In the early 90s, Madonna was the biggest pop star in the world, and she used – and in the minds of some, squandered – her star capital to launch a multi-media exploration of sexuality: the album Erotica and its companion book Sex, followed by her starring role in the much-maligned erotic thriller Body of Evidence. What was Madonna really trying to do in 1992-1993, how was it perceived and misunderstood at the time, and how does the blowback she experienced then relate to how she is being criticized today?
(00:00) The Persistence of Madonna
(07:50) Justify My Love and a Transformation
(21:17) A Coffee Table Book Called ‘Sex’
(28:11) The Gay Nineties
(35:47) Body of Evidence and the Bad Girl
(45:35) Revenge of the MPAA
(53:21) Revenge of the Critics
(01:02:18) Pushing One Button Too Many
(01:13:39) Erotica and Madonna’s Legacy