Editing A Certain Sacrifice

{{short description|1985 film by Stephen Jon Lewicki}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = A Certain Sacrifice
| image          = ACertainSacrificeVHScover.jpg
| caption        = VHS front cover
| director       = [[Stephen Jon Lewicki]]
| writer         = Stephen Jon Lewicki<br />[[Jeremy Pattnosh]]<br />Robert Manganaro Morris
| starring       = [[Madonna]]<br />Jeremy Pattnosh<br />Charles Kurtz
| narrator       = [[Chuck Varesko]]
| music          = Jeremy Pattnosh
| editing        = Stephen Jon Lewicki<br />Robert Manganaro Morris
| cinematography = Stephen Jon Lewicki
| studio         = Cine Cine Productions
| distributor    = Vidimax Home Entertainment<br />Virgin Video<br />[[Worldvision Enterprises|Worldvision Home Video]]
| released       = {{Film date|1985|10|01}}
| runtime        = 60 minutes<ref name="O'Brien">{{harvnb|O'Brien|2018|p=535}}</ref>
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $20,000<ref name="Heatley"/>
| gross          = 
}}
'''''A Certain Sacrifice''''' is a 1985 American [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] 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.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Bessman|first=Jim|date=August 3, 1985|title=Madonna's 'Sacrifice' Hits Home Market|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uSQEAAAAMBAJ&dq=madonna+a+certain+sacrifice&pg=PT29|magazine=Billboard|page=30|access-date=March 8, 2023|volume=97|number=31}}</ref>

''A Certain Sacrifice'' is an [[Independent film|independent]]-[[Underground film|underground]] [[art film]],<ref name="Bego55">{{harvnb|Bego|2000|p=55}}</ref><ref name="McCrossan">{{harvnb|McCrossan|2000|p=160}}</ref><ref name="Wall">{{cite news|page=1529|url-access=limited|date=1985|title=The Wall Street Journal Index|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XP1aAAAAYAAJ|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|volume=2|access-date=March 8, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Braun">{{harvnb|Braun|2007|p=98}}</ref> shot on-and-off over two years in [[New York City]] on a [[Low-budget film|low-budget]] of just $20,000.<ref name="Heatley">{{harvnb|Heatley|1996|p=186}}</ref><ref name="Crouse"/> Madonna finished her scenes in late 1980.<ref name="mcall1986">{{cite web|first=Paul |last=Willistein |url=http://articles.mcall.com/1986-01-11/entertainment/2517019_1_madonna-movie-madonna-fan-madonna-louise-ciccone/2 |title=THE REAL Madonna Movie|work=[[The Morning Call]]|date=January 11, 1986 |accessdate=April 18, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019084547/http://articles.mcall.com/1986-01-11/entertainment/2517019_1_madonna-movie-madonna-fan-madonna-louise-ciccone/2}}</ref> The [[Home video|video release]] sold 50,000 copies in its first-week, and the film developed a certain [[cult status]] among some of [[Madonna fandom|Madonna's fans]] and collectors by that time.<ref name="Koopmans"/>

== Plot ==
Madonna plays the part of Bruna,<ref name="O'Brien"/> a Lower East Side resident who lives with three "love slaves" (one woman, one man, and one transgender 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 [[Satanism|Satanic]] sacrifice is performed. Dashiell later wipes Raymond's blood all over Bruna.<ref name="Crouse"/><ref name="SPIN"/><ref name="Telegraph"/>

== Cast ==
* Jeremy Pattnosh as Dashiel
* [[Madonna]] as Bruna
* Charles Kurtz as Raymond Hall
* Kate Magill as Susan Porter
* Timmy Leight as The Landlady
* Michael Dane as Transvestite Slave
* Russell O. Lome as Male slave
* Angi Smit as Female slave
* Joseph Pattnosh as Father
* Ann Pattnosh as Mother
* John Joseph Pattnosh as Young David
* Chuck Varesko as Narrator

== Production and development ==
''A Certain Sacrifice'' is a [[Super 8 film]].<ref name="SPIN">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9ugCQfxwym0C&dq=Madonna&pg=PA46|title=Madonna's First Movie|magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|page=46|date=May 1985|accessdate=March 8, 2023}}</ref> It was made on a [[Low-budget film|low-budget]] between $12,000 to $20,000.<ref name="TheI"/><ref name="Crouse">{{harvnb|Crouse|2000|p=234}}</ref> The film marks the acting debut of Madonna and the directorial debut of Stephen Jon Lewicki,<ref name="TheI">{{cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dMUqAQAAIAAJ|title=Madonna's First Movie|journal=The Independent|page=34|date=1984|accessdate=March 8, 2023|publisher=Foundation for Independent Video and Film|volume=7}}</ref> an aspiring filmmaker.<ref name="Telegraph"/> Various authors have regarded the movie as an [[Underground film|underground]] [[art film]].<ref name="Heatley"/><ref name="Bego55"/><ref name="McCrossan"/><ref name="Wall"/><ref name="Braun"/>

