During their meeting , Manson asked Brown to watch E. Elias Merhige 's 1990 experimental art film '' Begotten '' . According to Brown , Manson already had a strong idea of what he wanted the album cover to look like , drawing inspiration from the bleak cinematography of this " grainy , scratched nightmare of a film . " After a listening session of the unfinished record and an explanation of the album 's concept and three cycle structure , both agreed that the record needed two covers to portray the " evolution from a worm into the antichrist . " Brown utilized Dean Karr 's photographs of the band and mixed media for the packaging . He recalled " drawing some things and The words " Heart , Mind , Complacent , and Malice " are also featured on the front of the O-card and throughout the booklet . They were originally from one of the fictitious album covers Brown made . Brown explained that he conceived of them after he " picked opposing ideals and turned them into a symbolic compass of sorts : Heart is the opposite of mind , and complacency is the opposite of malice . Strangely enough , all of those things fit into the concept of the album . The exact graphic I used for the fake albums was used for the final package . " Brown suspected it was the reason he was hired . The back of the tray insert depicts Manson standing between Ramirez and Gacy while the latter two wear oxygen masks connected to his codpiece . Senator Joseph Lieberman found the image particularly offensive . Mistaking the standing figure for a naked woman Lieberman denounced , " These records and their corporate sponsors are telling our children it 's the season of senseless violence , hopelessness and the most awful ill will toward each other , particularly women . " " The Beautiful People " was released as the lead single , and both the song and its accompanying music video were critical and commercial successes . The track was a hit on alternative rock charts in the United States , reaching number 26 on '' Billboard '' s Modern Rock Tracks , and number 29 on Mainstream Rock . It was successful internationally as well , peaking within the top fifty in both Australia and New Zealand , and was their first top twenty hit on the UK Singles Chart . Floria Sigismondi directed the song 's music video , which was included at number fifty-four on MTV 's list of the " 100 Greatest Music Videos Ever Made " , and at number 100 on MuchMusic 's " 100 Greatest Videos Ever " . The video was nominated for Best Rock Video , Best Special Effects and Best Art Direction at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards , where the band performed the song live . This performance was controversial , and has been listed as one of the most iconic in the shows ' history . It was later credited with helping to establish the band in mainstream culture . VH1 included the song at number eighty-six on their list of the " 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs " . By the end of 1997 , Manson appeared on the cover of '' Rolling Stone '' , who awarded the band their " Best New Artist " accolade
1997 MTV Video Music Awards
1997 MTV Video Music Awards
Antichrist Superstar