Stupid Love Looks Cheap?

[audrey horne 1,180]

Thank you. Indeed it's meant to look "cheap" because it has Sentai TV shows and retro videogames inspirations which took a huge part of pop culture (especially japanese pop culture) back in the 90s. It's the low budget, the over-the-top acting and the campy characters that made it so popular and humoristic. As a matter of fact the video looks kinda bad, but it is made purposefully as it's a great rendition of the essence of those specific genres -with futuristic twists. 

[Cloudbusting 1,548]

On 2/28/2020 at 5:27 PM, Didymus said:

 

The storyline is all chopped up and a mess. There's no narrative impact whatsoever which is key for a campy video set in an alternative universe. It has to have a point even if the point is just to be random af (which is not the case as Gaga clearly developed a storyline).

Also, the directing is just sloppy. There are no interesting angles and there aren't any shots that make a lasting impression. It's fun to watch in the moment but when I take a step back it's just not something I can call "well made". Because if it was, I would remember why or what exactly I appreciated technically. Right now I can only say I like the colors. That's not much.

I can see that tbh... The storyline could've been greatly improved. I have I feeling she didn't want to (or couldn't) make a big video because it's the streaming age and a huge MV could be a shot on the foot... For me the campiest parts are.... just as you said.... the colours, but I also feel as though the super out of place ads on the sides are such a cute detail, like,  why were they there ? I also loves the fact that when she does a super hero movement it's so exaggerated  (when she is running like a power ranger)  or levitating people out of nowhere. Tbh I wished she go into more detail into this world she created (I hope thats wha she'll do in the next MVs).  But I completely see your point of the storyline feeling rushed in this one. 

[Lona Delery 7,180]

8 minutes ago, Bambino said:

I take it you have an issue with her getting Apple promo? Like, nobody would've even know that she did it with an iPhone if she didn't really say it.

no, i dont.
i have an issue with people on here saying using an iPhone to shoot the video was an artistic choice because Gaga is such an artistè. Explicitly stating it was shot with an iPhone is obviously part of the deal. But I don't care specifically about the fact it was shot with a phone, you can shoot good music videos with just a phone, but SL is not one of those imo

[Diamond heart99 5,262]

27 minutes ago, Quark said:

o<(0_0)>o

Can you all stop with “SL looks cheap”. I think it is obvious that the video is meant to look cheap and cheesy. That was Gaga’s intention. The fact that is looks cheap is actually a positive thing because it was meant to look retro and futuristic at the same time. The video matches the cover and banners Gaga has released. The video is not cheap because Gaga can’t make a good video. This is more of an artistic choice. I think it actually looks impressive considering it was shot on an iPhone. And the fact that she shot it on an iPhone is no coincidence either. 

This is spot on. 

[BabylonHooker 4,297]

it's because of the oversaturation and poor lighting which was caused by Iphones. When I tried to reduce the saturation on my laptop, the video looked much better, her skin wasn't as yellowish and the brightness was less irritating 

[blackteawithsugar 4]

I dont wanna do any comments rn I'll just wait other songs cuz the album matters not a single song but the mv is cheap tho (I only loved the costumes)

[andy232000 9,571]

I will never understand why you guys always use the "its an artistic choice" excuse all the time. It makes no sense as an artist to limit yourself technically during production for the sake of "artistic choices" when you can achieve that through editing. Besides, technical proficiency will never make the outcome look worse, whereas completely ignoring it for the sake of your concept will. Sometimes you have to accept that your "artistic choice" may or may not translate well into the actual medium and that you should be open to bending said choices to get a better result. Just my two cents on the constant "it was mean to look cheap" or any of its variants for any artist. 

[TWICE on hatius 4,746]

 

 
I think the only thing I regret is that Gaga hasn’t gone as far as JPOP MVs were to deliver the aesthetics. We could something that is even more sci-fi and camper like this perfect mv. We did it so perfectly then that a concept artist like Gaga can’t even outdo.

[audrey horne 1,180]

2 minutes ago, andy232000 said:

I will never understand why you guys always use the "its an artistic choice" excuse all the time. It makes no sense as an artist to limit yourself technically during production for the sake of "artistic choices" when you can achieve that through editing. Besides, technical proficiency will never make the outcome look worse, whereas completely ignoring it for the sake of your concept will. Sometimes you have to accept that your "artistic choice" may or may not translate well into the actual medium and that you should be open to bending said choices to get a better result. Just my two cents on the constant "it was mean to look cheap" or any of its variants for any artist. 

