Has anyone seen Madonna's "American Life" video? I saw it through salon.com. They have a link to either stream it or download it.

I actually like it. It makes America look really aggressive and militaristic, which is, I think, pretty acurate. My own beliefs aside, it's interesting that she has continued to bring together producers and directors and make interesting art. In many ways I wish Prince could do this, too.

from Salon:
http://www.salon.com/ent/...3/madonna/

The Madonna video you can't see on MTV

By Heather Havrilesky

It is impossible for man to look straight at the present, he is so
terrified by it. We stand on the stern of the ship looking at the wake
and saying, "We're in very troubled waters." -- Marshall McLuhan

After almost a decade of throwing back Baja stuffed shrimp platters and
32-ounce margaritas, while we debated whether Britney wore the medium or
the super-sized boobs in her latest Pepsi commercial, times have finally
changed. The mood has shifted and suddenly it's much more difficult to
enjoy all of our usual shallow pleasures. There's a new
self-consciousness, and no one, aside from maybe Catherine Zeta-Jones
and a few of the producers of "Chicago," is prepared to push themselves
or their ideas front and center.

And then there's Madonna. Strong, tough, in-your-face Madonna, she who
taunted Catholicism, flaunted her body, vaunted gay culture, and did all
of the above before it was cool -- or rather, before it was cool in the
mainstream, and well after it was cool among young urban artists and
intellectuals. Surely, in these turbulent times, Madonna will offer up
some powerful message about the war. She has unapologetically stuck her
neck and everything else out so many times before. Sure, she's no spring
chicken -- but, more important, she's no Dixie Chick.

It came as little surprise to hear that Madonna's latest "controversial"
video, for the single "American Life," features "disturbing images of
war." In fact, such news is patently predictable at a time when
disturbing images of war fill every channel, and "controversial" is a
word that describes any music video or song that isn't merely about
partying or wearing incredibly expensive jewelry but keeping it real
deep down inside
-- which seems to mean keeping what's real to yourself. For all her past
complaints about her privacy, Madonna has never been comfortable hiding
herself. So why did she pull her video at the last minute, blocking its
release in the U.S.? How is it possible that, on Monday night, Germans
got to see a Madonna video called "American Life," while Americans were
left in the dark?

Oh, Madonna. You never wanted to live that way. You never wanted to hurt
us. Why are you running away?

Just last week, Madonna seemed determined not to run away from
criticisms of the video: "I feel lucky to be an American citizen for
many reasons,"
she told MTV, "one of which is the right to express myself freely,
especially in my work." Yet on Tuesday she issued a statement outlining
her reasons for pulling the video's U.S. release: "Due to the volatile
state of the world and out of sensitivity and respect to the armed
forces, who I support and pray for, I do not want to risk offending
anyone who might misinterpret the meaning of this video."

Hold on. Madonna doesn't want to risk offending anyone? Madonna is
worried about those who might misinterpret the meaning of her throwing a
hand grenade at George W. Bush, who proceeds to light his cigar with it?
Wait
-- she's already explained that, too. She told MTV, "The ending of the
video is really important. I throw this hand grenade ... But it gets
caught. And the one who catches it takes something that could be violent
and destructive and takes the destruction out of it by turning it into
something else. That's my hope for an alternative, not only to this war,
but all wars." Ah, yes. Can't you hear them out there in the streets,
yelling, "Cigars, not wars!"?

Listening to Madonna talk about her own art is as uncomfortable as
hearing an intelligent politician like Bill Clinton mincing words about
his affair with Monica Lewinsky. This is a talent that the former
president and the first lady of pop share: No matter what outrageousness
occurs behind close doors, the wider public is spoon-fed watered-down
vagaries as a matter of policy. "Truth or Dare" long ago proved that
words are not Madonna's strongest suit. But that doesn't mean that the
"American Life" video -- or its delayed release -- is necessarily an
empty attempt to drum up publicity or controversy.

