Vid of the Issue
Klaus & Caroline: Dark Paradise
xXWhisperOfDreamsXx
The first thing I have to say is, this vid was the one that introduced me to Lana Del Ray, so major thanks goes out for that. The second thing that comes to mind is OMG the manips in this vid are incredible. Seriously, some of the best I've ever seen. You really have to credit the editor (xXWhisperOfDreamsXx) because amazing manips really seem to be a common theme for her and they really are incredible. One last note before I really dive into reviewing this awesome work, is the atmosphere. The atmosphere in this vid is just so beautiful and haunting. It's perfect. Now time to go in depth.
The opening 15 seconds of the vid are brilliant. I love how it starts off with the woods and fog. So beautiful; especially with the blue tinted coloring which was just an amazing choice of color for the vid as a whole. At 0:05, the first beat hits and the vid cuts to Caroline, alone, holding her arms as if she nervous and waiting for something (or in the vid's case, someone). I personally love this clip choice, because you feel how anxious she is and it really builds the tension. I also love how she raises her head to look up just before the beat and the clip changes to show that she's looked up at the full moon. Klaus' voiceover about love begins to play, "crazy or not...that kind of love never dies", and boy, if there ever was a perfect quote choice to set up this vid that was the one.
The whole first 15 seconds is just a truly amazing example of what an intro to vid should be like. Right from the get go, you have the atmosphere (haunting, mysterious, longing, a tinge of forbidden) all just because of the clip choices with the woods and fog. Caroline's anxiousness, desperation, and worry are also established, as are Klaus' feelings for her because of his voiceover. Which actually manages to serve, not only that tidbit of knowledge, but also as an overview of the relationship they will have in this vid.
0:15-0:19 snaps us out of the intro and into the vid itself where we resume with Caroline waiting in the woods. Her desperation has grown and she is now beginning to actively look for Klaus (or possibly leave). It's an awesome clip choice, not only because it picks up off the last shot we had of her, but also because it goes wonderfully with the lyric, "all my friends tell me I should move on". It really plays into the desperation theme, should she wait, like she wants? Or move on, like her friends want? Is she looking for Klaus? Or giving up and leaving?
The next clip (0:20-0:22), continues with this theme with a shot of Caroline lying in her bed rolling her eyes in irritation (somewhat like she's upset with herself) to the lyric, "I'm lying in the ocean".
Now here begins the amazing, incredible, beautiful, pick your adjective, manips. 0:22-0:28, takes us back in time (I believe, hey, it's grey scale) with the lyric, "singing your song". This manip is really great with Caroline singing (from tvd 2x16) to Klaus (from tvd 3x01). It flows perfectly, and seems like it actually could have been a real scene between them. I also like the focus on their faces. It really shows the fixation they have on each other in this manip. There is maybe a crowd of people listening to her, but you can see on her face, she's singing only for Klaus and, to him, she's the only one in the room. This is also beautifully achieved by using only close-ups of them. If too many far away clips had been used it would have broken the atmosphere. This did not happen, so kudos. What wonderful editing.
I also just have to mention the manip from 0:28-0:32, because I'll just be honest and say that I even freeze framed this and it still looked amazing. Wow. For the storyline's sake, I would also like to mention, that this was a really cool manip because you can see the conflict on Caroline's face and how Klaus is leaning into her, whispering in her ear. It screams temptation and the forbidden.
That leads me into 0:32-0:36. The first time in this vid that Klaus and Caroline appear together that is not a manip. They're dancing (from tvd 3x14) and I have to say, the editing here is just incredible. I adore it. I love how the clips move with the beats (which is also really cool because they, as in Klaus and Caroline, are moving to the beats as well with their dance...it's just such brilliant editing).
0:36-0:40 (I guess I'm doing a second by second break down of this thing lol, well it's an awesome vid) is really amazing because it brings us back to the present. Caroline is looking for Klaus, but she can't find him (lyric, "even though you're not here). Only the next shot reveals that he is there (lyric, "won't move on), but he's hiding from Caroline for some reason and there's a look of pain on his face.
The next few clips is another manip set (0:40-0:44), of Caroline (from tvd 2x07) finding Klaus (from tvd 3x03) at a party. From their expressions, I don't think she was supposed too because the look on Caroline's face shows surprise and hurt while Klaus seems shocked that she's there.
0:44-0:50 takes us back to the earlier dance scene (from tvd 3x14). I love the editing here as well. Haunting beauty at its' finest. There's also just something about the "there's no remedy for memory" lyric being paired up with Klaus and Caroline walking towards each other. It's just so gorgeous and, because of the lyric, informs us (the viewer) that we are, in fact, seeing a memory; as in post the woods and the search for Klaus.
I simply love the clip of Caroline, who is in the woods so this is a present clip, looking like she's about to have an emotional breakdown from 0:53-0:55 (the lyric being, "it won't leave my head"). It is set up perfectly by the previous clips of Caroline and Klaus talking, to the lyric "your face is like a melody".
