“The only reason you’re not in jail is ’cause Uncle Phil called in a favour.”
And so begins Morgan Cooper’s “Bel-Air,” a sombre reimagining of ecstatically upbeat ’90s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” This isn’t the Will you know and love from 20+ years ago: don’t expect any of the backwards-cap-wearing, high-pitched wisecracking that we all connected with in our formative years. This comedy series has gotten the Dark Knight treatment – we’re getting gloomy…
Featuring a far more dramatic interpretation of Will’s eviction from West Philadelphia, you won’t find any of the finger-wagging bug-eyed Viola Smith you from that opening-credits rap. This mother is fierce – she’s ‘done her best,’ and casts Will out to the hillside paradise of Bel-Air.
Since its release on YouTube, Cooper’s fan-made trailer has hit over 2.7m views, as well as reportedly having been seen by His Royal Highness, the original Fresh Prince himself, Mr. Will Smith.
A commercial filmmaker by trade, Cooper has channelled many of his moody visual trademarks into this engaging three-and-a-half-minute video: high-contrast shots of shadowy living rooms, angelic silhouettes and crystals of sunlight sparkling through emerald leaves, Cooper’s film carries all the high-production-value panache of a modern music video.