Intertextual reference to Quentin Tarentino’s ‘Kill Bill’
Lady Gaga’s ‘Telephone’ begins where her previous video ‘Paparazzi’ left off, we then see Lady Gaga thrown into a prison cell where she is stripped and mocked by both the inmates and guards. An intertextual reference is then made when one of the guards comments, "I told you she didn't have a dick", referring to the media rumors that Lady Gaga is intersex. Additionally, ‘Telephone’ also makes references to Lady Gaga’s songs ‘Paper Gangsta’ and ‘I Like It Rough’ in the exercise yard scene. Beyoncé is nicknamed Honey Bee, a reference to the character Honey Bunny in Tarantino's 1994 crime film ‘Pulp Fiction’. The video also has a large amount of pastiche as it shows numerous shots which have been imitated. Such as, the ending shot of Lady Gaga and Beyonce where they grasp each other’s hands is clearly imitating the final shots of ‘Thelma and Louise’. Another example of pastiche within ‘Telephone’ is the image of the ‘Pussy Wagon’ taken from Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Kill Bill’, this is clearly postmodern as Lady Gaga is imitating images iconic to Tarantino, who is considered a post-modern director. Furthermore the truck stop scene within ‘Telephone’ imitates the truck stop scene within ‘Killer Bimbos’, where the two main female characters shoot down a truck stop. The Video can be considered homage to iconic movies such as ‘Thelma and Louise’ and Tarantino’s movies such as ‘Kill Bill’ and ‘Pulp Fiction’, as it is respectfully imitating the films narrative of strong women taking revenge without parodying them.
There is also a fragmentation within the ‘Telephone’ video, in relation to Lady Gaga’s character her identity seems to be fragmented, this is shown through her numerous costumes and ‘looks’ within the video as well as her different roles, victim, prisoner, chef etc...
Additionally, it can be said that ‘Telephone’ creates a hypereality, that glamorizes prison lifestyle by showing inmates in heels and in a glam grunge style of clothing as well as this, ‘Telephone’ also creates a hypereality that glamorizes mass murder into somewhat of a musical.
Post-Modernism in ‘Alejandro’
Lady Gaga imitates Madonna’s ‘Like a Prayer’
Lady Gaga’s ‘Alejandro’ video begins with soldiers sleeping in a cabaret with a close-up of a soldier passed out in fishnet stockings and heels as another lone soldier stares into the distance. The scene then cuts to male dancers performing elaborate choreography while marching forward, the movements of the dancers is pastiche as it imitates the movements of dancers in Madonna’s ‘Vogue’ and ‘Like a Prayer’ when performed in the Blonde Ambition Tour. As well as their movements, the dancer’s image is also imitative of the men in Madonna’s ‘Erotica’ video.
Another way in which pastiche is shown is through the image of Lady Gaga singing in front of fire, which is imitated from Madonna’s ‘Like a Prayer’ where Madonna sings in front of a burning cross.
Pastiche is also seen again through the representation of men within ‘Alejandro’ men are seen to be dominated by Lady Gaga through restraints and Lady Gaga becoming masculinised within some shots in the video, this is directly imitated from Madonna’s ‘Erotica’ video.
References Madonna’s ‘Voque’
Lady Gaga also directly references Madonna’s ‘Vogue’ video, as seen above, as Lady Gaga is seen in shots which closely resemble the style and image of ‘Vogue’. Lady Gaga also references ‘Cabaret’ through imitating the character Sally Bowles where she has a dance/sex scene with three men in twin beds wearing nothing but underwear. Lady Gaga could also be referencing Joan of Arc, when she is seen in her white nun costume.
The video also shows bricolage as we see a variety of genres within ‘Alejandro’ such as war, action, romance, religion and music being blended and mixed to create a new style. The video can also be seen to create a hyper reality that is far different from our own, which shows women as superior and males as both largely submissive and also masculine.
Fragmentation can also be seen within ‘Alejandro’, as with ‘Telephone’, Lady Gaga is seen in a range of costumes and looks, portraying a number of different roles.
It can be considered that this video is homage to the work of Madonna as it imitates and references some of Madonna’s most known work from a respectful standpoint, without parodying them.