Though short-lived thus far, Lady Gaga‘s career has been punctuated with several masterpiece music videos. In previous efforts, Gaga has explored the relationship between celebrities and paparazzi, poisoned restaurant guests alongside Beyoncé, given birth in space, and recreated the story of Judas Iscariot with bikers. But with the video for “Marry The Night”, Gaga makes her directorial debut, reaching her creative stride in a truly over-the-top fashion that would shame even some French films.
The 13-minute epic begins with a recreation of Girl, Interrupted, with Gaga musing on the nature of memories and how we pick and choose our personal histories while being wheeled into an insane asylum’s common area. Act two sees the high queen of Monster-dom channel the spirit of Fame, spending time tossing and turning in bed and dyeing her hair before making an exit in all her bedazzled glory.
Then, nearly nine minutes into the cinematic tour de force, the song kicks in as Gaga experiences act three, a furious storm of past and current events, from choreographed pelvic thrusting in the street to dancing on cars in a post-apocalyptic parking lot. The video is the clearest amalgamation of every notion and emotional artifact that makes up the Gaga beast: fashion, unrelenting sex appeal, innocence, creative expression, and tube tops. Feast your eyes on the saga below.
Gaga’s latest album, Born This Way, is out now.
