Synopsis
The video centers on a young woman whose poised, childlike presentation gradually becomes unsettling. Staged in highly controlled interiors and punctuated by close-ups, gestures, and charged tableaux, it builds psychological unease rather than following a conventional narrative. The imagery places innocence, voyeurism, and menace side by side, making the performer seem both observed and in command. Its references to Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" and "Lolita" situate the clip in a deliberately stylized space between suburban fantasy and nightmare.
Factoids & Trivia
- "Skincree" was released as part of Götterdämmerung's 2012 album "Urban Gothic." The album also included a DVD with the video and a short instrumental film.
- The video was commissioned by conceptual artist Marc Bijl, who is also associated with Götterdämmerung. It was made in connection with Bijl's overview exhibition at the Groningen Museum.
- Dutch actress Lisa Smit appears in the video. At the time, she was already known for film and television work in the Netherlands; "Skincree" is listed among her 2012 screen credits.
- The production team described the clip as strongly inspired by Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" and "Lolita," giving the video a deliberately uneasy relationship with childhood imagery, eroticism, and psychological threat.
- The video was produced by Macha Rousakov, with Mo Schalkx credited for cinematography and editing. Carlos Saidel handled hair and makeup, while Aleide Bezoen was responsible for styling.
- "Skincree" had already appeared in an earlier form on the 2004 Götterdämmerung compilation "Kin-Burst 9104." The "Urban Gothic" release presented it as "Skincree (version)."
- "Urban Gothic" was conceived as a multimedia project built around everyday melancholy, hidden secrets, lost relationships, erotic encounters, and guilt rather than conventional gothic symbols.