Synopsis

Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe undergo an elaborate transformation inside a clinical, surreal facility. Medical machines process them before attendants cover them in talcum powder and dress them in dramatic black jackets, striped trousers, round glasses, and bright yellow hair. Monks complete the ritual, then hand each man a dog and lead them into an unfamiliar world. There, the duo discovers a population dressed in the same distinctive style, turning their makeover into an eerie vision of conformity and reinvention.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video introduced the Pet Shop Boys' distinctive "Nightlife" look, created with theater designer Ian MacNeil. The style was partly inspired by a magazine photograph of Japanese men wearing samurai trousers.

• The transformation sequence was deliberately presented as a ritual rather than a simple costume change. The band wanted their new appearance to feel ceremonial and larger than everyday reality.

• The visual concept was developed to showcase the costumes and to support the less naturalistic public image the Pet Shop Boys adopted for the *Nightlife* era.

• The video's opening laboratory imagery has been associated with *THX 1138*, while other scenes evoke the ritualized presentation of *Ridicule*, the futuristic interiors of *2001: A Space Odyssey*, and the urban stylization of *A Clockwork Orange*.

• The song was released as the lead single from *Nightlife* on July 19, 1999. It was recorded in New York and co-produced by David Morales.

• The single's UK CD1 included the promotional video as part of its multimedia section.