Synopsis

Bananarama perform "Venus" as a theatrical procession of mythic and seductive alter egos. The trio appear as a she-devil, a French temptress, a vampiress and classical goddesses, moving through stylized sets filled with fire, shadows, dramatic props and choreographed dancers. The video builds its visual identity around the song's imagery, culminating in a tableau inspired by Sandro Botticelli's painting "The Birth of Venus." Its deliberately extravagant costumes and playful camp turn the performance into an 1980s fantasy spectacle.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Venus" was originally recorded by Dutch band Shocking Blue in 1969. Bananarama had performed the song informally for years before turning it into a Hi-NRG dance track.

• The recording became Bananarama's first collaboration with the production team Stock Aitken Waterman. The trio had initially been uncertain about producing the song, but the group persisted with the idea.

• The video represented a major expansion of Bananarama's visual style. According to London Records, it was their first video to feature expensive bespoke costumes, replacing much of the casual, DIY fashion associated with their earlier work.

• The choreography was created by Bruno Tonioli, who later became widely known as a television dance judge.

• The Botticelli-inspired sequence is a tableau vivant, recreating the composition of "The Birth of Venus" rather than presenting a literal narrative.

• The video's costume design was singled out in contemporary Billboard coverage, which listed "Venus" among the 1986 music videos recognized for their costumes.

• Heavy MTV and international video-channel exposure helped make the clip an important part of the song's worldwide campaign. The single reached No. 1 in the United States and several other countries.

• The dress-up concept was developed further in Bananarama's later video for "I Heard a Rumour," which again used theatrical costumes and male dancers.