I’m going to balk at this opportunity for finger on the pulse, up to the minute (well, a week or two late at least) cultural commentary. I don’t really have that much of an opinion, as most do, on this song and its now inextricably fused video. And beside that point, i’m not the kind of person who ever contributes to conversation, and i’m not the kind of person who ever is in line of hype enough to have anything interesting or contributive enough to say. I haven’t read any of the discussion surrounding it, i don’t know where the world is at regarding it. I do have some points, though, that you could probably easily, and with more enlightenment and exigence gleaned, read elsewhere:
- The whole video/experience was a little underwhelming for me. My jaw has been on the floor before. Not this time.
- What was with all the product placement? Ironic or no, what we see is all linked to Lady Gaga’s ever-growing commercial empire, and we are being sold things regardless.
- Every moment Beyoncé was on screen she outshone Gaga.
- An essay could be written on Gaga’s use of Beyoncé as another prop, another costume, another stylisation, another adornment in fulfillment of an image. Watch this space. Or another, where this idea has already been thought out and expounded in full.
- As far as women in prison, women on the lam, women on a murder spree, avenging women, etc. movies go, this was one of the dullest and prosaic things i have ever seen. Thelma and Louise was more exciting than this. Its coldness may have been intentional, though.
- Is she so far behind or in front of the curve, to make such a Tarantino-referencing and stylised clip.
- This song is so good.
- This video was an event.
If anyone wants to discuss this event more, we can do it here, or in person. We should. Everybody is. Or was. Last week.
