche Mode –

‘Strange’ and ‘Strange Too’ are essential titles in both our catalog and that of Anton Corbijn, and are the perfect example of Anton’s unique ability to capture our spirit on film.”

Being considered ‘weird’ in the creative field is not a bad thing, as it probably means ‘different’.

The idea of making a connected series of small films and fictional interviews emerged late in the process of shooting these films – says Anton Corbijn – I was shooting all the films myself on black and white Super 8 film.

We put all this together on a limited budget. We have to look at these films in light of the fact that we were young; we were experimenting and I’m happy we were given that space at the time by Daniel Miller.”

COLLECTIBLE

Previously released as individual titles in VHS and Laserdisc formats (now out of print and rare collectibles), “Strange” (1988) and “Strange Too” (1990) are collections of provocative and visionary short films made by master photographer/director Anton Corbijn in collaboration with Depeche Mode to create a new visual iconography for the band and their music.

Available for the first time on DVD and Blu-ray, and as a single collection, “Strange/Strange Too” features 11 Anton Corbijn/Depeche Mode musical films recently restored from the original sources in Super 8mm, along with six ” unpublished from their archives. In editing the final cut for “Strange” and “Strange Too,” the photographer/director ensured that the individual music videos felt like one continuous film, with additional content not present in the original videos.

The rough, grainy quality of the film becomes part of the film’s final aesthetic, and Corbijn’s mastery of Super 8 film is a key element in “Strange/Strange Too” and in the development of Depeche Mode’s visual components. The restoration of the films was a rigorous process that took place over several years, with the participation of personnel involved in the making of the original films, including Anton Corbijn. The end result, created from the original Super 8 film and now on Blu-ray/DVD format, may appear to lack visual clarity compared to that associated with contemporary 4K HD playback. In cases where the original material had deteriorated too much, the best available material was used.

First released in 1988 as “Strange – A Black and White Mode by Anton Corbijn”, “Strange” included the first 5 Depeche Mode music videos directed by Anton Corbijn, shot primarily in black and white Super 8. “Strange” included the three lead singles from “Music for the Masses,” the final single from “Black Celebration” (“A Question of Time”) and “Pimpf,” the instrumental closer to “Music for the Masses.”

Released in 1990, “Strange Too” (also known as “Strange Too – Another Violation by Anton Corbijn”) was instead shot in color, opening up a visual/sonic palette for the director and band as they explored the songs from “Violator” plus bonus videos for “Halo” and “Clean.”

THE FORMATS

The DVD and Blu-ray formats of “Strange/Strange Too” are contained in a digipack with a 16-page booklet that includes photographs and new notes written by Anton Corbijn.