Telephone Lady Gaga ft. Beyoncé

Intertextual referencing:

• The glasses Beyoncé wears relate back to Minnie Mouse and this shows a contrast between the sweet character of Minnie and the fact that they are rebellious and villainous killers. It also relates back to this popular culture and how the use of the Minnie Mouse glasses suggest how they are using the icon of her to spark audience’s interest. As well as this, these same glasses are used in Lady Gaga’s previous Paparazzi video and as well as this, the use of her songs in the prison such as: paper gangsta, suggest how Lady Gaga is perhaps trying to self promote her new and upcoming album. It also shows her success and popularity when it comes to women and this could link back to the fact that the song is all about women empowerment. This links into part when Beyoncé puts her hand over he mouth because again this is similar to the Paparazzi video. This connotes sarcasm and this idea that she doesn’t actually care hence again showing how women are strong and sly; they shouldn’t be trusted hence in a way appealing to stereotypes. There is also another link because both videos use poison in order to kill the male. This again appeals to stereotypes because the method of killing is more feminine as she didn’t use a gun / dagger etc. This could perhaps be a reference to Lady Macbeth in Macbeth who also uses poison to get her way thus again we have this leading, dominant female.

• In addition to this, the Pussy Wagon has also been referenced because this is the original car seen in Kill Bill hence again appealing to audiences because they are able to recognise other popular references. It is also a reference because the two characters in Kill Bill kill their enemies using poison. Other film references include the yellow text at the beginning - the opening credits - and how this makes reference to Jackie Brown. There is also a reference to pulp fiction because she refers to Beyoncé as ‘Honey Bee’ which links into the film and the two robbers in the diner hence working her short film into pop culture.

• The stereotypical image of house wife can also be seen throughout, particularly in the kitchen scene, and this is successful because it makes reference to heavy pop culture in 1950s. It is also set in a 1950s style American restaurant and because they are wearing American flag outfits, it shows how they are being patriotic hence linking into the idea that everything they do, all the murder etc., is done for America.

• It is also post modern because Lady Gaga’s costumes are all very different and creative. • The video is also very long therefore it is more like a short film as opposed to a music video. This is why this video is post modern because

Lady Gaga doesn’t just create videos for the music; instead, she wants to tell a story and she wants a message to be shown throughout.