The Smiths - Ask (official Music Video) Page

The official music video for (1986) is a quintessential collaboration between The Smiths and avant-garde filmmaker Derek Jarman . It captures the band's signature "miserabilist" charm through a lens of artistic defiance, juxtaposing upbeat, jangly guitar pop with imagery of social awkwardness and looming existential dread. Visual Narrative and Symbolism

: The video is notable for featuring Craig Gannon —briefly the band's fifth member—alongside the core four. The Smiths - Ask (Official Music Video)

Directed by Jarman, the video eschews high-budget 80s gloss for a grainy, artsy aesthetic. The official music video for (1986) is a

: Reviewers often highlight the contrast between Johnny Marr’s optimistic rising guitar chords and Morrissey’s themes of isolation and social failure. Directed by Jarman, the video eschews high-budget 80s

: The Smiths appear in blurred, dreamlike intersections, maintaining their air of mystery while focusing on Morrissey’s expressive performance. Production Context

: While Jarman’s "Version 1" is the artistic standard, a second version exists featuring live performance footage superimposed over the original visuals. Another 1988 video directed by Peter Fowler was released to promote the live album Rank .