Directed By: Alek Keshishian
Editor: Barry Alexander Brown
Cast: Madonna
From the rain of Japan, through threats of arrest for 'public indecency' in Canada, and a birthday tribute to her father in Detroit, this documentary follows Madonna on her 1990 'Blond Ambition' concert tour. Filmed in black and white, with the concert pieces in glittering MTV color, it is an intimate look at the work of the music performer, from a prayer circle with the dancers before each performance to bed games with the dance troupe afterwards.
Documents Madonna's first major tour of the 1990s beginning 13 April 1990 in Mukuhari, Japan and ending 5 August in Nice, France. The tour hit 27 cities and sold out every show except in Italy where one show was canceled due apparently to objections over its content.
David Fincher was originally going to direct, but cancelled at the last minute.
The whole purpose usually if a documentary is to get to know the person it’s about. While you get to see the day to day life of Madonna. It’s more you get her day today life on tour. While getting snippets of her thoughts and her past. You get a bit of insight into what defines her as you get to meet her family. This is a bit more in depth then what would today be viewed as an extra feature on a CD.
It reminds you that at the time of release. How powerful and mythical celebrities were. This was at the height of Madonna’s popularity. This was one of the first times we got to see behind the curtain and got to see what she was like would she live up to our expectations. What’s her creative process like? While we get some of that. She still is as a distance as to who she is. That is why this might be the best On-Screen performance, She has ever given. As it is about her she still is at a distance as she never let’s herself go nor gives up total control to the documentary. The documentary gives just enough of an intimate portrait to either identify with her or at least find interest in her.
I can complain about some of the lack of depth, but it might not be the filmmakers fault as they can only work with what she gives and also there might be any at that point. That I imagine is what will be the most disappointing aspect to some that you don’t learn enough about Madonna. Where as this more follows the whole tour.
In today’s climate it’s easy to lookup and find any information on any celebrity you want. Back then it was a little harder and you had to purposely put in work to get it. So we more or less got celebrities at face value. So this film was a chance to get to know one of the great icons of the time. It delivers some of what you want even nudity. At least a quick flash of it, but for a boy my age at the time viewing it. Who was a fan and driven growing up and through puberty with lust for Madonna in particular who seemed to put her sultry and erotic side on display while she played lustful and had a bombshell image. It was finally payoff in a long build up and the beginning of the onslaught of nudity, she would display soon after in various projects. She used sex and sexuality as her playthings. In her image and in her music Erotica was her background. She follows the David Bowie model of reinvention and distraction with a little shock value thrown in the mix.
In the "Express Yourself" concert sequence, Madonna says "All right, America! Do you believe in love?" This audio is overdubbed onto footage shot in Paris, where she does not wear the ponytail as in the Japan and USA stops. Madonna's live vocals for "Express Yourself" were also replaced with the album version and the song was edited down from the longer performance featured in the actual Blond Ambition tour.
At the time of filming she was dating Warren Beatty who actively avoids the camera rather uncomfortably, other then that there is very little gossip involved. The film also takes the time to allow us to follow the lives of some of her more charismatic dancers who actually have more interesting stories to tell as they open up totally to the camera. Especially when compared to Madonna, who comes off as a brat with unlimited power who tries to come off as cool and unflappable asserting total control. While trying to seem mothering.
The documentary is iconic also as many after it focusing on more glamorous celebrity and it’s culture healthily borrows from it’s style format and flourish. By now of course the documentary is dated, but it is an excellent snapshot of the time and culture, Also the time in Madonna’s life.
It also seemed to be her saying goodbye to an old character or identity of sorts.
The second half of her career took off like a comedian after a year or two dropped old material and developing new material and jokes. Which seems to be a more modern theme.
Owe her thanks to a degree. Burst the bubble early on fame, but didn't stop me from having s fascination and appreciation of it that has smile died of recent, but continues to grow in all aspects of communication. But she was one of the first to pull back the curtain and expose the strings. Showcase the delivery and plan. Breaking it down. One of the biggest icons of my particular generation growing up. Where I got to see grow. As well as an everlasting sex symbol. Who probably helped shape my sexual identity or at least my attractions to a certain degree. Making my views on sexuality more accepting, open and liberal.
It's watching a world wide superstar at her peak, but also a glimpse into the future of being excited and disgusted to a degree by giving is an uncensored look at a star. Who is being real, but also fulfilling the role of what people expect, playing up to the camera. Being an icon as she seeks to show that she is normal
Like everyone else, but want to be immortalized.
This film as made before reality television became such a huge commodity and before the Internet would expose us to everyday details of celebrity's as well as giving us some availability of access to them.
Kind of like the reality shows of today. Where we watch to get access to stars and watch drama go down to fuel gossip and keep us interested. Where half of it seems fabricated to add excitement and the other times just boring that audience complain about but must remember they are human. Not necessarily performers who Must add drama to their love only to keep you continuously entertained and fascinated.
As this films seems to want to be a warts and all look at her. It also could be more of an album
Extra on the making.But rare was the full access given back then. Though as this seemed set up from the start to be released theatrically might be a major reason why it was given and was so successful.
While we watch Madonna act like a diva and show, why she was an icon and progressive. As well as being a sex symbol, she comments and acts on her sexual image while pushing it as far as she can. Like a modern day Marilyn Monroe. Who lived long enough to enjoy her fame and career. Though Madonna's current problem might be she stayed around too long. Having the same mindset as she gets older and out of touch. Trying to impress younger generations who are indifferent rather then her older worshipful fans. So she looks more ridiculous as she keeps trying to impress the younger audience. Tearing away at her legacy instead of cultivating similarly aged fans. She has gotten so used to being cutting edge it seems or introducing trends. Now she seems more desperate and late to a degree. Rather then effortless like she used to.
