Justify My Love (video)
Encyclopedia
"Justify My Love" was the first ever VHS
video single to be released by American singer Madonna
. This was the first time an artist had released a single in this format. It was released by Sire Records
and Warner Music Vision, to capitalize on the controversy surrounding the music video which was subsequently banned by MTV
. It contained the highly controversial and sexually-charged video.
On December 3, 1990, ABC's Nightline played the video in its entirety, then interviewed Madonna live about the video's sexual content and censorship. When asked whether she stood to make more money selling the video than airing it on MTV, she shrugged and answered, "Yeah, so? Lucky me." She also mentioned that the banning was hypocritical as male artists were able to show music videos on the channel which contained sexist and violent imagery. She also mentioned that in her "Vogue" music video she had worn a see-through lace top which exposed her breasts, but this was passed by the channel.
The video contained imagery of sadomasochism, voyeurism
and bisexuality
. Madonna biographer, Mark Bego commented that "Throwing a scandal Madonna's way is like throwing gasoline on a fire." The controversy turned out to be a publicity and financial coup, with the single spending two consecutive weeks at no. 1 on Billboard
s Hot 100 in early 1991.
The video single was released exclusively in the United States and Europe, and was never released anywhere else in the world.
only, the packaging in North America was a plain black slip cover with a sticker around it, so that it resembled a "seedy video". In Europe it was given the full cover artwork treatment and they also included a bonus video of Madonna's performance of "Vogue" at the 1990 MTV Music Video Awards, which was ironic as MTV had banned the title track. In the UK, the video was given an "18" certificate by the BBFC meaning no one under that age could legally buy or see the release.
The video was filmed primarily on Laserdisc
in grainy black and white in the style of a 1960s European art film. The action takes place in an elegant hotel that apparently caters to alternate lifestyle couples. Madonna (or the character she's playing) enters looking tired and distressed as she walks down the hallway toward her room. There she has a romantic fling with a mysterious man. Some of the doors to the other rooms are ajar and we catch glimpses of various couples cavorting in BDSM
fetish outfits (leather, latex bodysuits, and corsets).
In a dream-like sequence, Madonna rolls around in bed wearing skimpy lace underwear while various figures come and go. The only nudity (which led to the video being banned) occurs when a topless dominatrix
-type woman — suspenders partly covering her breasts — appears and roughly grabs a bound man (the same man who is with Madonna) by the hair. Her outfit, which includes a peaked leather hat and black gloves, copies the iconic ensemble worn by Charlotte Rampling
in the controversial film The Night Porter
. (Both the film and the video share elements of sadomasochism.) The theme of androgyny
is also briefly alluded to when a woman who closely resembles Madonna's lover is seen in men's clothing with a drawn-on pencil mustache. The overall presentation is surreal and deliberately ambiguous. The retinue of strange characters may be real or simply fantasies from Madonna's imagination. In the end, a rejuvenated Madonna rushes out of the hotel room smiling and laughing. The video then fades to a black screening with a written phrase shown in white on the top left-hand corner, "poor is the man whose pleasures depend on the permission of another", which later fades out.
The music video was released on DVD
for the first time on the greatest hits package Celebration: The Video Collection
in 2009. This version of the video was censored with black bars in a scene that contains female nudity.
1only appears on the European version, the US only includes one video track.
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
video single to be released by American singer Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
. This was the first time an artist had released a single in this format. It was released by Sire Records
Sire Records
Sire Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer, each investing ten thousand dollars into the new company. Its early releases as a...
and Warner Music Vision, to capitalize on the controversy surrounding the music video which was subsequently banned by MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. It contained the highly controversial and sexually-charged video.
On December 3, 1990, ABC's Nightline played the video in its entirety, then interviewed Madonna live about the video's sexual content and censorship. When asked whether she stood to make more money selling the video than airing it on MTV, she shrugged and answered, "Yeah, so? Lucky me." She also mentioned that the banning was hypocritical as male artists were able to show music videos on the channel which contained sexist and violent imagery. She also mentioned that in her "Vogue" music video she had worn a see-through lace top which exposed her breasts, but this was passed by the channel.
