Synopsis

Asia are cast as pulp-adventure heroes in a lavish desert expedition that quickly turns into a surreal succession of traps, strange characters and fantasy set pieces. Riding through the wilderness, the band members enter an ancient-looking lair where they face handcuffs emerging from walls, a skeleton, a cantina-like gathering and a mysterious woman who appears to be pursuing them. The performance footage is woven into the action, giving "Don't Cry" the feel of a miniature Raiders-style adventure rather than a straightforward band video.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was made to support "Don't Cry," the first hit single from Asia's second album, Alpha, released in 1983.

• Its adventure-film concept draws heavily on the style of Raiders of the Lost Ark, which had become a major cultural reference point only two years earlier.

• The production reportedly cost more than $100,000, a substantial sum for a music video at the time. The expense went into the elaborate sets and fantasy environments.

• The sets include a desert landscape, a jungle, a cantina-like interior, wall-mounted restraints and a striking effect in which what appears to be solid stone turns into flowing water.

• Carl Palmer later described the band members charging through the desert as embarrassing, although he acknowledged that some of Asia's videos were effective and that MTV exposure was important to the group's success.

• "Don't Cry" reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped Billboard's Top Album Rock Tracks chart, while the video received considerable MTV exposure during the band's commercial peak.