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Capone Exalts AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL!!
Hey, everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
With all of the big announcements coming out of ComicCon over the next few days, I wanted to try and squeeze in at least one review before the site gets too cluttered. The documentary AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL is just starting to make the festival rounds (it was recently accepted to play as part of October's Chicago International Film Festival), and it's equal parts fascinating, disturbing, and absolutely critical viewing for those of you who have ever looked at a woman and said, "Man, is she hot!"
When director Daryl Roberts first contacted me to let me know his film was screening in Chicago, he told me his film was about America's unhealthy obsession with beauty, but that's not entirely true. Roberts' investigation focuses on the world's sometimes terrifying obsession with a certain body image. What I found more fascinating is the director's often unpredictable means of making his point. Early in the film, he introduces us to one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. She's tall and leggy (I'd guess she's near or at six-feet tall, with flawless features, a runway strut that will make your head spin, subtle curves in all the right places, and a devastating smile. It is only after all the straight men and gay women in the audience have fallen in love with supermodel-in-the-making Gerren Taylor that Roberts reveals that she's all of 12 years old. Creep…Vibe…Setting…In--So…Very…Awkward.
Roberts approach to his overall subject is sometimes a bit all over the place, and I'm not sure he offers up any concrete suggestions about how to change or eliminate beauty standards. He spends the necessary time discussing Dove's ad campaign featuring "real women" and their real curves, which some viewed as Madison Avenue's acceptance that body types in America are changing. He also has terrific access to modeling agencies and advertising firms who openly and honestly discuss their part in shaping the way women of all ages view themselves and others. I also got a kick out of his interviews with a group of guys (I don't remember if he really said who these average Joes really were) who discuss their insistence that the women they date be extremely good looking, somewhat subservient, and offer up now opinions that these guys are actually expected to respect.
But Roberts always brings us back to Gerren Taylor and her typical stage mom (a former amateur model herself not so long ago). For a brief shining moment, Gerren is the hottest runway model during fashion week in New York, but then the media got a hold of her true age and the story began to change. The filmmaker could have made an entire film just about Gerren and her mother, who may have had something to do with modeling agencies and designers in other cities wanting nothing to do with Gerren. Her education, and, more importantly, her self-worth suffer tremendously, and Roberts captures more than one meltdown, which truly made me fear for this girl's future and psychological well being. When someone as tall and thin as Gerren starts thinking she's fat and ugly, do we need any other proof that the world is a fucked up place when it comes to judging young girls? Gerren's story is the emotional center of this film, and its inclusion here is worth the price of admission.
Perhaps AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL's only flaw is that Roberts cast himself in the role of narrator and occasionally puts himself on camera to prove his point about looks. He may be too nice a guy to get us truly riled up about his subject matter. That being said, one of the film's best segments is when Roberts places a personal ad on a web site that caters to beautiful people, where other people with acceptable profiles on the site judge and vote on newcomers. Roberts is voted off the site, and his reaction is priceless. The film also features a few nice interviews with more than a few famous faces, including some tasty insight from Eve Ensler, a bit of fluff from Paris Hilton, and some expectedly Zen words on beauty from Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Roberts is relentless in his discussions on eating disorders, "extreme makeovers," and airbrushed photos, but something about his delivery lacks the outrage that seems necessary to make his points stick. This doesn't mean that you'll leave AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL unaffected. I walked out of my screening more than a little ashamed at comments I've made on this very site about the way certain actresses look. Does that mean I won't do so in the future? Probably not. But sometimes, simply reconsidering your actions is all a film like this can expect of its audience. Roberts has made the best film on this subject I've seen to date, and while it's not perfect, it is a work that speaks to the heart of a foolishness that this country needs to stop or change as soon as possible.
Capone
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A documentary is effective when it makes you challenge habits of yours. Nice review man!
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I'm wondering what kind of insight into our preoccupation with beauty and youth the Chili Pepper could have had, when he's pushing 45 and currently dating some hot teenaged model. Maybe they should have interviewed Marilyn Manson as well.
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"I walked out of my screening more than a little ashamed at comments I've made on this very site about the way certain actresses look. Does that mean I won't do so in the future? Probably not."
And then:
"it is a work that speaks to the heart of a foolishness that this country needs to stop or change as soon as possible." -
You call the movie two things, each twice in the article. Is it "America the Beautiful," or "American the Beautiful?"
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Thanks Capone. Good review, as usual. This won't be playing anywhere near where I live, but I'll look for it on DVD.
By the way, I just googled "Gerren Taylor," checked out the results, and am convinced bovine growth hormones are causing a larger percentage of American girls to hit puberty at seven year old. Gerren is 12? That's just... wrong. I feel... like Capone felt. Cognitive dissonance is creeping in.
This will be a good film to see. -
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san diego! this should be fun.
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...is an American obsession. Not a World obsession, or European obsession. They would never hear of anything this offensive in say, France, England, Italy, Brazil, Spain, or Japan. They would never promote a certain image of the ideal women, only us ugly Americans. We suck so much, if only more documentaries would have the guts to tell us so.
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you hate EVERYthing! lol
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Are you saying that in other countries they don't hold the image of a woman as "idealy" as we do in the states? In Europe, fashion is in upheaval (sp?) due to the changing face on women. Mostly due to the fact that they are so frail and mannequin like. Just sayin' that America is not the only country obsessing over the female form. Or am I am just overlooking your tongue being planted firmly in cheek, I dunno then.
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I believe jimmy was being sarcastic and was basically making the point that this isnt just americas problem so why is the US the focus of the documentary...
Well jimmy...the simple answer is Hollywood. for ordinary girls growing up, they don't generally see the size-zero models of Europe...thats not whats on their tvs...movies and shows coming out of Hollywood...paris hilton getting constant attention by the media...record producers, movie producers etc demanding that their acts be thinner.
Of course this problem doesnt just exist in the US...its the same everywhere, especially Europe (France and Italy mostly, but other countries too)...it's just that the focus is on America because of the rise of movies and tv...because of talentless bimbos like Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie...in Europe modelling is the big problem, but in the US...its pretty much any career in showbiz that demands that girls be matchsticks.
As for why the doc is all about the US...well I assume its becaue the filmmaker is American... -
(that's both an English injoke and a Spumco one). Try opening you mind (or watching some of your own 'educational games') and considering that when they say an American obsession it doesn't necessarily mean exclusive. It can ALSO be worldwide.
Having said that the rest of the world is so saturated with American media and a very large part of the hollywood and fashion 'ideal' comes from the States, much more than they previous French and Italian focus. Look at what is actually being said (or NOT said) and don't let patriotism blind you (or jingoism I should say). It's HEALTHY to question things, even America the beautiful.
And no, no other country in the world subjects little girls to the same degree of psychological torture that the American Beauty Pagent culture does. Notice I said same degree. There are plenty of "coulda been a contender" parents that live vicariously through their kids all over the world, but the U.S. has cornered the market on the Beauty Pagent thing, which seems to be a focus of this film (from the review), and a touchstone in terms of complications down the line.
Thanks for clearing that up. Cobbio. I thought for a second there they were re-releasing that "in the round" movie from Disneyland that I saw as a little kid in '79! But it's actually-
THIS YEAR'S LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE! -
Sorry Vadakin, I wrote that before you posted. I do think at this point in time America is the focus of this, even though it does happen everywhere.
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...BadMrWonka, once again what exactly is it I'm supposed to be hating now?...
And yes, I was being sarcastic. And it's a valid point. But I guess my mind is 'closed' to the fact that the entire thing is portrayed as a distinctly American problem: in the description of the movie, the title of the movie, and by Capone himself. So sorry I'm so ignorant to think that not only did we not start the fashion industry, it doesn't revolve around us, and we're not the only ones. Get this (and this might just blow your mind), women have been objectified and made to feel inferior because of their looks for centuries. Believe it or not America didn't invent it, and we're not the worst at it (go to Brazil sometime). -
Realizing that something is a worldwide problem and not just an American one would be openminded. Thinking a movie with the title 'America the Beautiful' (key word AMERICA) is about worldwide issues is, well I won't say closed minded, but how about moronic? It's very clear from everything written about it that it's aimed squarely at America. I'm sorry you're too smart and openminded to get that, but again I direct you to the title as well as the review. Perhaps you should read it again.
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I like a good documentary and this sounds like it could be a good one, but I have to say this idea that we're supposed to feel guilty for appreciating the look of a beautiful woman leaves me pretty cold. What, are we running out of stuff to feel guilty about?I'm not suggesting rampant superficiality is an acceptable thing, otherwise we'd all be Patrick Bateman. But the simple fact is some people are better looking than others, and we - as living, breathing, felling human beings - will want to look at and appreciate them, and I see no reason to feel bad about that.Anyway, thanks for the review, Capone. I'm going to keep an eye for the film.
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Felling human beings are lumberjacks, who are also perfectly entitled to enjoy the sight of a shapely ass from time to time.
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Honestly, I've seen girls that are 12-14, that look like they could be in their late teens to early twenties.In fact, my ex-girlfriend found a lump on her breast one time and wet to get it checked out. The Dr. (after a biopsy) told her there was nothing to fear, and that he had been seeing girls as young as eleven coming in for check-ups on like situations, that wouldn't have occured thirty-years ago unless the girls where like 18-20something, and my ex was 20 at the time... I'm not saying pedophilia is right, but I'll be damned if sometimes you wonder if your' looking at something pretty, or something very illegal, although Chis Hansen never mentions this when he has the fake young girl pretending to be young, when she is really over 18.
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After the Graphic Design debacle then this (with you displaying your inability to grasp anything less than absolutes), there's really no point. Why is it so hard to understand that Aiming something at America does not automatically negate its existence in other countries. The underage thing is a perfectly good and appropriate reason to focus on America. No matter WHAT you think of America. Your fashion comment shows you don't read or understand other posts and you sure as hell don't follow it at the moment. But like I say, there's no point. It scares me that someone like you is helping to educate young children. In America.
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I don't give up. What you said about 2008 vs 2007 in that other thread was spot on.
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The correct name of the documentary is "America the Beautiful," as Capone wrote. Not "American".
My bad. -
the real question is if the film is chock full of tasteful nudity or not...
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...of Gerren. She's the black girl on the left.
I agree with Capone & Cobbio.
Major-league creepy feelings.
http://img175.exs.cx/img175/618/katya452ba.jpg
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Wuh?!
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