5 Facts About Storm Thorgerson’s Controversial ‘Imagination’ Video for Belouis Some

Storm Thorgerson, famous for designing Pink Floyd’s album covers, directed the video. His surreal, conceptual style clashed with the pop song’s upbeat tone.

The video featured a woman’s face morphing into a man’s, which sparked accusations of promoting transgender themes. This was controversial in the 1980s, leading to limited airplay on MTV.

Thorgerson used a combination of practical effects and early digital morphing to create the transformation. The technique was innovative for its time but looked dated quickly.

Belouis Some’s label initially supported the video but later distanced itself after the backlash. The controversy overshadowed the song’s chart performance.

The video remains a cult curiosity, often cited as an example of Thorgerson’s willingness to provoke. It is rarely included in music video retrospectives due to its divisive nature.