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".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k9EyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aO8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2559,334204&dq=madonna+a+certain+sacrifice&hl=en |title=Madonna no movie virgin |work=[[Ottawa Citizen]]|date=March 1, 1985 |accessdate=April 18, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3700847.stm |title=Entertainment &#124; Madonna: Queen of reinvention |publisher=BBC News |date=May 24, 2004 |accessdate=April 4, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AASB&p_theme=aasb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAD8B5C8225011F&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=NewsBank for Statesman &#124; www.prod.statesman.com |publisher=Nl.newsbank.com |accessdate=April 4, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DN&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI%7cDN&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB29D701F80B4ED&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=A Bomb, Not A Bombshell; Madonna Was Desperately Seeking 'Tracy' |work=Philadelphia Daily News |date=June 15, 1990}}</ref>

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 and reception ==
Madonna tried to buy the rights from director Stephen Jon Lewicki, offering him $5,000 which later upped to $10,000.<ref name="mcall1986"/> Unsuccessful, she then attempted to ban the film from being seen.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7IkxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uaUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6298,4100459&dq=madonna+a+certain+sacrifice&hl=en |title=Madonna sues film maker |newspaper=[[Montreal Gazette]]|page=51|date=July 31, 1985 |accessdate=April 18, 2014|agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-10-04-ca-5249-story.html|title=Madonna's Non-musical 'Sacrifice' Is Due|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=October 4, 1985 |access-date=April 4, 2013 |first=Dennis |last=Hunt}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=MacDonald |first=Jim |date=October 6, 1985 |title=Madonna's 'Sacrifice' |newspaper=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/orlandosentinel/access/91837437.html?dids=91837437:91837437&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+06%2C+1985&author=Compiled+by+Jim+MacDonald+from+wire+reports.&pub=Orlando+Sentinel&desc=MADONNA'S+'SACRIFICE'&pqatl=google |accessdate=April 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307203431/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/orlandosentinel/doc/276684990.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct%2006,%201985&author=Compiled%20by%20Jim%20MacDonald%20from%20wire%20reports.&pub=Orlando%20Sentinel&edition=&startpage=&desc=MADONNA%27S%20%27SACRIFICE%27 |archive-date=2016-03-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://movies.ndtv.com/photos/madonna-at-the-movies-304/slide/2 |title=Madonna at the movies |publisher=[[NDTV|NDTV Movies]]|accessdate=April 4, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/skeletons-closet-young-foolish-madonna-article-1.647503?pgno=1 |title=Skeletons in the Closet. The Young and Foolish Madonna|newspaper=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]|last=Hinckley|first=David|date=November 30, 2005 |accessdate=April 4, 2013}}</ref>

The release caused some controversy in the press at the time, due to film's sexually explicit and violent content,<ref name="Koopmans"/> obtaining a [[Motion Picture Association film rating system|R rating]].<ref name="Martin">{{harvnb|Martin|Porter|1997|p=178}}</ref> Writing for ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', [[Julie Salamon]] expressed: [...] Kind of a long MTV video with thinly developed themes of sadomasochism and ritual violence".<ref name="Koopmans"/> Dennis Hunt from ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' referred to the "tawdry drama", but saw Madonna an "adequate actress" who has several semi-nude scenes, further saying "she does her best acting in the scene following a rape".<ref name="LosA"/> Editor Victor Lenore described the movie a "psychosexual fantasy, arty and cheap, that mixed thriller suspense, neogothic terror and softcore porn".<ref name="Guilbert">{{harvnb|Guilbert|2015|p=195}}</ref> ''[[Spartanburg Herald-Journal]]''{{'}}s Joe Saitzman said is a basic home movie quality, the sound unbelievably bad, and the script nonexistent.<ref name="HeraldJournal"/> Despite most viewers labeling the film a failure, it also developed a certain [[cult status]] among Madonna's audiences and collectors at that time.<ref name="Koopmans"/> The film was released in Italy in 1985.<ref name="Italy">{{cite news|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/292193686|title=Madonna's Non-Musical 'Sacrifice' is Due|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|page=19|date=October 4, 1985|access-date=March 1, 2024|via=ProQuest|first=Dennis|last=Hunt|id={{ProQuest|292193686}} }}</ref> In 1986, there were theatrical midnight screenings in the U.S.<ref name="mcall1986"/>

