I remember seeing the clip on MTV a few times (when that channel was THE most interesting thing, long before becoming a reality TV base and a paid channel in here), and the thing that always surprised me was seeing Sam Peckinpah's name attached to it, credited him as the director of the clip. His name was the main factor why I kept watching it from time to time and I actually end up enjoying the song. Now it's part of VH1's classic hits, or YouTube is always open for blasts from the past.
Considering that the video clip was officially in its infancy, "Too Late for Goodbyes" has nothing so special if compared to the epic masterpieces created by John Landis (Michael Jackson's "Thriller"), Martin Scorsese ("Bad", again MJ) or even Jonathan Demme (New Order's "The Perfect Kiss"), just to mention few movie directors who turned to clips in that decade - the 1990's would be the opposite, video directors flocked to the movies (and are doing quite well so far!). It's basically Julian Lennon singing and performing the song along with his band - credited must be given to Jean "Toots" Thielemans, who plays the harmonica in the track but not only he's absent from the video but Lennon is the one who mimic the act of playing it. The weird thing is the John Lennon hippie-phase dancing guy in the background staring at Julian in some brief moments. It's a catchy tune, the lyrics are quite repetitive and it's very easily to get mixed up, one can always make a hit with this which Lennon did. In fact, this is his most successful song ever back in 1984.
"The Osterman Weekend" is definitely Mr. Peckinpah's final film, but this video here was the last time he ever walked on a studio set and directed any material - he also directed "Vallote" also with Julian, first single from the album of same name. Worthy work of the poet of violence? Well...maybe. It's not embarrassing or anything, it's just too simple as a promotional video for a song - Peckinpah probably had to make miracles with the budget offered and this is what he came up with, and let us not forget that it was in a time he wasn't seen with good eyes by the industry due to many budget and logistical problems faced by his productions in the late 1970's and early 1980's.
Nothing more to be said. It's a good job. Bye, Sam! 7/10
