As a fan of both Gaga and Burton, I don’t necessarily mind what the answer is to these aforementioned questions. What I’m hoping for is that these two begin a fruitful collaboration that can help boost their film careers. Gaga and Burton have both experienced ups and downs in the film industry, but both have also recently navigated successful comebacks in music and in the sequel/franchise space, respectively.
The prospect, therefore, of what these two weirdos could do together is exciting to their legions of fans. They perfectly match one another aesthetically and are at their best when they get to be limitless and maximalist in their creativity. Clearly, if all the enthusiasm and speculation are indicative of anything, it’s that people want this collaboration to unlock something new and special for both Gaga and Burton. Why should they limit that partnership to a three to five minute music video? That’s not enough for two visionaries to fully explore what they can give to each other artistically. So while I will be the first to watch this music video when it’s eventually released, I’m hoping for something more: A full-blown original feature film.
The Island of the Dolls: A Perfect Home for a Gaga-Burton Collaboration
Before we get into why these two singular artists should make a full-length work together, let’s discuss why fans are so obsessed with this top secret video. Much of the excitement has to do with the endless creative possibilities fans can expect from the special trifecta that is Gaga, Burton, and this infamous backdrop.
The Island of the Dolls used to be owned and occupied by Don Julián Santana Barrera, a recluse who believed he was haunted after discovering the body of a young girl with a doll on his island. Barrera subsequently collected and displayed dolls all over the island throughout the rest of his life. The resulting aesthetic is creepy, to say the least. Following Barrera’s untimely end—in which, legend has it, he was discovered by his nephew in the same position as the young girl from decades prior—the island became open to the public. Some guests have even claimed that the dolls came to life during their stays on the island, though this is unfounded.
Who knows which elements of the myth are true, if any? But that’s not what matters here. What matters is that Lady Gaga and Tim Burton are the most suitable artists for this environment. Both have always explored horror and dark themes throughout their careers but in humorous and campy ways, a juxtaposition that perfectly matches the frightening yet ridiculous story behind the Island of the Dolls. Yes, there is a reason that legends are just legends and not historical facts, but that’s what makes them legendary. People are just as likely to visit the Island of the Dolls to be amused by the aesthetic as those who want to be terrified.
That’s not too dissimilar from how Gaga and Burton flirt with the horror genre. Take, for example, Gaga’s turn as the Countess in American Horror Story or Burton’s memorable vision for The Nightmare Before Christmas. In both of these works, Gaga and Burton aren’t necessarily endeavoring to scare audiences, but rather, they're drawing from nightmarish imagery with a self-awareness and sense of humor because they genuinely just love the vibes. With that in mind, think about how their collective sensibilities can be elevated with this specific location and how much more can be explored if they endeavored to make a longer work of art than a music video. This is not to disparage the form of the music video. However, with two creatives who have proven how capable they can be on the big screen and with so much great material to draw from, they should do more with this opportunity.
What Can a Gaga-Burton Collaboration Can Do For Both of Their Film Careers?
Ever since her Oscar-nominated performance opposite Bradley Cooper in A Star is Born, Lady Gaga has had trouble choosing scripts and filmmakers. However, she often is not the reason why her subsequent films have underperformed. She was giving her all in Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci, but the actors around her were all delivering differently calibered performances that made the final product seem tonally disjointed. She was then vastly underutilized despite being the unequivocal best part of the otherwise messy Joker: Folie à Deux. Thankfully, the actress/musician quickly bounced back in the pop music space when she released Mayhem. Still, Gaga no doubt wants to return to the big screen. She just needs a filmmaker who knows how to properly use her talents.
Burton experienced a career low-point of his own after his live-action remake of Dumbo proved to be a flop. Like Gaga, he recovered when he pivoted to streaming with the juggernaut success of Wednesday, though he is still bogged down by the limitations of intellectual property. Burton went back to the big screen last year with the critically divisive but commercially successful Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. It was a return to form for the filmmaker, but the movie was still only at its best when it was recreating the magic of the first film. It’s time for Burton to use his newfound box office capital to make something fresh and original. That’s where Gaga could come into play.
One way in which the pop music icon already demonstrated her love for Burton’s work was when she recorded herself recreating Jenna Ortega’s viral dance from Wednesday on TikTok. This moment may have inspired their newfound collaboration in the first place. After all, Gaga has been confirmed to appear in what is likely to be a similar moment in the second season and already performed a Wednesday-inspired medley of Mayhem songs at Netflix’s Tudum event earlier this year. Clearly, their working relationship was strong enough for them to collaborate again on this music video, so why stop there?
For those of you out there who feel as passionately about this partnership as I do, there is some hope for a Burton-Gaga feature. The director has been known to work with the same actors over and over again, having made eight films with Johnny Depp and seven with ex-wife Helena Bonham Carter. Between Burton and Gaga’s mutual love for campy horror and a continued desire to keep making cinema, it would behoove these two artists to make a feature film together and see what the real estate of a two-hour narrative can bring to their creativity. Who knows? Maybe they can still use the Island of the Dolls as inspiration. There’s certainly enough story there for a feature…
via @allurequinn