Madonna: Truth or Dare

Um, I should try recording this in bed.

It'd be like "In Bed With Madonna." There's a British comedian, Bob, um, shit, I can't remember his surname, but he did a stand-up tour called "In Bed With Me Dinner." [chuckles] I always liked the idea of that.

It's just...

Yeah.

[laughs]

We had, we hosted an amazing screening of Madonna's Truth or Dare last night.

Yes.

We did part of, uh, American Cinematheque's Friend of the Fest Festival-

Yeah.

Um, and we, um, we were deeply humbled of course.

You know, we s- we post on all our socials, "Wow, so excited to be hosting a screening of Madonna's Truth or Dare."

Sold out within like two hours.

The behind-the-scenes documentary represents a fascinating negotiation between artist and filmmaker because it requires tremendous trust and often involves revealing vulnerability.

Madonna's Truth or Dare, released in nineteen ninety-one and directed by Alec Kazhishian, is a perfect example of how this can work when the artist is actively collaborating and shaping their own image.

The film follows Madonna during her nineteen ninety Blonde Ambition Tour.

And while it's ostensibly a documentary, Madonna is clearly performing for the camera, even in supposedly private moments.

You see her backstage with dancers, visiting her mother's grave, dealing with throat problems that threaten performances, and engaging in provocative conversations about sexuality and religion.

What makes Truth or Dare interesting is that ambiguity.

Is Madonna revealing her authentic self, or is she constructing yet another performance? The film includes both color footage of the spectacular stage performances, like her version of Vogue, and black and white footage of backstage life.

The visual distinction suggests a separation between public and private, but Madonna blurs these boundaries constantly.

Blonde Ambition

... of which forms the bulk of the documentary film Madonna: Truth or Dare? Blonde Ambition.

Yes.

In Desperately Seeking Susan, Susan tries on a pair of rhinestone-studded boots in a second-hand clothes shop and then trades them for the jacket she's wearing, which she claims used to belong to which rock musician?

Madonna's character, the missionary nurse Miss Tatlock, tells Sean Penn's Glendon Waysey that she has what first name? Gloria.

Yes.

In Madonna: Truth or Dare, when Kevin Costner-

Do you know? I'm sorry

And that's how bodybuilding and exercise works.

And I think that there is an element of that with clothes where if you, when you can think about performers who get on stage, like I was just watching Madonna's Truth or Dare last night again, and the corsetry and the costumes and so many performers, Lady Gaga, they put on these insane outfits that are very tight, contained.

You look at Taylor Swift's, it's a lot of like corsetry, Sabrina Carpenter.

Yeah.