Dakota

I'm really very tired, but I'm staying up to watch the Madonna interview on VH1 and the re-edited "American Life" music video. I saw the original, thanks to Matt's T3 connection and a website that had a copy that the U.K. had shown. It was actually much better than the song would've implied; it's message of America's glamourizing of war and making it into, as Madonna envisioned, a fashion show - complete with stylized soldiers, Iraqi children and Madonna riding in on a tank.

Madonna's character is really beautiful in the video; she looks like she's in her 20s... Her best look since the early Ray of Light sessions. And she has some feisty female fighter crew that is dragging buck knives against walls... Yeah, so maybe not all of it's genius; it's pretty decent.

However, apparently, Madonna and much of America had an issue with the finished product, so she re-edited (blargh) and changed it around. I don't know how much was changed, but significant somethings... Probably the ending, where she throws a grenade at a George W. Bush look-a-like, who lights a cigar off of it. Eh. It seemed like kinda easy imagery, anyway.

But I love Madonna interviews, so that's what I'm mainly looking forward to. Madonna's great at interviews; you can tell when she's nervous - as she often is on televised 'views, but she generally comes off pretty genuine... and funny.

Today was school (94 on English paper - woo... He did kinda ask me if I've read any of the other books that we've had this semester... Hmmm), and watching of "I Love the 80s" on VH1 and The Princess Bride. Danielle left around 8.20 and I called Linz back. We were on the phone for only about 45 minutes, swapping boring what's-going-on-and-not-going-on-in-our-lives tales. It was good to talk to her; I need to do that more often. And now I'm waiting for 10. So I can watch Madonna. And then call Matt. And then, potentially go to sleep.

Genevieve never called me last night; I'm hoping everything's okay, and hope that if she can, that she call me at any time tonight.

Not that that's a hint or anything.

Yay Madonna!

And my printer's not working.

Yay Madonna!

Madonna's Dad on seeing Madonna live on stage: Can't you tone it down a bit?
Madonna: For you? No, because that would be compromising my artistic integrity.
Madonna's Dad: Well, of course!
- Madonna: Truth or Dare

Okay, so I saw the interview and the new music video.

The interview was actually two separate ones, the one with Megan Mullally (from Will and Grace) and a more recent one (one that must've happened in the last two weeks). They showed a clip of Madonna and Megan on W&G... M must've worn a wig or something, as it didn't look entirely natural, and she's been brunette for the last month. However, it looks adequately hysterical. I saw an ad for it at school today, on one of the cafeteria televisions.

The Megan interview spanned a distance: new album, age and growing old gracefully... or not so gracefully, music, children, and marriage. The more recent interview had much more interesting comments by Madonna, and I'll have to hope they get a transcript up on Madonnarama.com sometime. I taped it, though. It was actually quite good.

They showed clips of the original video throughout, and had the obligatory Madonna "rewind" segements where they showed photos of her in the last 20 years and played sound files. However, this was done better than many, and seemed okay, even if a little rushed and completely avoiding the True Blue, Dick Tracy, and Erotica years entirely.

The new video is Madonna in her officer uniform from the original vid. They likely just used footage from previous shooting. It has Madonna superimposed over numerous flags of countries, ending rather poignantly with the American flag. You sort've have to look twice to realize why it looks familiar, after seeing so many others before it that you cannot place. The actual vid just has Madonna in front of the flags, singing. Occasional close-ups, some animation out of Powerpoint, and effects. All-in-all, a very low-cost remake, and not entirely fulfilling. The song requires a faster paced video and more action. There's not much here. This would be fine if it were promotional. I cannot imagine seeing this video playing very often anywhere.

The original was... original. And had a much preferrable image of Madonna. And really should not have been shelved. At the very least, it could've had a notice at the beginning of the music video or something. I understand Madonna's not wanting to compromise her children or her filmmaker husband with controversy -- but that's always seemed a worthy aftermath. Not only did she change her message of the video, she didn't change it because her opinion changed, she did it to be safe. And that irritates me.

However, Madonna's always done things her way, and if she felt that this was a better representation of her way, then more power to her. I think that, artistically, this was a damaging move.

and I'm not sorry - it's human nature - and I'm not sorry - I'm not your bitch; don't hang your shit on me - you wouldn't let me say the words I longed to say - you didn't want to see life through my eyes - you tried to shove me back inside your narrow room - and silence me with bitterness and lies - [. . .] - did I say something wrong? - oops, I didn't know I couldn't talk about sex - did I stay too long? - oops, I didn't know I couldn't speak my mind - [. . .] - did I have a point of view? - oops, I didn't know I couldn't talk about you - [. . .] - I'm not apologizing - would it sound better if I were a man? - you're the one with the problem - why don't you just deal with it? - would you like me better if I was? - we all feel the same way - I have no regrets - just look in the mirror - I don't have to justify anything. - Madonna, "Human Nature."