Lana Del Rey has finally come up again in the media landscape after she has been in hiding for several months, except for here and there announcing the release of "Tropico" And as it finally dropped on December 5th she announced her new album "Ultraviolet".
It all started out with her single "Ride" that then and there I really got into thinking that Lana Del Rey as a figure, character and songtress embodies something purely American: the essence of America itsself (Well, at least of how she imagines it.) "Ride", a melancholic retroperspective on the great American myth, the frontier, the dream and the shattered promise of success, all mixed in with one of Americas central aspects: freedom. Lana seems to be what America has been, is and never will be again. Her oveure is filled with almost mythological refernces to the American dream and icons of Hollywoods golden era. She exploits, praises, criticizes and honores them simultaneously. But other then her contemporaries, like Rihanna and or Lady Gaga, she positions herself very differently towards these icons. For Gaga Marilyn might be and inspirtion, idol and predecessor, but for Lana Marilyn is a contemporary, because she highly references the iconic aura stars as Monroe, Elvis and Bettie Davis create. Lana is Hollywood back in the days, and not big blockbuster L.A.
Remarkable as well is that her work, the work of a true romantic in the literature theory sense of the word, deals with the question of the female identity in this world she creates. The representation of women. the standarts of their perception, American macho culture and masculitity stereotypes as body exposure, romaticizeation and men that are almost animalistic in their gender perception and performance are constants in her work. But as these men she shows are violently animalistic they as well disply a strong protective and very soft side. The roughest men seem the softest, the most innocent and most unexpected in their actions in difference towards our perception and expectations of their bestiality. The constrcut of the classical American man has always been at question and in the world of Lana finally is thrown overboard as they curl her hair in "Ride".
All of this is directly linked to aspects of America and it's possibilities arousing from its mythology. Del Rey's America is not a country, nor the idea of the American Dream, but rather a great concept of existing out of common societies safety net that promises a notion of freedom that is not free in the eyes of Lana. Del Rey's freedom and America is a place where categories of common sense and notion as well as perception are no longer necessary, no longer of any importance. Life is today, and tomorrow is the big unknown to hug as a friend, not to prepare for today and then to face. All this seems pretty romanticized, out of date and like Lana herself is so fake and unknown to most of us that we feel it to be hyper-real.
With all that said we should get on track to "Tropico", Lana's latest effort. Visual wise "Tropico" is Lana Del Rey at her most "Lana-esque" she has ever been. We get super eight camera style 30 minutes of dreaming in smushed and beautifully smeared Technicolor reminescent pictures. Blurred colors and lens flares blend in perfectly to create that atmosphere of loss, happyness, sadness and melancholy at once, so that you ultimately feel: This is the crazy world of Lana Del Rey, and I am a mere spectator. Cause aint no one as melodramatic as her. Cut short we might say that "Tropico" is a story of paradise life, growing bored of it, getting kicked out of it, lhaving to live in the human created hell on earth, the beauty and pain in this hell and the possible slavation and redemption. (Well, plus or minus a joint.)
But the big question raising rather is: What in Lana Del Rey's world and work is real subtext and what is pure fantasy? Is there even a distinction between those two as the realmin which we look at them is so romanticized, so fake an hyper-real that they maybe are the same?
"Tropico" starts off with a sequence that I would call the bible ripped off, creation of the universe and the earth according to Lana: "And the spirit of John moved upon the face of the water. And John said: "Let there be light!" And there was light, and John saw that it was good." Pretty much what the bible sounds like, but here we get the image that from the beginning on the world that is created is not planet earth but Lanas America. We see two forces movig together creating the big bang and then leading directly to paradise, where we have Lana as Mary in a blue dress praying to John, a cowboy that embodies god in Lana's world. "Dear John, forgive us our sins!" We can then see Lana as Eve in Paradise with albino model Shaun Ross as Adam. We also see Marilyn Monroe, Elvis and Jesus as John gives a speech that clarifies one thing: This is a cowboy camp. Very American, very Lana and fucking wierd!
"Tropico" starts off with a sequence that I would call the bible ripped off, creation of the universe and the earth according to Lana: "And the spirit of John moved upon the face of the water. And John said: "Let there be light!" And there was light, and John saw that it was good." Pretty much what the bible sounds like, but here we get the image that from the beginning on the world that is created is not planet earth but Lanas America. We see two forces movig together creating the big bang and then leading directly to paradise, where we have Lana as Mary in a blue dress praying to John, a cowboy that embodies god in Lana's world. "Dear John, forgive us our sins!" We can then see Lana as Eve in Paradise with albino model Shaun Ross as Adam. We also see Marilyn Monroe, Elvis and Jesus as John gives a speech that clarifies one thing: This is a cowboy camp. Very American, very Lana and fucking wierd!
