The Dead Dance: Song and Video Discussion

[eMILY 1,133]

I love it!! The only thing I’ll say is that I do think Gaga and Tim together could create something literally MIND BLOWING, I feel like the video wasn’t as good as it could have been? Like not much happened? I don’t think the GP will like the song either but who cares. 

Edited Wednesday at 04:53 PM by eMILY

[julz 7,303]

We have now 4 MUSIC VIDEOS for an album 

one more to match BTW

two more to match TF

MusicVideoGa is baaaack!!!

[Alxjcgn 318]

5 minutes ago, gfarabello said:

I asked Gemini for a script without giving any other details apart from the song's lyrics, Tim Burton's name and the filming location. Well, I guess it shows how uncreative this video is, as many shots are almost exact.

Lady Gaga - The Dead Dance (Tim Burton's Island of the Dolls Version)

Director: Tim Burton

Concept: A macabre, gothic dance of resurrection and defiance, set against the eerie backdrop of La Isla de las Muñecas, with visual nods to the Wednesday series.

Visual Style: Desaturated colors with pops of vibrant red, deep purples, and electric blues. Exaggerated shadows, crooked angles, and stop-motion-esque movement. Think "Corpse Bride" meets "Sweeney Todd" with a modern pop edge.

SCENE 1

[0:00-0:15 - "Like the words of a song, I hear you call / Like a thief in my head, you criminal"]

Visual:

OPENING SHOT: A wide, sweeping, almost shaky drone shot (mimicking a bat's flight) over the misty canals of Xochimilco, slowly revealing the chilling spectacle of La Isla de las Muñecas. Hundreds of decaying, dismembered dolls hang from trees, their vacant eyes staring out. The sky is perpetually twilight.

CLOSE UP: A single, particularly creepy doll with one eye missing swings gently in the breeze.

LADY GAGA (Gaga): Appears among the dolls, almost as one of them, but undeniably alive. She's dressed in a dramatically tattered, Victorian-inspired gown, black lace, and perhaps a high, slightly askew top hat. Her makeup is stark, pale, with heavily defined eyes and dark lips. Her movements are slightly disjointed, almost doll-like. She walks through the hanging dolls, her hand brushing against them.

FLASH CUT: Brief, almost subliminal flashes of a shadowy figure (the "criminal") in a dapper, almost cartoonishly villainous suit, just out of focus.

[0:15-0:30 - "You stole my thoughts before I dreamed them / And you killed my queen with just one pawn"]

Visual:

Gaga is now in a clearing on the island, surrounded by a semi-circle of dolls, some propped up as if watching, others lying discarded.

She enacts a silent, balletic struggle, miming someone trying to catch fleeting thoughts, then a dramatic collapse as if struck by an invisible force.

REFERENCE: A single, antique chess pawn is shown falling from her hand and landing on the muddy ground. A quick shot reveals the reflection of a broken doll's face in its polished surface.

SCENE 2

[0:30-0:45 - "This goodbye is no surprise / This goodbye won't make me cry"]

Visual:

Gaga stands defiantly, her back to a particularly dense cluster of dolls. Her expression is stoic, almost defiant.

She begins to move with more purpose, a slow, deliberate dance, swaying and turning. The dolls around her seem to subtly shift, their heads turning slightly as if observing.

CLOSE UP: A single tear rolls down a doll's cheek, but Gaga's face remains dry and resolute.

WEDNESDAY REFERENCE: A fleeting shot of a raven perched on a doll's head, its eyes eerily similar to Wednesday Addams's intense gaze.

[0:45-1:00 - "Yeah, I'll keep on dancin' until I'm dead / Dancin' until I'm dead, I'm dancin' until I'm dead"]

Visual:

The tempo of Gaga's dance picks up. It's not graceful, but powerful and angular, reminiscent of a marionette suddenly given its own will.

WIDE SHOT: The entire island seems to come alive. The hanging dolls begin to sway in unison with Gaga's movements, their limbs creaking.

EFFECT: Subtle stop-motion animation can be used here, making the dolls appear to twitch and jolt with her.

SCENE 3

[1:00-1:15 - "Yeah, I'll keep on dancin' until I'm dead (dead) / I'll dance until I'm dead (dead, dead, dead, dead)"]

Visual:

The "criminal" figure briefly reappears, glimpsed through the gaps in the dolls, looking disturbed and confused by Gaga's relentless dance. He tries to reach for her, but the dolls seem to form a barrier.

Gaga's dance becomes more frenetic, almost a possessed jig. Her dress swirls, revealing glimpses of vivid red lining.

CLOSE UP: Her eyes glow with a fierce, almost supernatural light.

[1:15-1:30 - "'Cause when you killed me inside, that's when I came alive / Yeah, the music's gonna bring me back from death"]

Visual:

TRANSFORMATION: As she sings "came alive," the previously desaturated world gains a burst of color. The island, while still eerie, is now vibrant with rich greens, deep purples, and an almost electric blue sky. The dolls, though still broken, appear less desolate, almost imbued with a strange, mischievous energy.

Gaga's movements are now fluid and powerful, her previously disjointed limbs moving with newfound grace.

EFFECT: A ghostly, shimmering musical note emanates from her, reaching out to touch the surrounding dolls.

SCENE 4

[1:30-1:45 - "I'm dancin' until I'm dead (dead) / I'll dance until I'm dead (dead, dead, dead, dead)"]

Visual:

CHOREOGRAPHED DOLL DANCE: The dolls, previously static or subtly moving, now begin to dance! Not gracefully, but with jerky, comical, yet unnerving movements. Some swing wildly, others stomp their single foot.

Gaga leads this macabre ensemble, a queen of the undead dance floor.

WEDNESDAY REFERENCE: A doll with long, dark braids and a pale face, reminiscent of Wednesday, is shown doing a slow, almost robotic two-step, its head tilted in a knowing smirk.

[1:45-2:00 - "You've created a creature of the night / Now I'm haunting your air, your soul, your eyes"]

Visual:

Gaga's dance becomes more predatory, her gaze fixed on the unseen "criminal."

POINT OF VIEW SHOT: From the perspective of the "criminal," watching Gaga and the dancing dolls. The dolls' eyes seem to follow him, accusing and relentless.

EFFECT: Wisps of dark, ethereal smoke emanate from Gaga, swirling around her like a living shadow.

SCENE 5

[2:00-2:15 - "This goodbye is no surprise (is no surprise) / This goodbye won't make me cry"]

Visual:

Gaga is now on a small, rickety wooden pier extending into the canal, still surrounded by a few key "dancing" dolls.

She delivers the lines with a chilling confidence, a triumphant smile playing on her lips.

SLOW-MOTION: A single, ancient doll, its face cracked, slowly raises its arm in a gesture of farewell or perhaps, triumph.

[2:15-2:45 - "Yeah, I'll keep on dancin' until I'm dead / Dancin' until I'm dead, I'm dancin' until I'm dead / Yeah, I'll keep on dancin' until I'm dead (dead) / I'll dance until I'm dead (dead, dead, dead, dead)"]

Visual:

GRAND ENSEMBLE: A wide shot revealing the full scope of the island. Hundreds, possibly thousands, of dolls are now dancing in a chaotic, mesmerizing symphony of creaks and movements. Some are hoisted by invisible strings, others appear to bounce on their own.

Gaga is at the center, conducting this grotesque ballet with her powerful, expressive movements.

TIM BURTON AESTHETIC: Exaggerated, long shadows stretch from the dolls and trees. The entire scene pulsates with a strange, dark energy.

SCENE 6

[2:45-3:15 - "'Cause when you killed me inside, that's when I came alive / Yeah, the music's gonna bring me back from death"]

Visual:

SPIRITUAL AWAKENING: Gaga's movements become almost ecstatic. She reaches towards the sky, and a brilliant, almost purple-blue light shines down on her and the dolls.

