In celebration of , and just in time for Hanukkah, 3200 Stories teams up with the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival to curate a slew of Top 8 lists of some of our favorite Beastie Boys songs, images and videos.  

In this edition, Joshua Moore of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival picks his top eight Beastie music videos.

1. Sabotage 

1994, Dir. Spike Jonze

Spike and the Beasties at the top of their game. This could easily have been regarded as just a Starsky and Hutch spoof and despite the playfulness on display, the video captures the intensity of the song beat by beat and features what I believe to be the best acting performances by the Beastie Boys. They're all in, and no matter how many times I watch this video it make me wish there were an actual show with these characters!

2. Body Movin

1998, Dir. Nathanial Hörnblower

A heist story where the loot isn't jewels or cash, but a fondue recipe. Who else could pull off such a feat?  Director, Nathaniel Hörnblower (aka, MCA) raises his director game to new heights here and you can see the influence Spike had on his filmmaking. Easily one of the most creative, comic, and action-packed of all the Beastie's videos, plus its a great love letter to B-movie cinema.

3. (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)

1986, Dir. Adam Dubin and Ric Menello

The video that started it all. For many this was the first introduction to the Beastie Boys, and what an introduction! Right from the get-go their trademark humor shines through and the video establishes the Beasties as a major new force to reckon with.

4. Intergalactic

1998, Dir. Nathanial Hörnblower

Almost a companion piece to “Body Movin,” this video has an epic quality to it as well, and finds the Beastie’s taking on the monster/sci-fi movie genre to great fun. The lo-fi effects work really well and give the video a very Michel Gondry feel to it. Make sure to watch the extended director’s cut!

5. Shadrach

1989, Dir. Nathanial Hörnblower

Beautifully done video. The illustrations over the Beasties performing brings this already great song even more to life. Richard Linklater used this same technique with his films, “Waking Life” and “A Scanner Darkly,” and this was the first time I’d seen it used for a music video.

6. Sure Shot

1994, Dir. Spike Jonze and Nathanial Hörnblower

The fisheye lens can be cliché, but it’s used to great effect in this video that combines an old school Rat Pack charm with more traditional hip-hop esthetics. You also have to admit, the Beastie’s are looking pretty dapper in their tuxes.

7. Root Down

1995, Dir. Evan Bernard

A perfect love letter to NYC. I love the archival footage of the city, the break dancing, the graffiti-covered subway cars, and the use of split screen. This video really captures the pulse of the city and shows how much love the Beasties have for NYC.

8. Hey Ladies

1989, Dir. Adam Bernstein

The Beasties show off their funky side and have lots of fun doing it, and it’s a great showcase for Mike D.’s endearing comic performance.