Although Madonna is usually bandied about as Lady Gaga's biggest influence — a notion that almost inspired me to riff on a "Papa(razzi) Don't Preach" pun — I get much more of a Marilyn Manson vibe in this outlandish video for "Paparazzi." That's right, Marilyn Manson. First off, we have the sexy invalid look with crutches and corsets, eerily reminiscent of Manson's vibe in "Beautiful People." Next we have the dark Mickey Mouse vibe, something Manson trotted out in the blackface Mickey photos that accompanied his Golden Age Of Grotesque period. But really the main influence of Manson on Gaga is probably this: Manson is a flashback to a better time, not so long ago, when a musician could aspire to something more than just appealing to a niche. Manson was able to dominate mass media through a shock and awe campaign that actually sent repercussions of fear far beyond popular culture. And that seems to be Gaga's goal. Total domination. And much like her character in this glamorous and vertiginous ode to Italian film she may be willing to let the dead bodies pile up to get her way. --> watch "Paparazzi"
Lady Gaga "Paparazzi" (Cherry Tree/Geffen/Interscope)
Jonas Akerlund, director | Steven Johnson, producer | Serial Pictures in co-production with Factory Films, production co | Laure Scott, rep | Eric Broms, DP | Danny Tull + Jonas Akerlund, editor | Nicole Ehrlich, commissioner
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