Synopsis:
The Calgary Cinematheque Presents: Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991)
Capturing Madonna at the height of her pop-culture dominance during the Blond Ambition Tour, this influential and popular documentary straddles the line between gritty authenticity and highly manufactured spin. Music-video director Alek Keshishian worked with Madonna to create something that began as a concert film but evolved into a “warts-and-all” portrait of the pop star.
Over the years, the film has earned both praise and criticism. On one hand, it is entertaining, captures a major star at a peak moment, and—through its depiction of the backstage lives of her dancers—offered mainstream audiences a rare look at queer culture. It has also been cited as a major influence on reality-TV form and style.
On the other hand, some dancers sued the production for “outing” them, Madonna is often seen as self-centred, critics noted that documentaries about queer culture by queer filmmakers (such as Paris Is Burning) had greater authenticity, and the film was criticized upon release for being emotionally manipulative and staged.
Wherever your opinion lands, the movie remains a big, bold, unabashed snapshot of a very specific moment in American pop culture.
Genre: Documnetary
Director: Alek Keshishian
Stars: Madonna, Donna DeLory, Niki Haris
Running time: 2 hr 00 min
Rating: 14A (Coarse Language, Sexual Content)
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