Pre-Song Material The video begins with a short sequence of pre-song material where a wide angle shot reveals Gaga sitting on a white throne in a brightly lit white room. She is wearing a golden dress and razor blade glasses and is surrounded by people who make up the characters in the video, therefore this sequence acts as an introduction to the setting, characters and story.and immediately creates GaGa's star image (Pete Fraser) as an abstract artist with lavish costumes. The pair of razor-blade sunglasses she wears is believed by GaGa to portray tough female spirit. She explains 'I wanted to design a pair for some of the toughest chicks... that tough female spirit is something that I want to project. It's meant to be, this is my shield, this is my weapon, this is my inner sense of fame, this is my monster'.
Whilst zooming closer onto GaGa the camera cuts suddenly to a mid-shot of the same image and then to a close up of GaGa on the throne. This occurs whilst a synth robotic beat similar to the song plays. The camera cuts to a close up of her finger on the mute button of an I-Pod speaker, and as she releases it, the beat stops and the song begins to play. A pan of a dim bath house is then shown, and a bright light pans (that looks like a scanner) across the walls revealing several pods, activating fluorescent lighting that shines through a sign that reads 'Bath Haus of GaGa' The blank white setting and pods combined with the scanning light creates a science-fiction and mysterious feel to me watching and reminds me of the spaceship setting in the film 'Alien' where crew members are in pods in a similar fashion. This perhaps could be an example of intertexuality within the video.
First Hook and Verse As the first hook of the song begins, a group of female dancers wearing white long-sleeved leotards with knee high boots and matching crowns crawl out of white, coffin-like pods to the beat. The center pod has 'Mons†er' written on it, and Gaga emerges wearing a similar outfit to the others, who begin to dance behind her. The movements of getting out of the pod and the dancing very much reflect the monster theme with their hands contorted like claws and their leg movements stiff and jagged as if they are experiments just brought to life. Throughout the first verse a pastiche of scenes alternate between the long shot dancing sequence in front of the pods, close-ups of the dancers pulling monster like poses, a mid-shot of Gaga singing to herself in front of a mirror (wearing a black outfit, heals, sunglasses and crown like hat) and a mid-shot of her lying in a bathtub. This shot has been edited in post-production to enlarge GaGa's eyes to make her look like an alien- further enhancing the sci-fi theme mixed in with the monster theme. Throughout this sequence her abstract star image is displayed through the costumes and edited eyes that are actually quite 'freaky' on first viewing.
First Chorus When the chorus of the song begins, a series of mid-shots and close ups depict two women pulling her out of the bathtub, ripping her clothes off and forcing her to drink a glass of vodka. This sequence is interjected with the long shot dancing sequence in front of the pods and a close-up of GaGa with no make up, singing whilst crying. Each of these shots serve an important purpose in the video. The women pulling her out of the bath, removing her clothes and forcing her to drink links to the narrative of the video as they are going to sell her. It also conveys GaGa's willingness to experiment with adult themes and taboo issues and exposes her commitment to being shocking and controversial. The dance sequence allows the music video to have elements of performing to the song which conforms to a typical convention of music videos (Pete Fraser),expresses the song visually to the audience and creates a link to live performances of the song where the same routine will delivered. The close up of GaGa with no make up and singing while crying creates a connection with the audience who could feel sorry for the more vulnerable and emotional GaGa who is being mistreated in the video. The shot also allows the audience to see GaGa without the mask of being hidden behind make-up and extravagant hair and costumes.
Second Hook and Verse As the second hook and verse play a combination of mid-shots and long shots show a crowd of dancers pulling at GaGa and removing her coat to reveal a diamond-covered outfit topped with a crown. With frustration she is forced to seductively dance for a group of men bidding for her. She crawls towards them with the dancers behind her (again reinforcing the monster image) and straddles one of the men, played by Slovenian model Jurij Bradač, and performs a lap dance for him. Afterwards, he raises his bid and becomes the highest bidder for her. This sequence further develops the narrative of the video and combines it with a dance routine that went on to become the recognisable moves that should be performed to the song and to what many people try to copy. The second verse alternates between this sequence and a long shot of GaGa standing wearing only high heels and a hat that contains some sort of creature. The little clothing enhances the seedy and seductive setting of the video and would enhance voyeurism however GaGa's body has been edited in post production to look anorexic as her ribs are showing. This again reveals how she likes to be shocking and portray the message of this serious current issue in girls and models.
Second Chorus As the second chorus plays out more of the recognised Bad Romance dance routine is performed with the camera using a long shot so the audience can clearly see GaGa and the dances performing the sequence and a mid-shot so you get closer to GaGa and see her singing and dancing. Music videos alternate between different angles of the same shot to create a more visually interesting and dynamic sequence that allows the audience to see the action from different viewpoints. It also allows cuts to different shots to the beat of the song which effectively creates the style of a music video rather than a film. The camera also cuts to a long shot of GaGa in the shower stroking up her body- which enhances voyeurism. The main dance sequence intercuts to a shot of the same room however here the camera performs a circular pan around her as she stands still in a pose wearing a black bikini and headdress whilst diamonds float around her and the men watch her. This links to the narrative of the men owning her and ordering her to do what they want, symbolising how she is a possession put on show.
Third Hook and Bridge As the third hook plays a long shot depicts GaGa posing and rotating on the spot wearing sunglasses and a metal gyroscope like outfit that she calls 'The Orbit'. This shot again displays GaGa's visually creativity when creating outrageous outfits and links to what many people now expect of her. Therefore the music video helps to maintain GaGa's star image within pop music as she become more outrageous and original. I also feel the Orbit further creates a space/ sci-fi style that occurs several times in the music video. The rotating seems to link again to how she is being objectified and put on display to be sold. As the bridge plays the camera flashes between GaGa pulling different poses in the Orbit to her walking as if on a catwalk wearing a silver and green scales like suit and dress and Alexander McQueen's 12-inch high Armadillo shoes. The sequence links to the lyrics of the bridge 'Walk walk, Fashion Baby' as it is depicting her posing and walking as if on a catwalk like a model. The costume is shocking and outrageous (that the audience will most likely gasp at on first viewing) which again maintains her abstract and theatrical star image.
Final Chorus As the final chorus begins a combination of low angle shots (which reflect her new found power and threatening position) and long shots intercut with fades to black reveal Gaga (wearing a faux polar bear hide jacket) walking toward the man, who is sitting on a bed, unbuttoning his shirt and drinking a glass of vodka. This starts the climax to the narrative of the song as a close up depicts Gaga with look of indifference on her face removing her jacket and sunglasses before moving to a long shot where the bed suddenly combusts with the man still sitting on it. Gaga then sinisterly sings in front of the flames. This brings a sense of strength and theme of revenge to the video, and brings an actions/ stunt sequence that is visually shocking and stunning to the video. The video ends with her lying beside a smoldering skeleton, on top of the destroyed bed covered in ashes. With soot smeared across her body, she calmly smokes a cigarette, while her pyrotechnic bra activates. This is also shocking and theatrical and lays down the foundations of what to expect from GaGa in the future. The flame bra symbolises a strong woman using her assets as weapon and this can be interpreted as voyeurism as men will be excited by this strong woman image. 
Overall, I really like the video because it combines performance elements, visual interest through the wide range of different abstract costumes, morals and messages and a dark narrative that reaches an explosive and shocking climax that depicts a strong woman getting revenge. All of these aspects are particularly interesting to me as I also enjoy theatricality and performance. I also believe because of the videos shock factor, outrageous costumes and dance routine it will make people want to watch it again or show other people, so therefore it has the the repeatability factor- a key theory and convention applied to music videos.
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