Disturbing SNL flashback: "Cold as Ice"

During a Saturday Night Live broadcast from the 1970s, there was a short film in which the Foreigner song “Cold as Ice” was played.

Now I’m not sure I remember this correctly, but my recollection is that the film subject was basically a woman stabbing a man in the back with scissors in a gymnasium or small stadium-type place, perhaps before a crowd.

I do remember that at the time, I was extremely put off by the scene, and the song always brings back that disturbed feeling.

Does anybody else remember that film? What were they showing?

As I remeber it, the man was played by Stacey Keach, wearing a mechanic’s coverall (possibly to inexpensivley cover the fake blood squirting apparatus). It was in slow motion, medium shot, with only Keach and the woman visible with a wall in the background.

Again, this is one that I remember from 25 years ago, while it may have played just last night on Comedy Central.

Based on your two posts, I came up with this episode as the likely one, but there’s no transcript.

So I’m no help at all, actually.

-Myron

I seem to recall that she started out with a knife and finished with a shotgun.

What we would later call “music videos” were around long before MTV.

Yes, the music video was on the SNL episode first aired 3/25/78. I believe the woman was Sissy Spacek, or at least she’s in the same music video, twirling a baton in slow motion. It was directed by Gary Weis, who directed a lot of specialty films for SNL in those years. Weis also directed the music videos for The Bangles’ “Walk Like an Egyptian”, Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al”, and Los Lobos’ “Shakin’ Shakin’ Shakes”.

As I recall, and this was, as you noted, 40-some years ago (!!), the clip was about a woman doing in a man (why was never explained) by hanging, shooting point-blank and, as you recalled, a pair of scissors in the back (which he was shown trying to reach from over his shoulder and around his back as he wandered by). He was also shown (his feet, anyway) drifting by (off the ground, of course.) There may have been other ‘disposals’ shown, but I, thankfully, have blocked those memories and images. Thanks for bringing them back and ruining my night’s sleep!:eek:

Speaking of disturbing SNL music vids- “Babies in Makeup”.

I have been looking for this for years. I was too young then and didnt even realize it was a SNL skit until my brother told me recently. Does anyone have a link to the video?

I remember it, and I liked it. It was edgy comedy, and well done, as most Gary Weis shorts were. I think I’ve seen it online, but a quick search didn’t turn anything up. You probably need to find the whole episode. It’s season 3 episode 15.

I remember it, and was disturbed by it. It’s up there with the TF2 Meet the Pyro video for sheer squeamish dissonance.

I must have missed this episode. I’m guessing the idea/theme of the video had something to do with the film Carrie, which would have been the reason Spacek was hosting then (it was her break-out role).

NBC is owned by Universal which also owns Hulu, so they tend to keep any & all NBC content off of YouTube. Annoyingly though, they don’t have all SNL episodes (old ones especially) available for download on Hulu either!

Wasn’t there a sequel where the guy comes back to life? Twice?

Oh, great. Now I need to repress that memory all over again. Thanks.

I have aways remembered this short and have wondered if I would ever see it again. I definitely remember a man and a woman who appear to be dancing close together jumping up and down in slow motion while “Cold as Ice” plays. They slowly turn and you gradually see that there is a pair of scissors buried in his back through his shirt with blood dripping out of the wound. He then tries vainly to grab it in slow motion but he can’t reach it because it’s between his shoulder blades.

I always thought it was a Schiller. It’s probably too bloody to ever be shown again.

Wow! The entire episode is available on Amazon.com instant video including the short. Very dark. Link: https://amzn.com/B001ACVSBC

If you don’t want to buy/rent the video, here are some stills from the film. Sweet dreams! :slight_smile:

Someday, ill be the only one who remembers Rich Hall’s parody of David Byrne…since the skit isn’t available in the trimmed episodes.

“Why is this suit so big?”

It doesn’t look like it was Sissy Spacek in that short film then.

I have/had that on an old VHS recording of the SNL 15[sup]th[/sup] Anniversary Special in 1989, the only time I’ve ever seen that sketch. Doubt I could ever find it, and it would just get deleted from YouTube anyway (although I uploaded the ‘Lord Douchebag’ sketch and it took a couple years for it to be removed*!)
*
“You may ask yourself, Why a big suit?”
“You may ask yourself, Couldn’t that suit be taken in a little?”
“You may ask yourself, Didn’t the store have any mirrors?”