As Elvis sings, John talks as if there is no tomorrow, Marilyn Monroe says that sex is a part of nature and she goes along. Oh and Jesus prays. All that happens as Adam and Eve stand there and watch whilst a unicorn approaches them. "Body Electric" sets in and Lana gives her line that explains a little bit of the wierdness that this scene is: "Elvis is my daddy, Marilyn is my mother, Jesus is my best friend." Okay we get it. The cowboy John, an archetype or American mythology, is god (A great hommage to the perception of America as the country of god.), Marilyn an achetype of stereotypical American femininity is her mother and her idol, and Elvis, the American music buisness legend her father aka. he guides her. Well, Jesus as her best friend and the son of god, can hence be interpreted as either the spirit of America or the critic of the sides of America that interfere with Lanas pure idea of America. But that is basically up to the viewer. DISCLAIMER: To interpret this thing any deeper is goddamn tricky, so if you got any ideas e-mail at iconartmarilyn@gmail.com or tweet me at twitter.com/iconartmarilyn.
The "Body Electric Scene" basically is the story of how Adam and Eve were thrown out of pardise, as Eve bites into an apple from the forbidden tree. But, in Lanas version, Adam can not live without his Eve and bites the apple as well. Of course, as Lana bites the apple, Marilyn starts to scream hysterically, Elvis shakes his head and as Adam bites it as well he head shakingly asks him if he is serious. The storyline of Adam and Eve in paradise is over, and with lightneings as a transition, Lana awakes in another world. Welcome to the land of God's and Monsters: L.A.
The "Body Electric Scene" basically is the story of how Adam and Eve were thrown out of pardise, as Eve bites into an apple from the forbidden tree. But, in Lanas version, Adam can not live without his Eve and bites the apple as well. Of course, as Lana bites the apple, Marilyn starts to scream hysterically, Elvis shakes his head and as Adam bites it as well he head shakingly asks him if he is serious. The storyline of Adam and Eve in paradise is over, and with lightneings as a transition, Lana awakes in another world. Welcome to the land of God's and Monsters: L.A.
Eve (Lana) suddelnly sells her body as a stripper in a dark and very depressing strip clubs as Adam (Shaun) works (probably minimum wage) at a store. Together they live in a run down apartment and are part of a circle of people whom could be described as gangsters. They men do cocaine, drink, gamble and the girls do hair, cocain, smoke and gossip together. Pretty hood like life. (No insult!) And as we see the women strip in emotional agony and Adam suffering through his shift at the store Lana tells from the off: "Womanhood and all that is a woman, and the man tht comes from woman. the womb, the tits, the nipples, brests, ears [...]. The voice, articulation, language, whispering, shouting out loud, food, drink, pulse, digestion, sweat, sleep, walking, swimming, hands on the hips, leaping, reclining, embracing and tightening. The continual change of the flex of the mouth and around the eyes. The skin, the freckles, hair, the curiosity one feels, the hand on th enaked beauty of the body. The cycling rivers of the breath. And breathing it in and out. The beauty of the voice and the amends of the hips, and then downwars towards the knees. The thin red arteries within you or within me. The bones in the mirror of the beautiful. The exquisite realizationof the health. Oh I say, these are not the parts and poems of the body only, but of the soul. Oh I say now: these are the soul.
The men in the strip club disply that anmalistic quality I described earlier when they put money into the strippers panties and bras, down their beer/liqour and drown their faces in the womens clevages or asses. The video shows the uncevilized hunger of America for female flesh, the exploitation and the graceless nature of Americas sex obsession, an America that somehow is linked to John the cowboy. Very ambiguous and actually antithetic if you think about it. We get a picture of a run down America drowning in sex, alcohol and drugs. But still the song "God and Monster" expresses a certain pleasure with the situation.
The men in the strip club disply that anmalistic quality I described earlier when they put money into the strippers panties and bras, down their beer/liqour and drown their faces in the womens clevages or asses. The video shows the uncevilized hunger of America for female flesh, the exploitation and the graceless nature of Americas sex obsession, an America that somehow is linked to John the cowboy. Very ambiguous and actually antithetic if you think about it. We get a picture of a run down America drowning in sex, alcohol and drugs. But still the song "God and Monster" expresses a certain pleasure with the situation.
