A Certain Sacrifice
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''A Certain Sacrifice'' is a 1985 American
drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...
co-written and directed by Stephen Jon Lewicki and starring Madonna, Jeremy Pattnosh and Charles Kurtz. It was Madonna's first movie, filmed from September 1979 through June 1981, but not released until 1985. The film is an "oddball" independent film, shot on-and-off over two years in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
for just $20,000. Madonna finished her scenes in late 1980. Almost all of the cast were unpaid.


Plot

Madonna plays the part of Bruna, a Lower East Side resident who lives with three "love slaves" (one woman, one man, and one trans woman). Bruna meets Dashiell (Pattnosh) in the water fountain in Washington Square Park and the two "fall in love". Bruna later tells her lovers she does not need them anymore, resulting in them attacking her sexually. Later, Bruna is raped by Raymond Hall (Kurtz) in a bathroom at a coffee shop. To exact retribution, Bruna enlists her love slaves and Dashiell to abduct the rapist. They dress up as prostitutes and lure him into a limousine. They lead him to a theatre where a Satanic sacrifice is performed. Dashiell later wipes Raymond's blood all over Bruna.


Production

Despite Madonna's second thoughts about having participated in this movie, Lewicki had nothing but compliments for her. One of his oft-repeated stories was how he "discovered" Madonna and was amazed that she hand-wrote a three-page letter for a part that did not even pay. She was only paid $100, only because she was short on her apartment rent and Lewicki paid to help out. In Christopher Andersen's 1991 biography, ''Madonna Unauthorized'', Lewicki stated: "That woman has more sensuality in her ear than most women have anywhere on their bodies". Actor Jeremy Pattnosh wrote and performed several songs in the film, including: "Certain Sacrifice" and "Screamin' Demon Lover". Years later, in a 2000 Channel 4 documentary on Madonna's early years (titled Madonna: Naked Ambition), her Breakfast Club bandmate Dan Gilroy recalled: "I did not like that fellow who made A Certain Sacrifice, I felt he was using them big-time ..it needed a laugh-track, something".


Release

In 1985, ''A Certain Sacrifice'' was released on video to capitalize on Madonna's fame, and in 1986, there were theatrical midnight screenings. Madonna tried to buy the rights from director Stephen Jon Lewicki for $5,000. Unsuccessful, she then attempted to ban the film from being seen. Stephen Lewicki invited her to view it; Madonna was reportedly unhappy with the result. According to Lewicki, she had an expression of horror on her face and screamed "Fuck you" as she stormed out of his apartment. The video release of ''A Certain Sacrifice'' sold more than 50,000 copies in the first week of its release. Critics said that Madonna's appearance in the film was the only reason it sold well.


References


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* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Certain Sacrifice, A 1985 films 1985 drama films American drama films American independent films Films shot in New York City American rape and revenge films Films about Satanism Teensploitation 1980s English-language films 1980s American films