Body Typed: Three Films on Media & Physical Perfection
Through the film, Body Typed: Three Short Films on Media & Physical Perfection, Jesse Epstein attempts to highlight those behind the manufacturing of artificial beauty commodities that current society desperately craves. The film also attempts to explain concepts of body image, self-esteem and media. Topics discussed include plastic surgery, mannequin factory production, and digital art skills on women photo images. Illustrated in a series format through a pencil animated drawings; a male ballet narrates the stories behind the film whom we learn succumbs to pressure for undergoing nose restructuring. Ultimately, the film informs the viewer that skill and talent should not be considered sufficient for making it as a performer. Deciding to go through the knife as a means of attaining job security is the film’s subject of guarantee.
One of the interesting scenes of the film comes when Epstein turns the camera towards Brooklyn’s inner city. It is in a barbershop that I found interesting to learn that self-assured photos of confident-looking girls adorning the walls had been doctored. Epstein filmed men in the barbershop adoring magazine pin-ups of music sensations Beyonce and J. Lo. Epstein takes the same photos to a photo expert who reveals the shocking truth about them. In false images and wet dreams, a retouching artist manages to demonstrate how to pull-off this act even with photos of normal women. This part of the film delves into the works done by mannequin sculptors whom make their work unique by toying with people’s perception regarding how an ideal woman should appear. Once the owner of the barbershop – Dee-Dee- learns of the photo retouching and commercial illusion surrounding the two posters, one gets the impression that he may never adore them as he used to.
When compared to ideal religious statuaries, the artistry of the mannequins is done in a way that addresses the demands of current society. Both helpful and practical, bonus footage gives rise to ideas on how the film should be used for teaching the youth. The other interesting part of the film comes through The Guarantee scene. I find it interesting that society can have a massive impact on the extent at which someone would go to look pleasing. In this case, a male ballet dancer decides to use drawings made by a sketch artist describing how his plastic surgery would look. The ballet dancer pays a visit to an animated art specialist and has him make an animated picture of him after paying a visit to a plastic surgery, where he eventually goes through the surgery. This part of the film goes on to show the surgery’s effect the ballet dancer’s career.
Ultimately, Body Typed: Three Short Films on Media & Physical Perfection, Jesse Epstein explains that everyone has his or her “hidden city” regardless of his or her place. This “city” provides the individual with solace from race, gender, sexual, and class exclusions. However, I feel that the main theme represents a feminist viewpoint. Like wrapped boxes, some cities conceal surprise gifts, others represent lyrical abstractions and riddles. These are per formative locations that enable us to imagine retributions for, righting wrongs, injustices or delving within the darker side. This film manages to convince the viewer that it is viable, a live performance filled with imagination and passion. Epstein weaves three different films into one with a seemingly similar them with humor and wit.
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