The full "Alejandro" is here. Love it. It's like "Oh Father" (the snow in the beginning) meets Inglourious Basterds, watches a silent movie, has sex and gives birth to "Rhythm Nation." Except despite any influences, I wouldn't say this is a rip-off of anything too obvious. (Though Madonna fans will see shades of her X-STaTIC Process exhibit, probably thanks to the fact that this was directed by Steven Klein.) The vogueing is a cute hat-tip to Madonna without being a Sue Sylvester-style, Gus Vant Sant/Psycho remake.

"Alejandro"

X-STaTic Process

I especially love the makeup and the fashion (those independently functioning goggles) in this—she's so surprisingly adorable bouncing around in black-and-white looking like Joyce Bulifant, then looks hard and sexy like Albita.

Don't call my name, Joyce Bulifant 

But with all those "likes"—my favorite, most obsessive thing to do, draw comparisons—I think there is nothing like Lady GaGa out there right now and I'm so glad someone, especially someone so popular, takes music videos this seriously still.

Don't call my name, Albita 

I thought Steven Klein's collabs with Madonna were getting stale, but maybe he should have been directing her videos instead!

Many Madonna outtakes from that most recent Steven Klein W session are here. Some I'd already seen, some I hadn't. The budding couple looks pretty hot in some, a bit ragged in others.

Now that I've gone all soft and posted a few of the best Madonna outtakes, Jezebel has caught on to the outtake intake of breath from fans and fanemies with a piece that's attracted lots of input. Interesting in that it's more of a woman's perspective.

Feel free to let them know what you think of Madonna's PhotoShopping and/or surgical (mis)adventures.

Madonna's year-long love affair (if you believe Madonna) or showmance (if you believe some of her suspicious fans) with Jesus Luz is reportedly—accent on reportedly—ovah (if you believe the Chicago Sun-Times). He didn't like it, so he didn't put a ring on it, but that's okay—Madonna's more fun as a single lady with various suitors.

All of these outtakes were removed at the request of Steven Klein's legal representation.

Via Absolument Madonna: No one looks fresh and dewy at 50, but—yes, I'll continue being obsessed with this point forever, skip this post if it bugs ya—perhaps the main reason Madonna's surgical interventions annoy me is that while they may have been indulged to stave off the aging process, they haven't worked in that regard all that well AND they've robbed Madonna of her unique relationship with the camera. I'm sure the expression she was making in this unretouched W outtake would have been fucking interesting instead of comically disinterested if her face were not so unnaturally elongated. 

Meanwhile, again, how do these photographers EVER allow these leaks? It has to be so fucking easy to control.

And finally, is Steven Klein a fucking amazing photographer is or his assistant a fucking amazing retoucher?

I believe this is credited to "David Warhol," but an interesting find—the original, unretouched LV images of Madonna alongside PhotoShopped versions. I don't believe these poses were a part of the campaign, so it appears to me someone got a hold of leaked outtakes then PhotoShopped them on their own. At any rate, what I take from this is...she looked fine (sans the bunny ears!) with no retouching. She looks like she's in her forties, but I guess that is considered a flaw. 

Meanwhile, it's not like Madonna won't allow lightly retouched images out as official images:

But I prefer light or no retouching to this nonsense, however "cool" it looks:

P.S. Can someone please explain why Steven Klein's head has never rolled? Nearly every image he's ever taken has leaked in its original, unretouched form...and that IS avoidable. I do like his latest shots for D&G, but those could have been taken by Mario Testino or anyone else. Have some discretion, man!

Marco Dapper's cover shoot for the new issue of Mate is pretty cool and very sexy if a bit too literal an homage to Steven Klein's work with Justin Timberlake for Arena Homme + from years ago. 

Steven Klein gets cheeky with Madonna. 

The men of Vogue Paris Hommes International (Fall/Winter 2009/2010)...starting with this model by Hedi Slimane, illustrating a men's fragrances article:

Mary Russell opens her portfolio of men from the '60s and '70s for the mag, including unbelievably intimate and sexy shots of anyone you'd care to name from that era. My fave is this contemporary Ryan Taca shot—she now shoots boys sent over by Bruce Weber and says "I'm more intimidated by the sight of these boys who do nothing but stand there than by all the famous people I've met in my life":

 

More after the jump...