Directed by filmmaker Lee Hardcastle, the nostalgia-charged odyssey with references to ‘DooM,’ ‘Zelda,’ ‘Golden Axe,’ ‘Chase HQ,’ ‘Pac-Man,’ and ‘Super Mario’ features John Carpenter, Charlie Simpson, and Tim Cappello.
Synthwave outfit Gunship has released the Claymation music video, Tech Noir 2, directed by filmmaker Lee Hardcastle (Adult Swim, DooM), a nostalgia-charged follow-up to their cult classic, Tech Noir.
While Tech Noir 1 celebrated the golden age of '80s film, Tech Noir 2 dives headfirst into the pixelated heart of retro gaming with references to DooM, Zelda, Golden Axe, Chase HQ, Pac-Man, and Super Mario.
The video opens with a haunting monologue from John Carpenter (Halloween, The Thing), who also narrated the original Tech Noir. This time, Carpenter’s narration turns from dystopia to hope: “The final war is over. Its architects forever entombed in melted glass and steel. Our cities, now scorched black mausoleums, serve as a reminder… There can be no real victory in war. With resolute defiance, we now choose to grasp at the delicate thread of life. To my son, the gift of survival is yours… may you never submit. There will... be more…”
The video’s narrative follows a young girl whose obsession with arcade glory accidentally leads to her baby brother’s abduction by the arch-villain from the original Tech Noir video. To rescue him, she must venture into a video game world and channel the power of legendary gaming heroes. As an added touch, fans who won Gunship’s online competition will spot their initials in the video’s arcade high-score table.
Check out Tech Noir 2 now:
Charlie Simpson (Fightstar, Busted) lends his voice to the track, joining Gunship’s core trio: Dan Haigh, Alex Westaway, and Alex Gingell. The song features a saxophone solo by Tim Cappello, the shirtless icon from 80s classic The Lost Boys and longtime sax man for Tina Turner.
“It was such a joy to step back into the Gunship universe to work on the follow up to Tech Noir,” said Simpson. “When they sent the track over, the chorus came to me almost instantly. I wanted it to feel like an extension of the original, whilst at the same time exploring new melodic avenues, given the new lyrical themes this next offering was based on. As is always the case with Gunship, the new video is an absolute powerhouse. So pleased to have been a part of it.”
Gunship personally helmed the post-production visual effects alongside Hardcastle.
Source: Gunship
Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologist—L'Wren brings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.