Madonna's comments about the grenade might even make some sense, if they
didn't fly in the face of every other image in the video (which it's
possible to view online via a half-dozen different Web sites). In fact,
the grenade-as-cigar-lighter is perfectly in keeping with the video's
disconcerting collection of images, a dizzying and extremely dark
collage, which seems to suggest that the decadence of life in America is
inextricably linked to our military dominance overseas. While such
notions may be particularly uncomfortable at a time when our troops are
so vulnerable, and we're consistently reminded of the moral imperatives
of our involvement, it's still refreshing to see a mainstream artist
willing to raise it, instead of just feeding us more glittery
distractions. In fact, it's those distractions that Madonna seems
determined to skewer.
While explosions occur and bombs drop on a screen in the background,
models half-dressed in military garb walk down a runway, followed by
what appears to be a young Arab boy draped in ammunition, and several
covered Muslim women. Madonna carves "Protect Me" onto one of the stalls
of a public restroom, indulges in some "Rhythm Nation"-style dance moves
in a hallway, and then, tossing a half-full latti over her shoulder,
raps about the pursuit of happiness via Pilates classes, personal
trainers, metaphysical enlightenment and, yes, strong coffee.

At first glance, of course, this offering appears hopelessly cheesy and
literal. What can Madonna be thinking, rapping about caffeine and yoga
while bombs drop on the screen behind her? But then, her ability to
fearlessly capture cultural shifts has always depended on an embrace of
clunky, on-the-nose lyrics that often seem unwieldy at first. Papa,
don't preach, I'm in trouble deep? Come on, Vogue, let your body move to
the music? It's true that, from a distance, her passions look
fabricated, particularly when viewed through a skeptical urban lens:
We've known about these things for years -- gay culture, Marilyn Monroe,
fetishism, cowboy attire. But Madonna has made a living by appropriating
and exploiting cultural elements she collected along the way. If they
didn't belong to her at first, she quickly made them her own.

And while she has often been praised for her ability to spot and embrace
the images and ideas that have run their course on the fringe but that
still have the ability to shock the mainstream, as a trend-spotter,
Madonna is merely in step with a much larger herd that transforms those
images and ideas into consumable goods. What sets her apart is how
artfully she combines seemingly incongruous snapshots, concepts and
sounds into a whole that feels intensely personal yet still reflects the
culture at large. The indulgences of modern life, presented in contrast
with what's happening overseas, have the power to make us uncomfortable
and uneasy, and somehow Madonna's latest video evokes the same feelings.
While her weapons may seem blunt at first glance, over time, her
absurdly over-the-top, clumsily broad approach seems to capture some
essential frequency of the times. And, in a strange reversal on most pop
art, her creations seem to miraculously evolve into something subtler
and more powerful upon repetition.

Despite the ominous predictions in the New York Times on March 31 that
Madonna "may be looking at the final stages of a long career," "American
Life" is destined to attract the kind of attention and emotional
responses that guarantee her career is far from over. While critics
might be tempted to follow the Times' lead, proclaiming that Madonna has
lost her touch or that she's overstepped the boundaries of what
Americans find acceptable, her work isn't nearly as shocking as the
overreaction on the Drudge Report and elsewhere might suggest.

What's truly remarkable about our times is not these "controversial"
works and the predictable debate about whether or not they're created
just to grab the public's attention, but how few artists are willing to
reflect the ugliness of the current political and cultural climate.
While Neil Young, John Lennon and Country Joe McDonald took on the war
abroad and in the streets during the Vietnam era, and U2 bellowed
melodramatically about Bloody Sunday, our Jennys from the Block boast
about "rockin' this business" and being grown-up enough to date Ben
Affleck.

As Madonna's latest offering suggests, it's such shallow diversions --
her own and ours -- that got us into this mess in the first place. As
Marshall McLuhan wrote, "Too much of anything, however sweet, will
always bring the opposite of whatever you thought you were getting."
Madonna may not be the most articulate spokeswoman for the times, but
she has managed to capture the anxiety of American life at a time when
affluence, escapism and dread are interchangeable elements of our daily
experience. "American Life" is another example of her uncanny ability to
personalize and amplify the contradictions and paradoxes of modern life.