In the land of gods and monsters, I was an angel,
Living in the garden of evil,
Screwed up, scared, doing anything that I needed,
Shining like a fiery beacon.
You got that medicine I need,
Fame, liquor, love, give it to me slowly.
Put your hands on my waist, do it softly,
Me and God we don't get along, so now I see
...
God is dead
Baby that's alright with me
Basically the scenary is about living love in a land of monsters and no one beeing able to take away your soul. The visuals we see might show poverty, despair, agony and exploitation but the song romanticizes them by instigating the love between the protagonists. As the song ends sequences of Marilyn singing "Oh I must have you, or no one.." and John reminding Adam and Eve "Just remember: I am always there for you!" are blended in. A remeberance by God and America that there always is a possible redemption. (At least in the world that Lana created in "Tropico".)
Then we see a group of buisness men who invite some stippers to celebrate Jack's birthday, so one of the men in suits thaught that "Since it is Jack's birthday, I thaught I'd bring someone here Jack can jack off to!". From the off Lana cited the beginning of Allen Ginsbergs "Howl", a poem that starts with: "I saw the best mind of my generation destroyed in madness.." As she tells this, the strippers dance and we see the gang standing on a hill, the men saying goodbye to their women. The gang ultimately robs the group of buisnessmen and thretens them with guns and knives, as a clock is ticking in the background. The scene closes with the men beeing reunited with their women on the the same hill they said good bye, shooting in the air while watching the sunrise. During that we see a scene of John in pardise.
Then we see a group of buisness men who invite some stippers to celebrate Jack's birthday, so one of the men in suits thaught that "Since it is Jack's birthday, I thaught I'd bring someone here Jack can jack off to!". From the off Lana cited the beginning of Allen Ginsbergs "Howl", a poem that starts with: "I saw the best mind of my generation destroyed in madness.." As she tells this, the strippers dance and we see the gang standing on a hill, the men saying goodbye to their women. The gang ultimately robs the group of buisnessmen and thretens them with guns and knives, as a clock is ticking in the background. The scene closes with the men beeing reunited with their women on the the same hill they said good bye, shooting in the air while watching the sunrise. During that we see a scene of John in pardise.
"And the soul, from beeing created in his likeness, to beeig vanished for wanting to be too much like him. We were cast out. And the Garden of Eden transformed into the Garden of Evil. Los Angeles, the city of angels, the land of Gods and Monsters. the in-between realm, the realm where the choice is made from your free will, decide your souls fate. Some poets called it the entrance to the underworld, but on some summer nights it could feel like paradise. Paradise lost." As this monologue end the part of the film that is related to "Gods and Monsters" John slips in and, while Adam and Eve drive out into nature in black clothes and and oldtimer, John gives a heartfelt speach about America. And actually the speech he gives might be very nature connected, and Lana is everything else then nature related, but this is what gives us the idea of how romaticized Lana's America.
And as Bel Air plays in, Adam and Eve change into white clothes, dance and in the end elevate into the air as they turn around in circles. END/SALVATION/REDEMPTION.
So what we have learned from this about Lana Del Reys work is that she understands herself as a product of different essential Amrican idols, ideas, icons, stereotypes and concepts. Lana is constructed of the American wilderness and the power of the cowboy and the idea of the frontier. She as well is constructed from the myths of Marilyn Monroe ad Elvis, the gender blending in a life off social norms ans the ideas od romanticism. What leads us to the final question of wether there is a difference between subtext and fantasy in this world. And the answer is that in Lana's world there is no need to differeciate between these two. Subtext can be from a fantasy point in her work but as well subtext can create a fantastical moment. And that is what it means t be American. You are born and in Lana's world you die American.
And as Bel Air plays in, Adam and Eve change into white clothes, dance and in the end elevate into the air as they turn around in circles. END/SALVATION/REDEMPTION.
So what we have learned from this about Lana Del Reys work is that she understands herself as a product of different essential Amrican idols, ideas, icons, stereotypes and concepts. Lana is constructed of the American wilderness and the power of the cowboy and the idea of the frontier. She as well is constructed from the myths of Marilyn Monroe ad Elvis, the gender blending in a life off social norms ans the ideas od romanticism. What leads us to the final question of wether there is a difference between subtext and fantasy in this world. And the answer is that in Lana's world there is no need to differeciate between these two. Subtext can be from a fantasy point in her work but as well subtext can create a fantastical moment. And that is what it means t be American. You are born and in Lana's world you die American.
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