Madonna - Like A Prayer

What this video is

Released February 23, 1989, 'Like A Prayer' arrived at a pivotal intersection of race, religion, and pop celebrity in late Reagan-era America. The video's deployment of burning crosses, interracial intimacy, stigmata, and a living Black saint ignited immediate global controversy: the Vatican condemned the video, and Christian organizations worldwide called for a boycott of Pepsi, which had signed Madonna to a $5…

Why it matters

A landmark of the narrative music video form, 'Like A Prayer' demonstrated that the pop music video could function as a sophisticated vehicle for social commentary on racism, religious hypocrisy, and female agency. Its fast-cut theatrical storytelling, professional 35mm film production, and…

The director

Mary Lambert is an American film and music video director who built her reputation through a long collaboration with Madonna in the 1980s. She directed Madonna's videos for 'Borderline,' 'Like A Virgin,' and 'Material Girl' before helming 'Like A Prayer.'…