Lady Gaga is one of the most inspirational artists in terms of pop culture and post modernism, as her music videos are typically narrative based and feature huge amounts of intertextuality from incredibly famous and

iconic scenes in films and music videos. Both Paparazzi and Telephone were directed by Jonas Akerlund, he is an auteur and has developed his own distinctive visual style which can be clearly seen in both videos.

PAPARAZZI

The video uses generic conventions of Hollywood Films, a pastiche or homage to the iconic film period, with the use of classical titles, which isn't typically used in the music industry and within music videos. (A similar method of adding titles is used in Telephone, starting to recognise Akerlunds style?)

There are also intertextual references to Sunset Boulevard, both in narrative and in style, a fading star desperate to be back in the limelight and after murdering her "lover" is thrown back in to the newspapers.

But the overall narrative is also very Chicago, stylistic choices reference the scene in which Roxie Hart is taken to prison after murdering her lover and which causes her fame to escalate. This is shown through lens shots, notice how the artists and Roxie Hart both stand in similar positions.

The video also makes homage to Hitchcock and his film "Vertigo", there is also the use of the icy blonde female lead who was typically always used within Hitchcock's films, also known as the "Femme Fatale" who buggers up the heroes plan. Lady Gaga's video also blurs fiction and reality with the use of lens shots, as if photos are being

taken of the two characters.

TELEPHONETelephone imitates the stylistic features of Quentin Tarantino, and features intertextual references from both Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill. Telephone makes homage to both films.

'Telephone' uses a similar bold popping text to the Tarantino Font used in Pulp Fiction, with popping yellow and red colours,

adopting a retro(ish) style.

'Telephone' also makes intertextual references to the characters in both films, Lady Gaga refers to Beyoncé as "Honey Bee" similar to the character in Pulp Fiction "Honey Bunny", although this may seem coincidental, a scene in a cafe shows Beyoncé sitting opposite another male character, the framing and scene is very similar to the opening scene in Pulp Fiction where "Honey Bunny" and "Pumpkin" discuss robbing the cafe. There are also intertextual references to the character of Ele Driver in Kill Bill, as Lady Gaga takes on her role, in the scene where Ele Driver dresses in a Nurse outfit in order to kill the Bride. Lady Gaga wears a similar outfit, however at the height of postmodernism uses a telephone as an eye patch, she also takes on a similar persona, by poisoning the cafe customers.....very Ele Driver.

There is also an intertextual reference to the "Pussy Wagon" used in Kill Bill, this is also a reference to the sexuality in the music video but also a reference to the truck driven by the Bride in Tarantinos Kill Bill film.

'Telephone' also makes intertextual references to Lady Gaga's own music videos, audiences have speculated that 'Telephone' is a continuation of 'Paparazzi', as we see the album cover image for 'Paparazzi' used as Lady Gaga's "Wanted" picture on the TV screen. There were also pop culture references to Disneys Mickey Mouse when Lady Gaga wears a pair of glasses, these same glasses are seen worn by Beyonce in 'Telephone'. Lady Gaga has successfully branded herself so that intertextual references from her own works can be seen within others.