Music Video
Released in December 1993, the music video is the third and final part of an unofficial Del James trilogy of videos (preceded by "Don't Cry" and "November Rain") from the Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II albums. The estimated budget was US$4 million.
The almost ten-minute-long video for "Estranged" is similar in style to the previous two in the trilogy; however, it appears only loosely to pick up the theme. This is mainly because Axl Rose and then-girlfriend Stephanie Seymour (who played Axl's love interest in "Don't Cry" and "November Rain") had broken up prior to filming, making the theme of separation/divorce highly relevant.
The video begins by showing Axl pursued by a group of SWAT team members while hidden in what appeared to be an abandoned mansion (his actual house). Later, in a flashback, Axl is shown being escorted off that same (presumably marital) property. During this sequence, dictionary definitions for "Estranged" are flashed across the screen suggesting that Axl is going through a separation. Definitions of illusion and disillusion also appear. The next segment features the entire band boarding an Antonov An-124 transport aircraft with their equipment. In the final sequence, Axl is seen walking on the deck of the Judith Prosperity, an oil tanker, where in the video's climax, he leaps into the water in an apparent suicide attempt but ends up being rescued by a group of bottlenose dolphins. The video is also known for the memorable scene where Slash walks on water while playing a guitar solo. The video contains multiple shots of the Rainbow Bar, which is also seen in the music video for "November Rain". The video ends with a note from Axl which says, "Lose your Illusions, Love Axl GNR '93".
Read more about this topic: Estranged (song)
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