Synopsis

Marilyn Manson appears as a clay figure in the world of MTV's Celebrity Deathmatch, performing with his band inside the show's stylized arena. The performance is interrupted by surreal stop-motion images, including conjoined monkeys chasing a runaway television and later becoming part of the television itself. As the imagery grows increasingly chaotic, Manson is presented as both entertainer and spectacle, matching the song's dark view of televised violence, celebrity culture, and an audience captivated by destruction.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was produced at MTV Animation as a tie-in to Celebrity Deathmatch and its soundtrack album.

• Pete List's production notes describe the clip as a stop-motion project, with effects and compositing handled separately from the animation.

• The video premiered on MTV's Total Request Live during the promotional campaign for the song.

• The opening portion was incorporated into Celebrity Deathmatch episode "Fandemonium II," the second season finale. In that episode, Manson's character appears before a scheduled fight with Ricky Martin.

• The song was written specifically for the Celebrity Deathmatch project after Manson had appeared on the series. Its subject matter also works as a broader critique of television's fascination with violence and spectacle.

• "Astonishing Panorama of the Endtimes" was the only single released from the Celebrity Deathmatch soundtrack.

• The track had an earlier history: it was recorded during sessions associated with Antichrist Superstar before being completed and released in 1999.

• The recording received a nomination for Best Metal Performance at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2001. Deftones won the category with "Elite."