Postmodernity in Lady GaGa Videos and ‘Run Lola Run’
However obscure the relation between the music videos of Lady GaGa, and Tom Tykwer’s Run Lola Run (1998) may seem, both media products show a direct link to postmodernity, and therefore creates some clear links between the two. The Tarantino-directed video for GaGa’s Telephone is a postmodern showcase, so much so that it could appear almost shoehorned, incorporating heavy use of intertextuality, consumer references and black humour. This show-off style is also apparent in Run Lola Run, the playful, ‘game’ format of the film intergrating pop culture references, the shattering of metanarratives and time structure, and Baudrillard’s theory of hyperreality.
The music video for Telephone offers themes comparable to those of exploitation films, for example; sex, violence, nudity, gore and rebellion. This format is also supported by the lack of, and mocking use of censorship. The blatant voyeuristic shots linger long enough to push the boundaries of what is acceptable, and the language is considerably explicit for such a widely viewed music video. The profound use of pastiche in the video is undeniably down to Quentin Tarantino as the director, who incorporates references to Pulp Fiction’s ‘Honey Bunny’- GaGa calls Beyoncé ‘Honey B’, the two artist’s Thelma and Louise style relationship, and the ‘Pussy Wagon’ taken directly from Kill Bill. These direct references escape parody by remaining referential and not making fun of the text they were taken from, as such. The use of the ‘Pussy Wagon’ derives no deeper meaning other than Tarantino offered it to GaGa as he thought it would be a good idea, it is a surface aspect of the video and only seeks to improve the aesthetics.
The idea of hyperreality is played with in the video, as the fictional references and exaggerated plot draw us in to believe the video is not ‘reality’. However, references to the ‘real life’ of the viewer in society bring this idea of fantasy and fiction back to the ground, for example the indications made about GaGa in the media, her entry into the ‘Prison for Bitches’ in little clothing triggering the line ‘I told you she didn’t have a dick’. This references rumours in the media about Lady GaGa being a hermaphrodite, the humorous, ‘poking fun’ nature of this being particularly postmodern. Another reference to ‘real life’ society is the shameless use of product placement. A total of 9 products are presented in the video, including Diet Coke, Virgin Mobile, and GaGa's own designed HeartBeat headphones. These items are focused on long enough to hint at a consumer theme, but not enough to be classified as an advertisement.
Similarly to Telephone, the gap between reality and fantasy is explored also in Run Lola Run, however instead of presenting reality and grounding it with cultural references, cartoon animations and the non-naturalistic time narrative ensure that the viewer is forced to experience the action as fantasy. The simple plot is purely designed for entertainment purposes, and despite the gangster, drug dealing contexts of the film, the viewer comes away without having learned a moral, and merely witnessed the ‘game’ of the twenty minutes of Lola’s life being played out. Lola’s three opportunities to start again give her the ‘lives’ available to a video game avatar, letting her cheat death and presenting her as invincible, superhuman. This further reinforces the unrealistic concept of the film, and reminds the viewer that it is not an illustration of real life. It is a form of entertainment, and the three outcomes increase the chances that the viewer will be somewhat interested, amused and entertained by the film, it seeks mass appeal and embraces pop culture in order to address a wide audience. This is also evident in the use of the music and editing seen and heard. These aspects are used for the sole purpose of making it look and sound good when being watched. Both aspects compliment the fast pace of the action being seen, and it is exciting to watch. The music is not meant to make a huge statement; it is just fun, and enjoyable, much like postmodernism.
No comments:
Post a Comment