Who directed Madonna’s 1989 music video for “Express Yourself”?

David Fincher directed Madonna’s 1989 music video for “Express Yourself.”

The video drew visual inspiration from Fritz Lang’s 1927 silent film Metropolis, especially its industrial city, machinery, and class divisions. Madonna appears as a powerful figure moving through a stylized factory world, while the workers and executives form part of an elaborate narrative about desire, authority, and gender roles.

Fincher had already established himself in music videos before moving further into feature filmmaking. His collaboration with Madonna helped make “Express Yourself” one of the most visually ambitious clips of the late 1980s. The production used large sets, dramatic lighting, choreography, and tightly controlled camera movement.

A common mix-up is confusing this video with other major Madonna collaborations. “Vogue,” released the following year, was directed by Fincher too, but the question here concerns “Express Yourself.” The video received multiple nominations at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards.