Elton John - I'm Still Standing

What this video is

Released in 1983, 'I'm Still Standing' arrived at a critical juncture in Elton John's career after several years of declining chart success and personal struggles. The song and video functioned as a public declaration of resilience, and the MTV-amplified promo was instrumental in re-establishing John as a mainstream force. Shot on the French Riviera with a large cast of dancers, the video embodied the glossy,…

Why it matters

A landmark artifact of early MTV-era pop rock, the video helped define the 'comeback' music video as a genre convention — using sun-drenched location spectacle, ensemble dance, and artist-as-survivor iconography. It demonstrated the commercial and artistic power of the music video format in…

The director

Australian-born director Russell Mulcahy is one of the most influential figures in music video history. He directed The Buggles' 'Video Killed The Radio Star,' the first video ever played on MTV, and went on to direct dozens of iconic promos before…