The "criminal" is shown cowering, overwhelmed by the spectacle. He tries to run but is blocked by a wall of dancing dolls.

CLOSE UP: Gaga's face is radiant, no longer pale and doll-like, but fiercely alive, a creature reborn.

[3:15-3:30 - "I'm dancin' until I'm dead (dead) / I'll dance until I'm dead (dead, dead, dead, dead)"]

Visual:

The dancing dolls reach a crescendo, their movements faster, more frantic, yet still synchronized to Gaga's beat.

WEDNESDAY REFERENCE: A quick shot of "Thing" (the disembodied hand) from Wednesday, peeking out from behind a doll, subtly snapping its fingers to the beat, a tiny, macabre conductor.

SCENE 7

[3:30-3:45 - "Do the dead dance (dead) / The dead dance / Do the dead dance (dead) / The dead dance"]

Visual:

Gaga performs a series of sharp, impactful poses, each held for a beat, like a series of living statues.

Each pose is echoed by a group of dolls, frozen in similar, distorted positions around her.

EFFECT: The ground around her seems to pulse with the rhythm, small tremors shaking the hanging dolls.

[3:45-4:00 - "Do the dead dance (dead) / The dead dance / Do the dead dance (dead) / But l'm alive on the dance floor"]

Visual:

The "criminal" is finally cornered. Gaga approaches him, surrounded by her dancing doll army.

She reaches out a hand, not to harm, but to invite him into the dance. He recoils in fear.

CLOSE UP: Gaga's triumphant smile. "But I'm alive on the dance floor" delivered with chilling conviction.

SCENE 8

[4:00-4:30 - "And I'm dancin' until I'm dead (dead) / I'm dancin' until l'm dead, I'm dancin' until I'm dead / Yeah, I'll keep on dancin' until I'm dead (dead) / I'll dance until I'm dead"]

Visual:

Gaga performs a powerful, unrestrained dance routine, showing off her iconic moves, but with a Burtonesque twist – slightly disjointed, full of sharp angles and dramatic expressions.

The dolls around her continue their macabre dance, forming a living (or un-living) extension of her performance.

WEDNESDAY REFERENCE: As Gaga performs a spin, her silhouette briefly resembles Wednesday's iconic dance move from the series, a subtle nod to the character's unique style.

[4:30-4:45 - "'Cause when you killed me inside, that's when I came alive / Yeah, the music's gonna bring me back from death"]

Visual:

Gaga stands tall, arms outstretched, bathed in the glowing purple-blue light.

EFFECT: From the ground around her, skeletal hands (doll-sized) seem to reach up, pulling her down into the earth, but she resists, empowered by the music.

CLOSE UP: A single, perfect black rose blooms from the muddy ground at her feet.

OUTRO

[4:45-5:00 - "I'm dancin' until I'm dead (dead) / I'll dance until I'm dead / Dead (dead, dead, dead, dead)"]

Visual:

FINAL SHOT: Gaga slowly sinks back into the earth, or simply vanishes among the dolls, her vibrant dress now looking more like a part of the decaying scenery.

The music fades, and the dolls slowly stop dancing, returning to their still, eerie positions.

PULL BACK SHOT: The drone shot from the beginning returns, sweeping over the now silent and still Island of the Dolls.

FINAL IMAGE: A single, defiant doll with bright, glowing purple eyes winks at the camera before the screen fades to black.

AI is incapable of understanding abstract/in-depth creativity... and while a lot of the shots are similar its still a great video and there is a lot to unpack in the tiny details if you pay attention! Sorry you found it a disappointment   

[Joshie S 6,162]

I'm glad I had a nap to witness the meltdowns.

Relax ya'll. Relax. 

Enjoy the visuals.

[amourssauvages 98]

4 minutes ago, Gagaplayer315 said:

CAUSE WHEN YOU TOUCHED ME I DIED

JUST A LITTLE INSIDE 

Same i can't help to hear venus when the chorus hits and i love it

[nath4gaga2 252]

1 minute ago, Joshie S said:

I'm glad I had a nap to witness the meltdowns.

