Who’s Lady Gaga Ripping Off This Time? A Catalog of “Applause” Video Influences
By Tom Hawking
This morning saw the premiere of the official video for “Applause,” the first single off Lady Gaga’s upcoming album ARTPOP. The video follows the art/pop theme, alluding to high art and pop culture alike. Gaga’s never been shy about, ahem, borrowing from other artists, of course, and this video is packed with pieces of imagery that are either clever references or blatant rip-offs, depending on your point of view. Click through to check out whose work Gaga’s been “inspired” by this time around, and let us know if you can spot any more.
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Death in a bodysuit
There are plenty of references here, but the most direct one is Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal. See also Persona and David Lynch’s Dune.
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Painted face
David Bowie’s Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), as previously noted.
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Skeletal angel wings on a pedestal
Also David Bowie — specifically, the mid-’80s Glass Spider tour, which is a pretty dubious period to be borrowing from.
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The shell bra
Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus, obviously.
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The hand bra
Rolling Stone‘s famous Janet Jackson cover.
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An anthropomorphic black swan
A playfully surrealist take on Black Swan. There’s also probably a sly reference to Jeff Koons and his magenta swan, given how this coincides with a lyrical reference to his work.
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Multiple faces
Warhol’s Marilyn paintings.
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Zombie bride
Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride.
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Zombie Marilyn
Both of the above together!
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A flat, stylized backdrop
This is very reminiscent of any number of German Expressionist films — compare and contrast this image from The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, for instance. There’s also a distinct Der Steppenwolf/Magic Theater vibe to the whole thing — at one point Gaga appears in an oversize hat, and there are several instances of people/things disappearing in puffs of smoke.
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Voguing
Madonna! It’s not a proper Gaga video without at least one Madonna reference, is it?
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Writhing on a mattress
Madonna again, specifically Erotica/”Justify My Love” era. Never enough Madonna!
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By Tom Hawking
This morning saw the premiere of the official video for “Applause,” the first single off Lady Gaga’s upcoming album ARTPOP. The video follows the art/pop theme, alluding to high art and pop culture alike. Gaga’s never been shy about, ahem, borrowing from other artists, of course, and this video is packed with pieces of imagery that are either clever references or blatant rip-offs, depending on your point of view. Click through to check out whose work Gaga’s been “inspired” by this time around, and let us know if you can spot any more.
Death in a bodysuit
There are plenty of references here, but the most direct one is Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal. See also Persona and David Lynch’s Dune.
Painted face
David Bowie’s Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), as previously noted.
Skeletal angel wings on a pedestal
Also David Bowie — specifically, the mid-’80s Glass Spider tour, which is a pretty dubious period to be borrowing from.
The shell bra
Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus, obviously.
The hand bra
Rolling Stone‘s famous Janet Jackson cover.
An anthropomorphic black swan
A playfully surrealist take on Black Swan. There’s also probably a sly reference to Jeff Koons and his magenta swan, given how this coincides with a lyrical reference to his work.
Multiple faces
Warhol’s Marilyn paintings.
Zombie bride
Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride.
Zombie Marilyn
Both of the above together!
A flat, stylized backdrop
This is very reminiscent of any number of German Expressionist films — compare and contrast this image from The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, for instance. There’s also a distinct Der Steppenwolf/Magic Theater vibe to the whole thing — at one point Gaga appears in an oversize hat, and there are several instances of people/things disappearing in puffs of smoke.
Voguing
Madonna! It’s not a proper Gaga video without at least one Madonna reference, is it?
Writhing on a mattress
Madonna again, specifically Erotica/”Justify My Love” era. Never enough Madonna!