Pope's Wild Ride: Torturing Stars for Iconic Videos

Tim Pope, a renowned music video director from the golden age of MTV, is looking back on his unconventional career. He is known for his audacious and often uncomfortable scenarios for megastars. Pope once dressed Freddie Mercury as a "giant Mediterranean prawn" and placed a camera inside Robert Smith's mouth for a Cure video.

His new memoir, "I Shoot Rock Stars," details these and other extreme experiences, such as nearly electrocuting members of the Psychedelic Furs and locking The Cure in a wardrobe that was then thrown off a cliff. Pope acknowledges a dark humor in his work, suggesting it might stem from childhood experiences.

Pope's career launch coincided with MTV's rise in 1981, but he deliberately eschewed the platform's mandated styles. Instead, he championed "defiant individualism," creating visually striking videos for artists like Soft Cell, The Style Council, and The Cure.

Despite Hollywood's allure, including a difficult experience directing a sequel to "The Crow" for Harvey Weinstein, Pope returned to London. He continues to make music videos and is working on a documentary about The Cure. He views himself as a music fanboy who had the privilege of working with his heroes.