Synopsis

Foetus' "Verklemmt" turns New York City into a frantic, post-apocalyptic collage. J.G. Thirlwell appears amid streets, signs, crowds, traffic, and aggressively manipulated graphic imagery, while the video repeatedly cuts between urban details and distorted visual fragments. Its black-and-white, high-speed presentation creates an impression of sensory overload, presenting the city as both a real location and a hostile psychological landscape. The climax moves into Times Square, where Foetus' imagery is projected onto a giant Sony screen as the surrounding city becomes part of the spectacle.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was made in 1995 to promote "Verklemmt," a track from the album "Gash," Foetus' only release for a major label.

• The production used New York City as its primary setting, with filming taking place throughout the city before moving to Times Square.

• A contemporary interview described the clip as containing more than 2,500 edits in under four minutes, giving it an unusually dense and assaultive visual rhythm.

• Thirlwell had arranged for his "Gash" artwork to be displayed on the large Sony screen in Times Square. The video captured that imagery in the real location, then went further by showing Times Square on its own screen.

• The Times Square sequence was made possible through coordination with the screen operator, using a walkie-talkie to cue the display while the crew filmed.

• The video's visual approach reflects the title's multiple connotations. "Verklemmt" is a Yiddish-derived term associated with being emotionally constricted or choked up.

• The clip later appeared as a hidden extra on the 2005 "Love" CD/DVD release, listed as title 17 and not accessible through the regular menus.