Year: 1991
Director: Alek Keshishian
Country: US
Language: English
Twenty-five years after Madonna: Truth or Dare's original theatrical run, its subject- the Blonde Ambition tour- feels like one of the less interesting aspects of the famed singer's career. Madonna herself blared a commanding sexual power from the stage, performing muscular choreography that featured simulated sex so defiant in nature that autorities in Canada and Rome threatened to shut her shows down. Madonna wasn't, and still isn't, afraid to stir the pot and create controversy.
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.
Madonna paved the way for so many singers interested in embracing their sexuality through their music. The film does a great job at portraying the musician as a sheer force of will and nature. Filmed in high-contrast black-and-white 16mm, the backstage scenes intentionally evoke the vérité style of documentary film-making, as seen in Bob Dylan's Don't Look Now. Madonna's decision to allow cameras to follow her around constantly allows to turn every interaction, no matter how insignificant, into performance art.
Truth or Dare tries to be many things; a Freudian deconstruction of sexuality, a dissection of gender roles, an analysis of power and performance. It attempts philosophy, sociology, psych-analysis, and approaches the topic of feminism. One could view this film as an exploration of identity and our place in society. Truth or Dare straddles the line between great art and pretentious bullshit.
I really enjoyed this film, and came out with a greater appreciation for the Monroe look-alike. At the very least, if not an intelligent examination of the relationship between life and art, then this film is fairly entertaining. This is certainly a must-see for fans of this era of music.
No comments:
Post a Comment