And sometimes when you don't dig deep enough for references you completely miss the point and can't see the actual artistic takes. 

[Shadow 6,165]

Maybe this was rushed together due to the leak accelerating her original release.  However, for a song called "Stupid Love," I wasn't expecting something sophisticated, though it did come across lighthearted and fun as she might have been going for.  This video was a like a cross between "Perfect Illusion," and "Born This Way" with the colors of ARTPOP. 

[Magui 2,602]

I just find it freaking fun! 

[andy232000 9,571]

4 minutes ago, adterp said:

And sometimes when you don't dig deep enough for references you completely miss the point and can't see the actual artistic takes. 

Im not talking about references, Im talking about how the video was shot and put together

but pls educate me about it as such references might justify some of the things I dislike

[brucee 1,690]

38 minutes ago, Bambino said:

Anyone who says it's cheap should shut the **** up tbh. Lana Del Rey makes Instagram-like videos and everyone goes yaaaas indie queen but if Gaga does something with her phone, it's unforgivable. The video looks great and the fact that she did it with iPhone is impressive.

same with grimes (that i love k)

punk low key implies cheap. Camp. Cool (i phone - it's cool in the way that it's empowering for people to make art) 

[audrey horne 1,180]

15 minutes ago, andy232000 said:

Im not talking about references, Im talking about how the video was shot and put together

Maybe that's on purpose too. The producer has an impressive portfolio so maybe he knows what he is doing.
As I said in a previous post "it has Sentai TV shows and retro videogames inspirations, which took a huge part of pop culture (especially japanese pop culture) back in the 90s. It's the low budget, the over-the-top acting and the campy characters that made it so popular and humoristic". 

It might not be your taste but from those genres perspective, it's a well-made rendition. 

[OMonster 14,464]

43 minutes ago, Didymus said:

Hmm. I'm on the fence about this. Like, sure, of course it's her intention for it to look a little off and cheesy and campy. But you can do that effect successfully and professionally and you can do it unconvincingly too I feel like that distinction is lost on many fans here.

Like, yeah, I'm sure everyone gets that this is supposed to be a love letter to retro-camp. But that doesn't mean she did it well. Know what I mean? I don't even understand why I have to explain this.

Like, remember when we all hated on this video for good reason? (it's very similar to what Gaga tried to do)

If we believe most LMs here today we'd have to convince ourselves this video was a genius piece of retro camp. But it's not. It's awkward and not very well executed. Just like SL is awkward and not very well executed 

I feel like LMs are applying a double standard again. If another pop star released the exact same video I feel like a lot more people would be saying what I'm saying: that, yes, whoever made it tried to be retro-camp but that we didn't get a good end result.

I totally disagree with you, with all respect of course.

The Ariana video is, imo, a little try-hard and awkward because she's TRYING to match 'sexy pop star' with campy themes. She herself isn't carrying herself in a camp or bold way - she's just another pop star dropped into a poorly executed concept. 

In SL, Gaga EMBODIES camp and fun and energy and craziness. 

She is filled with so much love for the music in this video. She just seems to be living for the concept and the creative direction to me.

And Gaga's video has a genuine message behind it about unity and overcoming division, which I think she sells really well. 

You don't have to explain the principle you outline. You're right, we all know that this video is supposed to be retro-camp. I'm sorry you think it doesn't deliver to that brief - but I can't see how you can say it doesn't. 

It's light, it's fun, it's a bit of a throwback. 

TECHNICALLY it isn't STELLAR (because of technological limitations, and because the brief didn't demand 'glossiness' or perfection) - but creatively and conceptually... what's wrong? 

You can dislike the concept, but what's wrong with it? She's delivered exactly what she wanted to deliver. 

Gaga isn't Taylor Swift or Katy Perry or Rihanna - she doesn't serve perfection. She sends a message of emotion - not a message of 'this video was expensive and edited and filmed perfectly'. That's never been the Gaga message - ever.

And regards the song... I'm shocked some of her fans don't enjoy it. The lyrics are brilliant in places, and her vocals in the song are stunning to me. The 'gotta have faith in me', the 'even if I break in two', the 'look at me now', the 'all I ever wanted was love' - her voice sounds so full and into it. 

You're entitled to your opinion, of course you are. But I think your opinion is based on what you think Gaga's vision should've been - not what it is. The video doesn't deliver on what you wanted, but it does deliver on what she wanted - it achieves the intention. And by that measure, it's a success.