James Franco Furthers Music Career By Directing REM Video

By Justine Ashley Costanza | November 28 2012 4:16 PM

Two years ago, R.E.M. front man Michael Stipe announced that a series of music videos inspired by the band's final album, "Collapse Into Now," were in development. In an interview with MNE, Stipe said that famed multi-tasker James Franco and documentary filmmaker Albert Maysles would direct portions of the project -- titled "Collapse Into the Film."

REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

James Franco

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"It was a way of presenting the idea of an album in 2011, beyond a music fan's idea of an album 20 years ago," Stipe said of the concept. "The way technology is right now, it's possible to present something in any way you want to. I basically wanted to explore the idea of what is an album, and how do we present it with everything that we have available."I like the opportunities the 21st century have provided for presenting work in a different way," he added.

Other directors lending their talent to the project include James Herbert and Sam Taylor-Wood. The videos will allow R.E.M. fans, who announced their spilt last year, to savor the famed band's final release.

Franco's bizarre video for "That Someone Is You" hit the Web Tuesday following the debut of "Blue" earlier this month.

"That Someone Is You" includes a re-enactment of the conclusion of "Grease," in which the actor appears alongside a woman -- whose head is covered by that of a cartoon cat. It's clear from the 34-year-old's tight black attire and pouffed hair that he's channeling Danny Zuko -- John Travolta's character in the 1978 film.

"Blue" features several overhead shots of Hollywood and a bleached blonde Lindsay Lohan posing for photographer Terry Richardson in barely there attire. Franco also appears in a few scenes dressed in drag.

This isn't Franco's first foray into the music world. In September, the actor directed the 60s-style music video "Love in the Old Days" for his band Daddy.

"I know I do a lot of things. I'm very aware of that," Franco told Rolling Stone at the time of the video's release. "I'm sure there are a lot of skeptical people, hearing about me doing music ... To me, it all comes from a similar place. It's like using different tools to express things in different ways."

Daddy's debut album, "MotorCity," was released on Sept. 25.

In June 2011, the actor released the puzzling low-budget video "Rising" for his musical collaboration with R&B artist Kalup Linzy --known as Kalup & Franco.