Flashback Video: 'Shadows of the Night' by Pat Benatar

Ever since the dawn of MTV and Friday Night Videos, the music video has significantly impacted musical tastes and pop culture. It might not be as extreme as when the Buggles declared that "Video Killed the Radio Star", but there is no arguing that the music video certainly could make or break a song's popularity. So this regular Flashback Video feature will serve to remember some of the music videos from the great '80s decade that made an impact on me in one way or another.

This issue we will cover "Shadows of the Night" by Pat Benatar. It was released in September of 1982 as the lead single from her fourth studio album Get Nervous. "Shadows of the Night" peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December of 1982 and won her the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance in 1983.

The music video for "Shadows of the Night" was directed by Mark Robinson. He was well experienced in early-80s music videos including The Pretenders "Brass in Pocket", The Ramones "Rock n Roll High School", Bob Marley "Redemption Song", Tommy Tutone "867-5309/Jenny", Eddie Money "Think I'm In Love" among others and then in 1984 with Tina Turner on "What's Love Got to Do With It".

The music video for "Shadows of the Night" centers around Benatar as a riveter dreaming about being a pilot flying ace who fights in World War II. It features two guys who went on to be awesome actors, Judge Reinhold as another pilot and Bill Paxton as a German radio operator. At the time the video came out, Reinhold had been in 1981's Stripes and 1982's Fast Times at Ridgemont High had just released in theaters. Paxton really had not had any major movie roles yet at that time. I'm sure you will easily notice both of them when they appear and I believe both of them appearing in this video makes it notable.

Here is the music video for "Shadows of the Night" by Pat Benatar...

In the video, Benatar's T-6 Texan aircraft is named Midnight Angel, a phrase also used in the song's lyrics, "And now the hands of time are standin' still/Midnight angel, won't you say you will".

Hope you enjoyed another trip back to the '80s thanks to Flashback Video!