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"Pale Movie" is a 1994 song by British pop group Saint Etienne, released as the first single from their third album, Tiger Bay. It reached number 28 on the UK Singles Charts and also became a hit in other countries, peaking at number one in Lebanon^{[citation needed]} and number 24 in Iceland.[1]

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"Pale Movie"
Single by Saint Etienne
from the album Tiger Bay
B-side	"Highgate Road Incident"
Released	February 1994 (1994-02)
Recorded	1993-1994
Genre	Folk, Eurodance
Length	3:51
Label	Heavenly - HVN 37
Songwriter(s)	Stanley/Wiggs
Producer(s)	Saint Etienne
Saint Etienne singles chronology
"Xmas 93" (1993) "Pale Movie" (1994) "Like a Motorway" (1994)
Music video
"Pale Movie" on YouTube

In common with the folk music theme of the Tiger Bay album, "Pale Movie" combines a Eurodance beat with Spanish folk-style guitars. The lyrics use surreal imagery to describe a man's love for a mysterious woman. Although the title is not sung, some of the words refer to cinema: "In the bed where they make love / She's in a film on the sheets. / He shows dreams like a movie, / She's the softness of cinema seats." Other lines are stranger: "her skin as white as the milk, / Just like a Sherpa Tenzing / under a Manila silk."

In an interview with Melody Maker magazine, keyboard player Pete Wiggs said that he considers the song "potentially brilliant" but "a bit of a failure"; he feels that the band "stuck too rigidly to our folk idea". He also adds that they only chose Spanish guitar so that they could go to Spain for the video

The cover art for the single features photographs of swimming tigers, presumably in reference to the album title.

Critical reception

Tim Sendra from AllMusic called it "one of their "strongest, most emotional songs." He added that "the melancholy fairly oozes from the aching strings, the very sad chords, and Sarah Cracknell's unusually emotional vocals."[2] Music writer James Masterton wrote in his weekly UK chart commentary, "Something really has gone wrong when a band like Saint Etienne make a string of such beautiful records and yet have still to have a really big hit." He concluded, "I will happily dance naked around campus if this is a massive hit".[3] Pan-European magazine Music & Media commented, "Continentals should forget about their "too British" prejudice. With a bit of patience the same flower can flourish out of this synth pop band as happened last year to the Beloved."[4] Brad Beatnik from Music Week's RM Dance Update deemed it "a typically light, if a little moodier, tune".[5] Another editor, James Hamilton described it as a "Kraftwerk-ishly pulsed lengthily pausing 134.3bpm ethereal swirler".[6] Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone declared it a "perfect" U.K. hit.[7]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Pale Movie" was published on YouTube in May 2012. It was shot in Spain and features the band riding around the countryside of Nerja on scooters. As of September 2021, the video has received more than 108,000 views.[8]

Track listing

All tracks written and composed by Stanley and Wiggs.

• 7", Heavenly / HVN 37 (UK)

1. "Pale Movie" - 3:51
2. "Highgate Road Incident" - 2:06

(also available on MC (HVN 37 C))

• 12", Heavenly / HVN 37 12 (UK)

1. "Pale Movie" - 3:51
2. "Pale Movie" (stentorian dub)- 6:46
3. "Pale Movie" (secret knowledge trouser assassin mix)- 10:16
4. "Pale Movie" (lemonentry mix) - 4:05

(also available on CD (HVN 37 CD))

Charts

Chart (1993-1994)	Peak position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9]	83
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)	24
Lebanon (Lebanese Singles Chart)	1
UK Singles (OCC)	28
UK Dance (Music Week)[10]	20

References

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