Lady Gaga: On the Edge (2011)

Directed by: Tara Pirnia | 70 minutes | music, documentary

The documentary ‘Lady Gaga: On the Edge’ starts with the quote “obsession with fame”. That was indeed early on with Stefani Germanotta, better known as Lady Gaga. Born on March 28, 1986, Stefani grew up in a musical family. She took piano lessons from the age of four and at thirteen she already gained stage experience in school musicals, all strongly stimulated by her parents. It soon becomes apparent that Stefani is not an everyday girl. Stefani moves to New York and with her first band she mainly plays Led Zeppelin covers. She also writes songs for Britney Spears and The Pussycat Dolls, among others. Rapper Akon encourages her to release a record herself. Under her famous nickname Lady Gaga (because she always sang Queen’s song ‘Radio Gaga’ in the studio), she released her first CD, The Fame, in 2008 with the hit single ‘Just Dance’. From this CD ‘Poker Face’, ‘Love Games’ and ‘Paparazzi’ also become big hits.

The documentary is graced with commentary from celebrities (Rihanna, Beyoncé, Kylie Minogue, Usher, some members of Kiss, Paris Hilton) and people from the fashion world on the phenomenon Lady Gaga. The main theme for Lady Gaga is self-image and personal acceptance. Where former pop icons such as Cher and Madonna reinvented themselves every decade, Lady Gaga takes on a new look for each single. From extravagant, colorful wigs, remarkable footwear and outlandish dresses (the infamous meat dress!), to the modest as her male alter ego Joe Calderone (from the clip of ‘You and I’). The documentary shows that Lady Gaga sees David Bowie, Freddy Mercury, Madonna and Grace Jones as her great sources of inspiration. All her hits are reviewed, such as the phenomenal song ‘Telephone’ (with Beyoncé). Lady Gaga, no one can ignore her anymore. Forget the show woman, it is mainly the lyrics and the music that make her remain a super pop star, as the renowned pop magazines Spin and The Rolling Stone also acknowledge.

No, Mrs. Gaga should certainly not be called superficial. For each song she addresses a social theme: sex, gambling or religion. Lady Gaga, fortunately also blessed with a healthy dose of self-mockery, does not shy away from controversy. She uses her talent to inspire others. She is very socially active and campaigns for gay and women’s rights and AIDS prevention. In addition, she often sticks her neck out unpaid to lend an extra helping financial hand to areas affected by natural disasters (including the tsunami in Japan). Is the documentary completely uncritical? New. Usher doubts that all her crazy outfits won’t get boring in the long run. Some well-known names from the fashion world are also wondering about the shelf life of the world’s most famous ‘lady’. Anyway, musically, Lady Gaga is fine. This is evident from the songs ‘Speechless’ and ‘Edge of Glory’, which she performs very convincingly solo behind the piano, almost unadorned. The lady can just sing well, period. From anonymous roles in school musicals to absolute world stars. Lady Gaga cannot really be compared with anyone, she is completely unique. One of the most acclaimed artists who manages to surprisingly push her artistic boundaries time and again. This documentary is really a ‘must have’ for all her fans! Go get it, little monsters…