The Academy Is… Finally Give In, Become A Tribute-Video Act

Dan Gibson | December 9, 2008 11:30 am

The Academy Is… irritate me to no end when I’m forced to add the ellipsis to their name for accuracy, but I’m willing to let it go considering how much I’ve enjoyed their album Fast Times at Barrington High this year. Still, something’s been missing. Something that would tie the occasionally angsty teen-rock lyrics of the band with the popular films that seem to inspire the band; something that would summarize one of those films to spare me the trouble of watching it again. YouTube, you always come through.

The Academy Is…, “Rumored Nights” (Donnie Darko Tribute):

While this particular video is of a very high quality, as you might imagine, there are quite a few Academy Is… related tribute videos, including this incredibly well-researched short film dedicated to TAI frontman William Beckett and his percieved relationship with Cobra Starship’s Gabe Saporta. As the video’s notes put it, “No comments on how they’re not gay. I am not saying they are, I am not saying they aren’t, because no one but them would really know.” Sure this video is strange and disconcerting, but I could have went with one of the numerous tributes to Beckett’s hair. Consider yourself lucky, I say.

Gabilliam/Gabilly-William Beckett and Gabe Saporta:

It will probably surprise no one that there are already a number of Donnie Darko tributes clogging the video-sharing site, too. For some reason, Radiohead seems to be the soundtrack of choice. Sure, why not? People spend a fair amount of time trying to figure out what Radiohead is talking about, and people do the same for Donnie Darko.

Radiohead, “Street Spirit” (Donnie Darko tribute):

Just to head down the rabbit hole a bit further, the version of “Mad World” popularized by Gary Jules on the movie’s soundtrack is a tribute juggernaut of its own. Enjoy a tribute to Sonic the Hedgehog and the characters of his universe. See, it’s a mad world when you’re a cartoon hedgehog in a second-rate video game series. A mad world. A sad world.

Gary Jules, “Mad World” (Sonic the Hedgehog tribute):