Lana Del Rey's Short Film 'Tropico' Offers Insight Into Humanity's Decline and Gritty Underworld

Lana Del Rey has released her own short film, and it’s wonderful. On the surface, one might not expect Del Rey to draw heavy, dark emotions from the recess of Los Angeles’ grimy underworld, but that’s exactly what she’s accomplished. It offers a raw and twisted look at a seedy world of crime, sex and deceit, all with a religious undertone. The imagery is a reminder of the evil that exists around us and the folly of misguided morals, while the inclusion of Adam and Eve recalls human kind’s descent into sin and loss of innocence. But in the end, love prevails, trumping the evil that spawned from our existence.

In the 27-minute long film, titled “Tropico,” Del Rey plays Eve as she drifts from the Garden of Eden with Adam, played by Shaun Ross, to an audacious stick up with guns, strippers and an abundance of cash. It begins with a shot of Del Rey wearing a wimple interspersed with images of people resembling Jesus, John Wayne, Marilyn Monroe and Elvis. And then it gets even weirder. Throughout the Garden of Eden, John Wayne movie dialogue and famous quotes from the contemporaries listed above sound off over images of intensely color-corrected skies, contributing to the film’s eerie and mysterious mood. And it wouldn’t be Del Rey without a strong sexual undertone.

Upon biting into the forbidden fruit, Del Rey and Ross are sent to a dirty Los Angeles convenience store. From there, the world of sin unfolds, taking Adam and Eve through strip clubs, gritty apartments and hotel rooms. Throughout their travels, Del Rey offers a dark and descriptive poem in wistful and dreamy tones and a soundtrack consisting of three of her own songs from her “Tropico” EP.

At the climax, Del Rey takes to the stage and entertains the patrons of a gentlemen’s club with a seductive pole dance as her team robs a private party sex party with their guns blaring, all while she recites Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl.” It’s remarkable.

As Adam and Eve’s journey comes to an end, the two wander into a golden field overlooking the city, embracing eachother as they ascend into outer space and Elvis gingerly scores the sequence.

“Tropico” was directed by the highly revered Anthony Mandler, whose rap sheet of clients includes Rihanna, Taylor Swift and Jay Z. Del Rey’s three songs can be found on the “Tropico” soundtrack as well as her 2012 success, “Born to Die.” Del Rey was also kind enough post the video on Vevo, so if you want to save yourself some coin, you can watch it below.