Textual Analysis of Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga - Telephone ft. Beyoncé
For the process of planning my music video, I have analysed various music videos in detail, so for when the time comes, I know exactly what to include in mine, especially the textual side of it.
Lady Gaga’s telephone video, is narrative based, beginning with opening credits, just like a movie; by using visual effects with a bold 80s theme yellow and red title. It then cuts to an establishing shot, clearly showing the audience that it is a prison, then to a mid- shot of Lady Gaga being escorted by two female officers; there is high key lighting, emphasising her significant entrance. The camera then tracks her as she is chucked into the cell, being stripped from her clothing; reinforcing the female stereotype, stripping off her persona, leaving her exposed and vulnerable, as she is behind bars.
It is then cut to an action match-up shot, where we see Lady Gaga entering the outdoor recreation area, wearing a black corset-like costume, white heels and a huge metal chain with a key, she is also wearing cigarette lit glasses; maybe symbolising power and money, therefore subverting the female stereotype, as she is seen as someone who is dominant- she also walks with her shoulders back and head held high like she ‘owns the place’.
It then cuts to a two shot of a woman with manly features for example the short hair and broad shoulders; she is seen kissing Lady Gaga, openly in front of the other cellmates, which is subverting the female stereotype as women are normally seen with men only; another point is that the camera cut to a close-up shot of Lady Gaga stealing the lesbian’s phone, so she is just potentially using her, which again challenges the female stereotype as it is normally the men who are using the women. In this case her behaviour in the prison is conforming to the social norms of one man and one woman together, by having a woman take the gender role of a man. The camera then cuts to a long shot of all the females in a cell, when a fight breaks out, zooming into them, and cutting to the rest of the woman’s reactions, which are encouraging them to fight, which subverts the female stereotype as they are normally not seen as rebellious characters who would be involved in violence; they are also portraying the male stereotype with the aggressive manner of cheering them on. The camera then cuts to a mid-shot of Lady Gaga answering the phone, now starting the actual song; she is wearing a studded black leather jacket, with a matching bra and knickers; she also has coke cans as rollers in her hair, she is wearing dark make-up (red lipstick and black eye-liner)- her whole appearance is challenging the female stereotype, as she is portraying a ‘bad girl’ character, which is not the typical stereotype, as females are normally seen as girly, and shy.
The shot is cut back and forth to close-up shots and mid-shots of Lady Gaga as she dances, cutting at a fast pace, matching the beat of the music.
There are visual effects shown as it cuts to the next scene, which was a telephone dial; which relates to the song. The camera cuts to long shots and medium shots of Lady Gaga, as she dances in the hall of the cells, now dressed in the studded bra and knickers. Lady Gaga is constantly seen in extreme strong make up which emphasises her femininity and extenuates her sexuality throughout the video. This therefore links to voyeurism which refers to the idea of looking in order to gain sexual pleasure, suggested by Goodwin. Voyeurism is shown through the use of CCTV cameras, as Lady Gaga is dancing, it cuts back and forth to medium shots and camera footage- this then reinforces the female stereotype as she is clearly dressed and dancing for an audience; as the CCTV symbolises the men that are watching. Cross cutting is used when the dancing is cut in between a scene were Lady Gaga is in the cell, posing in different positions; with yellow ‘caution’ tape wrapped all around her body- this could symbolise her dangerous side, due to the ‘caution’ sign therefore challenging the female stereotype as she is seen rebelling against the ‘good girl’ stereotype. The shot is then cut to Lady Gaga being bailed out, tracking her as she leaves, she is wearing a tight, formal black and white dress, with an exaggerated black hat- this could be an intertextual reference to Cruella De Vil, who was a famous Disney villain, which then subverts the female stereotype, as she is seen as someone who is manipulative and powerful.
The camera then cuts to a two shot of Beyoncé and Lady Gaga in the car, driving. The camera is then cut to a long shot of Beyoncé walking into the diner with a bright yellow strapless dress. There are visual effects, with the use of subtitles, so that we can establish that she is meeting her boyfriend as she says ‘hi honey’. The camera automatically shows a reverse shot of her boyfriend, and then cuts to a close-up of her breasts, reinforcing the male stereotype, that, that is their only interest in women; treating them like objects. The camera then tracks her boyfriend getting up, showing a close-up shot of him pushing down a guy at the bar; again reinforcing the male stereotype, stating his dominance. He is then shown slapping another girl’s bum in front of his own girlfriend, supporting the stereotype that men are philanderers. While he was busy, the camera showed a close-up shot of Beyoncé spiking his drink with poison. The camera then cuts to Lady Gaga in the diner kitchen, in an opaque white costume with a bright blue phone helmet. The camera shows dissolve editing of Beyoncé, in a hotel room, showing different positions of her. The shot then shows a split screen with the boyfriend on the left and Lady Gaga on the right side; subverting the stereotypes as they are both seen on an equal level, instead of women playing the submissive role, they are dominant this time as the camera shows a mid-shot of Lady Gaga poisoning all the food. She is then tracked, carrying the food as she serves him, at a low angle, therefore emphasising her power.
The camera then shows a close-up shot of him falling on the food, dying. Cross cutting is then used, to show different shots of the rest of the customers dying, as they eat the food- cutting back and forth as Lady Gaga counts- subverting the stereotype, as she timed exactly for when they would die, showing that she holds the power. There is also intertextual reference when Beyoncé puts on the black circle glasses which were also featured in Lady Gaga’s ‘paparazzi’ video for when she killed her boyfriend.
The camera is then cut to a mid-shot, of Lady Gaga, and Beyoncé dancing in the dinner; again challenging the stereotype as they are almost celebrating their successful homicide. The shot is then cut to a television report about this, and then cut to the car driving off. There were many intertextual references, for example the car that they were driving in was called ‘pussy wagon’- it was the same car in the film ‘Kill Bill’. The uniform that Lady Gaga was wearing was also similar to the nurse in Kill Bill, with the eye patch; Gaga too covered her eye and they both were holding poison. Another reference was ‘Pulp fiction’ when Gaga called Beyoncé ‘honey bee’, which was a similar nickname used by one of the robbers in the famous scene, in the same looking diner. And last but not least ‘Thelma & Louise’, as they were seen driving off after a successful homicide, which Lady Gaga and Beyoncé did. All references subvert the female stereotype, as these are quite violent films with female protagonists, therefore dominating the spotlight instead of men; especially how it started off with girl power, being in a female prison, they were the superior gender group.
