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Bernie Taupin and Elton John join discussion moderated by Spike Lee, right.
Photo: Richard Mowe
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Elton John appeared hail and hearty at the Cannes Film Festival today (May 22) when he made a special appearance to introduce the world premiere of music videos for three of his most iconic songs Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man and Bennie And The Jets.
The unveiling at the Olympia cinema was the culmination of a worldwide YouTube contest branded Elton John: The Cut to give give young filmmakers the chance to create a visual evocation of the songs which never have had a video accompaniment.
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It was Elton John's first stage appearance since fighting a deadly infection
Photo: Richard Mowe
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A discussion moderated by filmmaker and fan Spike Lee, saw Elton John, and his long-term song writing collaborator Bernie Taupin talk about the early years of their partnership. Taupin said that despite the longevity of their friendship “there hasn’t been a cross word.”
The 70-year-old singer was making his first public appearance since he was struck down with a “bacterial infection” last month which resulted in him spending two nights in intensive care.
He was deemed fit enough to attend the media gathering and screening.
The winners were Majid Adin, an Iranian refugee, who had stayed in the Calais Jungle, who created an animated version of Rocket Man with director Stephen McNally, Max Weiland, for a live-action film set in Los Angeles for Tiny Dancer, and Jack Whiteley and Laura Brownhill, who produced a futuristic dance-show to accompany Bennie and the Jets.
John said that the videos had added a whole new dimension to the songs: “Visuals — whether it is a painting, a drawing, a piece of film, a video — enhance music. You get to use your imagination; you get into it.”
