We’re baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack.
The days are longer, the temperature is hotter, and all of our favorite TV shows are on summer vacation. You know what that means, right? The return of our favorite summer past time: Fan Video Friday! And what better way to kick it off than paying tribute to the soundtrack that definitely got us through the long and dark winter: The Greatest Showman! Like any good musical worth its salt, the songs of The Greatest Showman lend themselves perfectly to videos for the most expected (and often unexpected) fandoms. You’ll laugh, you’ll definitely cry, and you’ll want to stand on your chair and cheer.
Let’s get on with the (greatest) show!! –Kim
1) Disney – “This Is Me”
Kim: I’ve watched this video no less than ten times since we’ve found it and I get choked up EVERY TIME. It’s so seamlessly edited with the lyrics? The shot of teenage Elsa on “hide away”? BABY DUMBO AND HIS BROKEN PARTS? Rapunzel touching the ground for the first time on “I am brave”? The glory shot of Mulan on “we are warriors”? Arthur pulling the sword on “this is who I’m meant to be”? This vidder is a genius, damn.
Sage: You really have to give it up for the sheer breadth of Disney that this video covers. Give me some Great Mouse Detective content and yours, basically.
2) Thor & Loki – “The Other Side”
Sage: I am in PAIN. Thor basically spends several movies asking Loki to join the circus, and this song was written for Odin’s sons, yes? There are so many stand-out moments: Loki chilling in the Grandmaster’s lounge on “I live among the swells” and imitating Steve on “one of the clowns,” Thor showing off on “that whole show you do;” the “get help” interlude… all proof that the eager puppy dog/spoiled brat partnership of The Greatest Showman is just another iteration of this brotherhood.
Kim: HOW IS THIS SO PERFECT OH MY GODDDDDDDDDDDD? (Also sometimes I wonder how Hiddles feels knowing that he DEFINITELY peaked right out of the gate with his first major role?)
3) The Doctor & River – “Never Enough”
Kim: All I have to say about this is that it instantly got added to next year’s Gally Playlist. (And why is it that I ONLY buy Doctor/River videos when they feature Twelve? He made the whole arc work for me.)
Sage: You know a fan video is doing its job when it makes me ship River and the Doctor. Let’s start with the fact that Jenny Lind’s big number is so River Song and her endless hunger for more that it hurts and add that the Doctor never had a prayer of giving her everything she wanted — the sum total is just the most exquisite, romantic tragedy. (Also, the Singing Towers on “towns of gold”? TOO FAR.)
4) Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir – “Rewrite the Stars”
Sage: My dream is for Scott and Tessa to skate to this song, but this will do (I suppose) for now. They are the real Kate Moseley and Doug Dorsey and it’s totally up to them but they should be together because NO ONE is that good of an actor. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk about ice dancers who are high-key in love with each other but haven’t done anything about it yet?
Kim: I’m sorry, these two are in LOVE and should just stop fighting it.
5) Harry Potter – “From Now On”
Kim: No, YOU get chills at the shot of the first years riding the boats to Hogwarts on the line “And we will come back home, come back home, home agaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaain.”
Sage: Listen, we all remember it. There’s a good portion of the books (and movies, but it’s not as annoying) when Harry is a real pill. He loses sight of what he’s fighting for and gets all sullen teen. This video and song nails his comeback in books six and seven. (“‘Cause it led me back to YOU, Romione!”) And when it kicks over from black and white to color? Forgetaboutit.
6) The Marvel Universe – “The Greatest Show”
Sage: Musicals and the MCU is such a PRECISE intersection of my interests. This video gives me the good kind of chills. The Avengers are truly the greatest show.
Kim: I was all in with this one from the moment Bucky’s fist hit Steve’s shield right on the downbeat. What a perfect song to showcase a bunch of hot superheroes kicking ass and taking names.
7) Jack & Rose – “Rewrite the Stars”
Kim: “All I want is to fly with you” edited with the “I’m flying” scene?? BYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. (Also MAD PROPS for all the use of the deleted footage, where’s my five hour version of this movie, James Cameron?? No one cares about the twelve sequels to Avatar, the people demand THIS.)
Sage: Don’t keep saying our hands are tied, Rose!
8) Carl & Ellie – “A Million Dreams”
Sage: “It would be cool if we could include at least one video for every Greatest Showman song. Let me search for ‘A Million Dreams’ real quick.” – me, an idiot who regrets everything
Kim: THIS IS RUDE. Like, I didn’t THINK the opening sequence of Up could get any more emotional and then this happened.
9) Star Trek – “This Is Me”
Kim: I haven’t even watched 85% of the Star Trek universe AND YET I am verrrrrrrrrrrrrrry emotional. That is the power of “This is Me,” my friends. Also why did no one tell me that Discovery was apparently SUPER GAY? I would have sprung for the CBS All Access pass. (That’s a lie, I’m too cheap, but STILL.)
Sage: I wish I knew more about the history, but I have so much respect for it already. I do feel like what little I know of Star Trek includes a focus on identity and pride. This is them, pretty much.
10) The Marvel Universe – Medley ****INFINITY WAR SPOILERS****
Sage: First of all, love a good acoustic cover medley. Second, THANK YOU for including Wade Wilson, who doesn’t get enough credit. Third, Steve catching that spear is the most aggressively sexual thing I’ve ever seen. Fourth, IS THAT ORIG. JEAN GREY? This video is wild.
Kim: Honestly, how DARE this vidder. Steggy on “A Million Dreams”?? Fucking RUDE. Also I VERY much appreciate the inclusion of Wade Wilson and the Andrew Garfield Spidey Movies here. (I roll my eyes a little at the Wolverine and Jean Grey of it all, but I get it.)
11) Diana & Steve – “Never Enough”
Kim: Will I ever be over Diana and Steve Trevor? Will I ever recover from how beautiful Gal Gadot and Chris Pine are? The answer is no.
Sage: If Steve doesn’t remember Diana or is evil or something in Wonder Woman 2, I will burn Utica and all surrounding villages to the ground. P.S. FUCK YOU, BRUCE.
12) Reylo – “Never Enough”
Sage: I feel like Kim is humoring me and I love her for it. ANYWAY, I love this grainy-ass footage and the commitment to this problematic garbage ship, because you know what? The only thing besides Force sensitivity that these two have in common is that they’ll never satisfied.
Kim: Of course we’re ending on this one, because we are trash. I very much appreciate how well done this is considering the footage from The Last Jedi is…less than legit. Also that one shot towards the end? Uncalled for.
We hope you enjoyed this little stroll through Pasek and Paul land. Do YOU have a favorite Greatest Showman fan vid we didn’t catch? Let us know in the comments!
Featured image source: 20th Century Fox
I don’t even go here (like I saw Greatest Showman on a plane recently but it didn’t move me the same way I think it moved basically everyone I know – which made me very sad), but I am VERY HERE for VERY many of these videos. God bless you both and the good work you do for us.
The Star Trek “This is Me” is SO GOOD; of the ST shows/movies that I’ve seen, the clips chosen are perfectly matched to the lyrics. And yes! Anthony Rapp and Wilson Cruz play a married couple on Discovery and it’s glorious, plus if you’re a theater nerd seeing them together will make you imagine an A/U where Angel and Mark got together.
Wait. I haven’t convinced you two to try “Discovery” at some point? Sigh. I have failed.
I think it’s cause neither of us want to pony up for the subscription 😉
I didn’t see this until last month on a plane, AND I don’t like watching videos. All that said, I took the time out to watch all of these videos and loved each one. As an old lady who hates videos, I’m so glad Fan Video Friday is back!
Also, how dare you?!