Still she has earned the respect. though now and again she suffers from being spoiled too much by the spotlight. Having a rough upbringing and self made success story. Helps her to be relateable and feel she came from the skids and knows all or at least most.
This film that was supposed to be a celebration of her also allows us to see her flaws. Almost by accident and never focusing on them, but they present themselves time and again for us to read into or expect to a certain degree. Her fractured relationship with family members, her vanity and cold ways in which she treats an old school friend, dancers and make up person who she mildly laughs at after telling a story of how she might have been date raped. How she treats dancers like family, but at a distance and new she is so big other celebrities and dignitaries come to flatter her and treats them like fans. Warren Beatty her supposed boyfriend at the time keeps dodging the cameras and Kevin Costner who after this in my opinion seemed to try to eliminate his nice guy image on screen and seem more intense, and bad ass in general. Seeming like an on going midlife crisis in his career. Even though at the time he was one of the biggest movie stars in the world. She still Makes fun of him and his demeanor once he is out of sight.
This film works on so many levels. It is a time capsule of the times, the power of fame and adulation. As well as the power of celebrity and the vapid levels it brings which happens when you believe in your own fame too much.
She doesn't come off as a villain as one could imagine would react the same way to some situations. Though this is her at her height of celebrity. When visual and facade was more powerful then honest and reflection. Which is why what looks like a portrait of a celebrity and her career still has so much power and sting after all these years. A prophecy in 90 minutes - 2 hours of this film. Has more insight, highlights and more to say then a season or two of something like KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS. (As scenes like her looking for her mother's grave seem both honest and set-up tot emotional reactions) though she is a fascinating subject and I am was a fan. This also ends up being the closest she ever came to pure art. Being controversial, sincere, true and provacative and still her most successful project when it comes to films, where she seems to want to conquer but seems to be constantly have bad luck in, with acting and directing except for DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN and A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN.
Which seems now more a footnote in pop film-making. The only other noteworthy film was DANGEROUS GAME. Where she seemed to dirty herself up. The film directed by Abel Ferrera is experimental and seems autobiographical to a degree. It is essentially about a director trying to make a film where the two leads are a real life couple and having a troubled relationship and then their demons are more exposed trying to nose the film and in the end. The director kills himself because the actress is so bad she can't act, but seeks the film to be a masterpiece.
Seems successful and artistic by accident as it already seems indulgent though achieves an artistic document whose flourishes work despite a pretentious style that shapes/cultivates the material. The movie is ahead of it's time too bad her next project SEX the book of naked and sexual photographs of her didn't work in the same way.
Other then getting older in the 90's she seemed to also present herself naked a lot more, she had posed in playboy magazine or taken more artistic nudes before, but part of her fame and appeal was girls wanting to be like her and guys wanted to either have sex with her or have a girlfriend like her. I grew up in her rising fame years. So I remember the different phases of her fame. As she seemed to sexually tease audiences and fans to a degree. Building up wonder and mystery about her and then in the 90's they got their answers. As she seemed to star in explicit sexual thrillers with plenty of nudity. Put out her sex book and even I. This film flash her breasts and so the air slowly was let out of the balloon. Sort of like watching a show that you want 2 characters to get together and then they do and now very few reasons to keep watching the show.
Though she was one of the artists to embrace gay fans more socially and proudly. And try to introduce Sexual openness showing it was ok whoever your were and whoever you were attracted to. As she tries to make the taboo mainstream or introduce taboo material into the mainstream. While staying a sexpot in control and also victim to it's addiction. But seeking to change the role and reinvent herself or the same person only in different presentations
Nothing to be ashamed of, the to knew at the time. Again always we trying to be the outsider who makes the world change for her. To be her comfort zone. Extending the message be yourself most especially her will approve.
Almost like a prolonged striptease. she knew what she was doing. Not a kind of I'm an innocent who doesn't know any better, just having fun. Caught up and shocked in short clothing that people have dirty though ala Jessica Simpson more like Britney spears less obviously calculated. Though who realized the plan and used it all up too early. Though was on the cusp of a Madonna like legacy, but more wholesome career before it came crashing down and was rebuilt to a degree but not as strong and powerful.
This is quite a monumental film that I believe few, Even the subject and filmmakers failed to realize would have as much power and influence that it does today, of course to some it feels and looks dated, but if you look at it and consider it more deeply. You can see how influential it is despite it's vapidity and pretension.
Can easily be called an early MTV movie or what it stands for aimed at youth not at this with bigger themed, a gloss and tries to be deeper then it actually is. Like a teen using vocabulary works unnecessarily. It's not talked about or treated like just another documentary that come with most albums these days. this was one of the first and released theatrically which turned a profit.
It demystified her but also added to her elusive fame to a degree. As she sought to expose herself. Mind, body and soul with a go noose of nudity and reality.
Three of the dancers featured in the film, Oliver Crumes Jr., Kevin Alexander Stea and Gabriel Trupin later filed a lawsuit against Madonna for invasion of privacy, fraud and deceit and intentional misrepresentation.
Though really your interest will depend on how much you have to learn or at least follow her.
I recommend it.
GRADE: B
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