Culturally, we can only benefit from pop artists who dare to hold a
mirror to our times. No matter how warped that mirror might seem to
some, Madonna's latest reflection is no more shocking than a random spin
through the channels, from CNN to the Home Shopping Network to the WB
and back to Fox News. It's a particularly bitter irony that the
disaffected, reality-averse culture she savages so well in "American
Life" seems to have persuaded her to shelve the video indefinitely.

Upcoming Madonna appearances---


***MTV "LIVE" Special 4/22---Yes! On the day her new CD is released,Madonna will be on MTV performing several new songs live.

***Regis And Kelly 4/23

***Will & Grace 4/24---look for this sitcom to get it's highest ratings ever when Maddy guest stars on it.

***Letterman 4/24


Other Madonna projects for 2003---


***Big screen musical---Madonna has written her own musical called "Hello Suckas" and she plans to start filming it this summer.She will star in it and write/produce most of the songs.Considering the success of recent films like 'Moulin Rouge' and 'Chicago',I think it makes sense for Maddy to try a musical.

***The Box Set---Just in time for Christmas,Maddy will release a big,multi-disc box set filled with all the hits,B-sides,unreleased tracks,demos,live versions and other goodies.

Aaron...that's a terrific article!

DavidEye...once again with the news...

I'm now quite sad this video didn't get released, like the song it grows on me evry time I watch it...

Yeah,it is kinda sad that the video won't be shown.For weeks,we heard all this hype and speculation about it,and now,it's been pulled.Kinda reminds me of 1987 when Prince quickly pulled 'The Black Album'.I guess we'll just have to look forward to the next single and video (rumored to be "Hollywood" or "Love Profusion").


Speaking of "Love Profusion"...on April 14,fans will be able to hear this song on Madonna's official site (fueling speculation that it will indeed be the second single).

gnations said:

I love the video.It's absolutely brilliant.

DavidEye said:

This box set could be as essential as James Browns Startime or the The Clash's Over Broadway if done properly. I reckon its gonna take 4cds at least. I hope they do it properly and simply don't pepper it with remixes no one wants to hear.

I actually think the music is pretty good...but Madonna is a wimp!! That just goes to show you that Madonna does not want to risk loosing fans or money. If she had any strong belief in what she does, she would stand behind her work no matter what the reprecussion. Instead, she shows that she is afraid of a backlash.

Truth is-the video was really misdirected-in the sense that she depicted soldiers dressed as women. What is that supposed to mean? That our military is cowardly, that therefore women themselves represent cowards? Wars take courage and I have said it before - I'm glad Saddam is being dealt with-for whatever reason Bush did this, I don't care, too many people have suffered under his rule. Why not depict the people who have been masacred and oppresed for the last 20+ years under Saddam?

Madonna and all those celebrities that live off America and Americans - and then turn around and turn there noses up at America can kiss my ass!

gabeez said:

R u seriously offended by effeminate soldiers? She's just playing with the image of what soldiers represent in our patriarchal society. A response like urs is exactly why the video has been pulled. It's got nothing 2 do with money either. MTV had alreay decided they weren't going 2 air the video. And right wingers in the media had their knives out for Madonna, whore of babylon who now was going 2 use war to sell albums.

Having urself photographed with two lesian skinhead holding a pair of scissors at ur crotch is hardly gonna endear u to the record buying public of middle America.
She's done so many things to alienate a lot of people there already, so i don't find the money statement credible at all.



Does being an American negate having an opinion on politics?

Martinelli said:

It's clear to me why Madonna pulled the video.So many people would have misunderstood it,they would have failed to see the irony in it,and they would have gone after Madonna,calling her "anti-American" and "un-patriotic".So,in the end,Madonna probably did the right thing.