===Home video===
An [[exploitation film]], ''A Certain Sacrifice'' was released on video to capitalize Madonna's fame in 1985.<ref name="exploitation">{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=to1OAAAAIBAJ&dq=A+Certain+Sacrifice&pg=PA42&article_id=3357,2467438|title=Madonna's videos range from insipid to aerobic|access-date=October 12, 2024|date=September 11, 1987|work=Spokane Chronicle|page=42}}</ref> The [[retail price]] was $49.95.<ref name="EW">{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/1990/05/11/madonnas-discography/|title=Madonna's discography|access-date=October 4, 2023|date=May 11, 1990|first=Ron|last=Givens|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> The [[Home video|video release]] sold more than 50,000 copies in its first-week.<ref name="Koopmans"/> According to ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' in 1985, Virgin Video, a joint venture of two independent distributors, had plans to distribute over one million copies of the home video by the end of 1985.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DCQEAAAAMBAJ&dq=A+Certain+Sacrifice&pg=PT3|title=...newsline... It Sounds Ambitious|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|page=26|date=October 5, 1985|accessdate=March 8, 2023}}</ref> Critics said that Madonna's appearance in the film was the only reason it sold well,<ref name="Koopmans">{{harvnb|Koopmans|2003|p=31}}</ref> while [[Mark Bego]] commented it was purchased by hard-core Madonna devotees only.<ref name="Bego">{{harvnb|Bego|2000|p=141}}</ref>

Shortly after the video release, Lewicki received significant criticisms of "exploiting" Madonna's image, which he responded, "If people say that, I don't mind".<ref name="LosA"/> He previously commented, "hope the videocassette makes lots of money".<ref name="LosA">{{cite news|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/292174339|title=Will Scrooge Spielberg Steal Christmas?|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|last=Hunt|first=Dennis|date=October 11, 1985|accessdate=September 17, 2023|id={{ProQuest|292174339}} }}</ref> Biographer [[J. Randy Taraborrelli]] claims the film made Lewicki a "millionaire" in 1985.<ref name="Telegraph">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/anti-porn-movie-almost-ruined-madonna-story-behind-certain-sacrifice/|title=How an 'anti-porn' movie almost ruined Madonna: the story behind A Certain Sacrifice |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|last=Levine|first=Nick|date=January 29, 2020|accessdate=March 8, 2023}}</ref> Lewicki subsequently claimed that he deserved the financial success that came afterward, because he had taken a risk by casting an unknown Madonna, and the money he put into the movie.<ref name="Koopmans"/> Saitzman referred to the release: "It must be one of the most amateur, technically atrocious student films ever to be marketed", and added Madonna shouldn't have worried to have prevent the film's release, while called an irony from her part.<ref name="HeraldJournal">{{cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FFIsAAAAIBAJ&dq=Madonna&pg=PA17&article_id=6830,4592094|title=Will Scrooge Spielberg Steal Christmas?|date=January 17, 1986|access-date=February 23, 2024|newspaper=[[Spartanburg Herald-Journal]]|last=Saitzman|first=Joe}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Book sources ==
* {{cite book|last=Bego|first=Mark|author-link=Mark Bego|title=Madonna: Blonde Ambition|year=2000|isbn=0815410514|publisher=Cooper Square Press|url=https://archive.org/details/madonnablondeamb0000bego/page/140/mode/2up?q=A+Certain+Sacrifice}}
* {{cite book|last=Braun|first=Eric|author-link=Michael Heatley|title=Frightening the Horses: Gay Icons of the Cinema|year=2007|isbn=978-1905287376|publisher=Reynolds & Hearn}}
* {{cite book|last=Crouse|first=Richard|author-link=Richard Crouse|title=Big Bang, Baby: Rock Trivia|year=2000|isbn=0888822197|publisher=[[Dundurn Press]]}}
* {{cite book|last=Guilbert|first=Georges-Claude|author-link=Georges-Claude Guilbert|title=Madonna as Postmodern Myth|year=2015|isbn=978-0786480715|publisher=[[McFarland & Company]]}}
* {{cite book|last=Heatley|first=Michael|author-link=Michael Heatley|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Rock: The World's Most Comprehensive Illustrated Rock Reference|year=1996|isbn=1852276665|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]}}
* {{cite book|last=Koopmans|first=Andy|title=Madonna|publisher=[[Lucent Books]]|year=2003|isbn=9781590181386|url=https://archive.org/details/madonnapeopleinn00andy/page/30/mode/2up?q=copies+sold}}
* {{cite book|last1=Martin|first1=Mick|last2=Porter|first2=Marsha|title=Video Movie Guide 1998|publisher=[[Ballantine Books]]|year=1997|isbn=0345407938}}
* {{cite book|last=McCrossan|first=John Anthony|title=Books and Reading in the Lives of Notable Americans: A Biographical Sourcebook|publisher=[[Greenwood Publishing Group]]|year=2000|isbn=0313303762}}
* {{cite book|last=O'Brien|first=Lucy|author-link=Lucy O'Brien|title=[[Madonna: Like an Icon]]|year=2018|isbn=978-1446437384|publisher=Random House}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|id=0088896}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|a-certain-sacrifice}}

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