The video contained imagery of sadomasochism, voyeurism
Voyeurism
In clinical psychology, voyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of spying on people engaged in intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other activity usually considered to be of a private nature....
and bisexuality
Bisexuality
Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
. Madonna biographer, Mark Bego commented that "Throwing a scandal Madonna's way is like throwing gasoline on a fire." The controversy turned out to be a publicity and financial coup, with the single spending two consecutive weeks at no. 1 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Hot 100 in early 1991.
The video single was released exclusively in the United States and Europe, and was never released anywhere else in the world.
Formats
Released on VHSVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
only, the packaging in North America was a plain black slip cover with a sticker around it, so that it resembled a "seedy video". In Europe it was given the full cover artwork treatment and they also included a bonus video of Madonna's performance of "Vogue" at the 1990 MTV Music Video Awards, which was ironic as MTV had banned the title track. In the UK, the video was given an "18" certificate by the BBFC meaning no one under that age could legally buy or see the release.
The video was filmed primarily on Laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
in grainy black and white in the style of a 1960s European art film. The action takes place in an elegant hotel that apparently caters to alternate lifestyle couples. Madonna (or the character she's playing) enters looking tired and distressed as she walks down the hallway toward her room. There she has a romantic fling with a mysterious man. Some of the doors to the other rooms are ajar and we catch glimpses of various couples cavorting in BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
fetish outfits (leather, latex bodysuits, and corsets).
In a dream-like sequence, Madonna rolls around in bed wearing skimpy lace underwear while various figures come and go. The only nudity (which led to the video being banned) occurs when a topless dominatrix
Dominatrix
Dominatrix or mistress is a woman or women who takes the dominant role in bondage, discipline and sadomasochism, or BDSM. A common form of address for a submissive to a dominatrix is "mistress", "ma'am", "domina" or "maîtresse"...
-type woman — suspenders partly covering her breasts — appears and roughly grabs a bound man (the same man who is with Madonna) by the hair. Her outfit, which includes a peaked leather hat and black gloves, copies the iconic ensemble worn by Charlotte Rampling
Charlotte Rampling
Charlotte Rampling, OBE is an English actress. Her career spans four decades in English-language as well as French and Italian cinema.- Early life :...
in the controversial film The Night Porter
The Night Porter
The Night Porter is a controversial 1974 film by Italian director Liliana Cavani, starring Dirk Bogarde and Charlotte Rampling.- Synopsis :...
. (Both the film and the video share elements of sadomasochism.) The theme of androgyny
Androgyny
Androgyny is a term derived from the Greek words ανήρ, stem ανδρ- and γυνή , referring to the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics...
is also briefly alluded to when a woman who closely resembles Madonna's lover is seen in men's clothing with a drawn-on pencil mustache. The overall presentation is surreal and deliberately ambiguous. The retinue of strange characters may be real or simply fantasies from Madonna's imagination. In the end, a rejuvenated Madonna rushes out of the hotel room smiling and laughing. The video then fades to a black screening with a written phrase shown in white on the top left-hand corner, "poor is the man whose pleasures depend on the permission of another", which later fades out.
The music video was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
for the first time on the greatest hits package Celebration: The Video Collection
Celebration: The Video Collection
Celebration: The Video Collection is a greatest videos DVD compilation by American singer-songwriter Madonna. Released by Warner Bros. Records on September 29, 2009, the release accompanied the greatest hits Celebration. The collection follows on from her other greatest videos compilations The...
in 2009. This version of the video was censored with black bars in a scene that contains female nudity.
Track listing
- "Justify My LoveJustify My Love"Justify My Love" is the first single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her 1990 greatest hits compilation The Immaculate Collection and was released on November 6, 1990, by Sire Records. It caused international controversy due to the accompanying music video which was sexually explicit...
" - "Vogue" (from 1990 MTV Video Music Awards) 1
1only appears on the European version, the US only includes one video track.
Production credits
- Director: Jean-Baptiste MondinoJean-Baptiste MondinoJean-Baptiste Mondino is a French fashion photographer and music video director. He has directed music videos for Madonna, David Bowie, Sting, Björk, Neneh Cherry and Les Rita Mitsouko...
- Producer: Philippe Dupuis-Mendel
- Director of Photography: Pascal Lebegue
- Production Company: Bandits (a co-production with Propaganda Films)