The manips from 0:55-1:00 are just gorgeous. I love the flashback of Caroline (from tvd 1x02) running into Klaus (from tvd 3x01) with the lyric of "everything is fine" matching up perfectly with Caroline's little smile and the manip of her and Klaus kissing. Well done. What really makes it for me, however, is the next clip. We're back with Caroline in the woods and she's decided to have that breakdown after all to the lyric, "but I wish I was dead".
1:03-1:11 is just beautiful (I know, I know, I just think the whole vid is amazing okay? lol) as we fade into a far away shot of Caroline upset hugging a pillow (has Klaus hurt her before?). The next clip focusses on Caroline's, now very upset, face as she closes her eyes (beautifully timed with the lyric, "every time I close my eyes") and dreams of better times with Klaus (another flashback of the 3x14 dance scene, which I swear this editor edits so well without fail every time in this vid).
I really like 1:11 - 1:14's manip of Caroline and Klaus talking to each other. It's almost like they're having a mock fight of some kind and it's cute; especially when Klaus raises his eyebrows exactly on the "you" in the "compares to you" lyric.
The next manip, at 1:14-1:20, (hey, they're beautiful) is just really emotional with the "I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side" matched with Caroline (from tvd 3x13) sobbing hysterically holding onto Klaus
(from tvd 3x13 who is trying to comfort her).
The next section, 1:20-1:24, includes a brief shift in POV (previously the vid had been exclusively Caroline's) to Klaus (3x10); with him finding (in a manip) Caroline's body after she had been killed by Katherine. He too closes his eyes in time with the lyric, "every time I close my eyes". This is the lead in to what is easily my favorite manip in the vid (1:25-1:26), solely due to the fact that it looks just like it was an actual scene in the show. I've freeze framed this one as well, and I simply cannot tell that this did not happen in the show, except that I know that it didn't. It's of Caroline and Klaus (from tvd 3x13) having dinner together and...are you sure this didn't happen? lol
The clips to 1:30 take us back to another masterfully edited segment from their 3x14 dance. I'll just never get over the editing on it in this vid.
1:30-1:40 features a manip of Klaus (from tvd 2x21) rolling around on the ground in pain while Rebekah restrains Caroline (from 3x05) from helping him (lyric, I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side). This fades nicely into the lyric, "all my friends ask me, why I stay strong", with Caroline finally having somehow broken away from Rebekah and comforting an exhausted Klaus.
I really love how the "tell them when you find true love it lives on" lyric was handled at 1:40-1:44. The first manip is just so pretty (the coloring really shines here), with an upset Klaus walking towards Caroline who slowly realizes that something is wrong. This then fades into Caroline descending a flight of stairs with a very proud Klaus looking on. Nicely done.
The vid again briefly refers back to the 3x14 dance scene (*dreamy sigh*), before sliding into another fav manip of mine. Where Caroline (from tvd 1x08) is lying in bed looking tired and Klaus (from tvd 3x11) decides to leave to let her get some rest, but Caroline grabs his hand to stop him before he can leave (this also happens to be beautifully set to the "Ah that's why I stay here" lyric).
Skipping ahead a little bit now (if you're still reading this kudos). I really want to mention the manip at 1:58-2:01. It's such a beautifully moment between Caroline (from tvd 1x08) and Klaus in the vid with Caroline being her upset self (crying/witty) and Klaus half-comforting her and half being amused by her. It's just a really nice moment.
2:01 - 2:08 is a really heartbreaking manip selection with a hysterical Caroline discovering Klaus' body in a coffin (I really don't know how this manip was achieved lol? But it looked great!). You really get a lot of feeling from this manip. Poor Caroline.
The manip from 2:12 - 2:15 is simply lovely, with Caroline (from tvd 1x01) smiling at Klaus (from tvd 3x03) and reaching to hold his hand. A beautiful clip choice, especially since it's one of the few where they seem happy since this is mostly an angst vid.
At 2:17 - 2:24, we revisit the Caroline (present) in the woods again, only this time she has finally managed to find Klaus. You really can feel the emotion in this scene, it's so powerful. However, the vid quickly flashes away from it (after you see Klaus) to show some happier flashbacks (the 3x14 dance scene and two really awesome manips. One with Klaus walking towards Caroline as she sits up from the bed and another with them staring at each other).
2:34 - 2:41 returns to the woods with present day Klaus and Caroline. She is ecstatic to see him, and they kiss, only the lyrics, "except in my dreams tonight", imply that this may not actually be happening at all and that Caroline has actually dreamed the whole thing (at least the wood scenes, which means that they could have been something like a metaphor for her feelings for him. I'm not sure if that is the case, but if so, that's really cool).
This leads into more awesome manips (2:41-2:49), before flowing into an under-used, under-acknowledged, scene from 3x14 of Caroline smiling at Klaus when he hands her a drink. I love that this scene was included. Finally, the vid wraps up with its' final awesome manip of Caroline walking to towards her to let Klaus inside.
Overall, I adored this vid, if you couldn't tell. I think it's excellent. Not only in it's way of storytelling, but also wonderful manips, coloring, atmosphere, and general beauty. All of which must be credited to the amazing editor xXWhisperOfDreamsXx who did an absolutely fabulous job. I hope you all enjoy the video. I know I did.