All the product placement in this new Lady Gaga video might undercut the subversive intent — Parrot By Starck Zikmu wireless speakers, Nemiroff Ukranian Vodka, Gaga's own Beats By Dre: Heartbeats headphones, the Beats By Dre HP laptop and Carrera sunglasses are all featured alongside the usual Gaga freak parade — but damn if it's not savvy. And Gaga is about as savvy as it gets in the new economics of pop music. Director Francis Lawrence places the action at the Bath Haus Of Gaga, a futuro-minimalistic bordello that looks like a mash-up of the Kurova Milk Bar with your local Apple store. There's lots of costume changes and dance routines, more than a bit of skin and a bunch of alien touches, like Gaga's throbbing spinal cord and big bright eyes. It might be overly manic, but it's certainly more interesting than any other mainstream pop star out there. And yes, that includes you, Madonna. --> watch "Bad Romance"
Lady Gaga "Bad Romance"
(Streamline/Konlive/Cherrytree/Interscope)
Francis Lawrence, director | Heather Heller, producer | DNA, production co | Thomas Kloss, DP | Jarrett Fijal @ Bonch, editor | Charles Infante, production designer | Skulley FX, vfx | Dave Hussey @ Company 3, colorist/telecine | Nicole Ehrlich + Kathy Angstadt, commissioners
