Reviewing a Madonna compilation is such a futile enterprise one yearns for such purposeful pursuits as staring at a spot on a wall. Madonna, as surely fixed in our lives as the North Star or death, might well be used by boy scouts attempting to gain orienteering badges. By now, you know exactly where you stand in relation to Herself and odds are, you’ll know exactly where you stand in relation to The Confessions Tour.
Directed by Jonas Akerlund, though displaying little of the ruffles and frills one might expect from his involvement, The Confessions Tour: Live From London is, formally speaking, every bit as straightforward as Jonathan Demme’s recent Neil Young venture Heart Of Gold. Featuring All Her Best Hits and none of the superfluous twittering electronica, this DVD/CD package doesn’t need added razzmatazz from the editing suite. It has Madonna.
Filmed at London’s Wembley Arena during her worldwide sold-out 25-city tour, interested parties can thrill to Madge belting out highlights from her 2005 studio album Confessions From The Dance Floor. Though it’s always pleasant to hear ‘Hung Up’ and ‘Sorry’, the real sucker punches are provided by the Greatest Hits. ‘DrownedWorld/Substitute For Love’ is fittingly eerie. ‘Like A Virgin’ touches as if for the very first time. ‘Lucky Star’ still burns brightly. Younger readers might be interested to check out the so-so extras which include the ‘controversial’ crucifixion sequence from ‘Live To Tell’.
What was all the fuss about? I didn’t know then and watching the regal hyper-global-mega-star she’s since become, it seems even more ridiculous.