From Leo AI: The official music video for West End Girls by Pet Shop Boys was released in 1985 to accompany their re-recorded hit single. Directed by Andy Morahan and Eric Watson, the video is renowned for its cinematic, noir-inspired aesthetic that captures the atmosphere of London under Thatcher-era pressure. Unlike many upbeat 1980s pop videos, it features a moody, detached tone, focusing on urban alienation and class divides. The video was nominated for Best New Artist in a Video at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards, though it ultimately lost to A-ha’s Take On Me.
The video consists largely of atmospheric shots of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe wandering through various iconic locations in London. Key filming sites include:
Wentworth Street in Petticoat Lane Market, where the duo is first formally introduced walking side by side.
Waterloo Station, featuring a slow-motion pan across the WHSmith shop as they walk past.
Leicester Square, showing queues for films like Fletch and Desperately Seeking Susan.
Tower Bridge, Westminster, and the South Bank of the River Thames.
A No. 42 red double-decker bus headed to Aldgate.
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