Not to be confused with Sola Rosa or Solaa, Sola Monday was the stage name of Dunedin artist Ingrid Ekdahl. The video is remarkably slick and I think much of the video is taken from Stephen Downes’ 2000 Otago noir short film “The Somniloquist”.
The video is set at some sort of institution, probably a hospital for the criminally insane. It’s full of foreboding corridors and stern people in uniform. The video shows early signs of literally presenting the lyrics (“Sucking milkshake through a straw” = Sola Monday as Kate, drinking a milkshake), but this doesn’t continue. Just as well, considering the lyric “there was no clean underwear” could be asking for trouble.
Shuffling into a fancy office, Kate sits down and watches some telly, which is where the short film footage starts. It involves an old-style black and white noir thriller and a colour film styled in a similar era. There’s an electric chair, some pocket-watch hypnotism, Sophia Hawthorne and a whole lot of drama, which bleeds in with the reality of Kate.
The video ends with Kate shuffling off, leaving me most intrigued about the short film clips that have made up the video. The video still works as a teaser for the film, but I’ve googled, but sadly there’s no sign of it online.
Best bit: The elegant electric chair acting.
Director: Stephen Downes
Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision
Next… a lazy afternoon.