Synopsis

Former Ghosts' "Flowers" is a disturbing, surreal montage set against the project's stark electronic pop. Figures appear in grimy Los Angeles locations, moving through scenes of humiliation, violence, grotesque behavior, and stylized menace. A masked face, a distressed woman, a couple of street confrontations, and various unsettling characters populate the clip. The imagery grows increasingly confrontational, balancing moments of bleak tenderness with bodily degradation and shock tactics. Rather than following a conventional narrative, the video builds an oppressive collage of alienation, cruelty, and emotional damage.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video accompanies "Flowers," a track from Former Ghosts' 2009 debut album, "Fleurs," released through Upset the Rhythm.

• The clip gained attention after Pitchfork featured it on January 12, 2010, highlighting its graphic and disturbing imagery and labeling it not safe for work.

• Production credits describe the piece as a small independent production, with the same person handling cinematography and editing in addition to the overall video production.

• The shoot used several Los Angeles-area locations, including Echo Park, MacArthur Park, Skid Row, downtown Los Angeles, and Valencia.

• The cast includes Sarah Jones, Drew Denny, Samantha Star, Jack Heard, Zak Ryan, Rhett J. Brandt, and Lil' Stacey, alongside several members of the production team.

• Makeup and hair styling helped create some of the video's deliberately abrasive character appearances, including the Chola and Cryer figures.

• The video runs for a little over three minutes, matching the compact length of the album track.

• Its extreme content contrasts sharply with the song's vulnerable lyrics about intimacy, heartache, and wanting to repair another person's emotional wounds.