The Beastie Boys’ 1994 music video for “Sabotage” parodied 1970s police television dramas.
Directed by Spike Jonze, the video presents Adam Horovitz, Michael Diamond, and Adam Yauch as exaggerated undercover officers in the fictional series “Sabotage.” It uses crash zooms, dramatic narration, cheap-looking title cards, car chases, and over-the-top action to mimic the style of shows such as “S.W.A.T.” and “Starsky & Hutch.”
The members performed their own stunts and adopted deliberately melodramatic character names and storylines. Jonze’s low-budget television aesthetic contrasted with the energetic punk-funk of the song, making the clip instantly recognizable on MTV.
“Sabotage” was released as a single from the group’s fourth studio album, “Ill Communication,” in 1994. Although the video received several MTV Video Music Award nominations, it did not win Video of the Year. Its influence is often noted in later music videos that use mockumentary or genre-parody techniques.