Relax ya'll. Relax. 

Enjoy the visuals.

What visuals 😭

[palma 8,012]

7 minutes ago, gfarabello said:

I asked Gemini for a script without giving any other details apart from the song's lyrics, Tim Burton's name and the filming location. Well, I guess it shows how uncreative this video is, as many shots are almost exact.

Wait hold awn I think I want this instead

[ModernEcstasy 9,064]

What if this is just a short version of the 24 minute Short film they actually made, which will be released next week to get more streams 

(Honestly, I think the majority are underwhelmed because we saw everything there was to offer in that 20 second leak)
 

Edited Wednesday at 04:56 PM by ModernEcstasy

[Ziggy 11,905]

6 minutes ago, RenegAde said:

Rain on me video is neither flat nor boring how do yall come up with this stuff

it's her dancing on a green screen. sooooo much cg which works if you're janet jackson and have a good choreographer but when it's richy and the moves just mostly look insane it's a chop chop chop. The only interesting shots were the closeups when it was flooding her face and the laying down at the start. But the rest is like....very very very beneath her videography and literally any girl could have done those shot compositions. It's a flat video in that it's basically just static mid shots of the dance routine with some cutaways to keep it varied. Even a video like Lovegame which i think is similar in that it's dance-focused has some more intriguing shots that keep the eye invested and actually cool, well-shot choreography. Hell, TEOG is a beautiful way to shoot a dance-focused video simply as it follows her basically improv-ing around a beautifully-lit soundstage. It feels heartfelt, schmaltzy, retro, and authentic even if simple. RoM just felt like a pop machine project.

Edited Wednesday at 04:57 PM by Ziggy

[Xzxcuzme 164]

Cute and creepy, but i really miss when her music videos used to tell a story.

this vid could have been a prequel, imagine if she found the mistress of mayhem grave on the doll island and open it, a  sort of  pandora box story.

 

[Alxjcgn 318]

1 minute ago, Joshie S said:

I'm glad I had a nap to witness the meltdowns.

Relax ya'll. Relax. 

Enjoy the visuals.

People need to calm down because something didn't match whatever they conjured up in their own mind lol. I was so excited after hearing the song and video and actually held back from coming on here because I knew the negativity of some would kill the vibe! It was a great music video and I have no understanding to why someone doesn't like it... 

PSA: If you think you can come up with something better, then by all means please pursue a musical career and do so... otherwise get off this website because the amount if criticism is getting so old. 

[Zilla 13,411]

I’m sorry I have to go into the “meh” category. I don’t hate it but you have one of the greatest directors of all time, but if I didn’t know Tim was directing this I wouldn’t have known it was him. He’s capable of more, but maybe with the time frame he couldn’t. It just isn’t “wow”ing me like some of his other works. He could be creepier lol 

[palma 8,012]

15 minutes ago, Flippy said:

Is your boyfriend @River by any chance?

I'd wish knowing her real estate portfolio 

[darkgaga 5,453]

2 minutes ago, Ziggy said:

it's her dancing on a green screen. sooooo much cg which works if you're janet jackson and have a good choreographer but when it's richy and the moves just mostly look insane it's a chop chop chop. The only interesting shots were the closeups when it was flooding her face and the laying down at the start. But the rest is like....very very very beneath her videography and literally any girl could have done those shot compositions. It's a flat video in that it's basically just static mid shots of the dance routine with some cutaways to keep it varied. Even a video like Lovegame which i think is similar in that it's dance-focused has some more intriguing shots that keep the eye invested and actually cool, well-shot choreography.

ROM is better than this

[Chesescake 4,007]

Mmm I think the song is just okay.

Like right now, there are far more better songs on Mayhem for me to play then this one.

The choreography video is cool too.

 

Edited Wednesday at 05:03 PM by Chesescake