lindsay While not ostensibly about the place of women in contemporary society, the images of Unzipped represent the tension and dichotomy of two extreme conceptions of women: the hyper-feminine sex object, and the successful, masculine career-women. The film unfolds through the male gaze, violates the space between public and private, legitimates female subjugation, and upholds stereotypes of both extreme conceptions of "women." The camera's view of attractive females makes them sex objects by its leering, sexual viewpoint. The opening clip depicts a woman pulling a dress over her pantied buttocks. The camera focuses on the blond smiling reporter when she questions Isaac about the theme of his show, instead of his reply. It objectifies the female body by explicitly focusing on body parts such as navel, feet, and breasts, rather than the human face. This lack of respect displays the core value of females in a patriarchal society to be sexual in nature. The title alludes to a scene of Isaac unzipping a woman's outfit all the way under her crotch. The unconscious thrust of the film is the male control over female sexual depictions.Males have a public business role and an unarticulated private one, whereas the film consistently shows the models' familial or social lives intruding on their professional lives. In Naomi Campbell's first fitting, Isaac teases her about her engagement. During the second fitting, she receives a social phone call. A model complains in an interview about her husband waiting for her at home, and behind the scenes at the show, the camera focuses on Cindy Crawford talking with partner Richard Gere. The most blatant violation of public and private spheres is the scrim the models change behind at the show, sexualizing their work. The audience sees the chaos, quick changes and naked bodies that are not typically intended for the public. Even while Isaac is asking the women if they would mind being seen in a bra and underwear for the show, the camera captures them in exactly these garments for the film. Ostensibly for artistic effect, the scrim and the chosen clips for the film add to the unstable nature of women in the work force.The film legitimates the subjugation of women in several ways. Isaac wonders how much it costs to book the "girls." Later, he says he's not suggesting that they be seen changing; he doesn't "give a sh*t if they want to do it, because they are gonna have to." The fact that his wishes prevail displays the male power to force women to conform to social or economic pressure. By not crediting the models as they appear on screen, the producers objectify and dehumanize them. When the viewer sees two people ripping a woman on the floor between them to remove her high-heeled boots, it's symbolic of her social struggle for equality, torn between two male conceptions of her.Male stereotypes of women tend towards the two extremes of sex kitten or professional woman. Eartha Kitt tells a story of how Orson Welles bit her neck and pushed her aside "like a little mouse." Making cat sounds, she emphasizes the animalistic, sexual nature of her undulating body. Naomi's nipples show through her tee-shirt while she wears the jacket of a beast; she's eroticized while looking like an animal. The sex kitten, embodied by the models, is also concerned about appearances. Backstage, the camera captures hair being curled, makeup being applied, and the pain of eyebrow-tweezing. When an interviewer asks a model about the difficulties of being glamorous, her work is framed in terms of appearance... while the camera focuses on Isaac working under her skirt, reminding the viewer she is a sexual object. The models themselves are vocal about their concerns. Cindy Crawford says, "you're a little close. My pores are not that small." Linda Evangelista screeches, "I must be out of my f*cking mind undressing next to the two best bodies in the business." Here we see concern about body image and appearances, and a reference to other women as bodies, a clear example of the subjugation of the female to a patriarchal order. The navels and bare breasts reveal more about the women's bodies, and public depictions of them, than the clothes Isaac has fashioned to cover them.On the other extreme, emasculated, professional women may be seen as the positive standard of the new woman to which all media should aspire. Whereas the models have no cited names, the professionals have a title when they appear on-screen. Supposedly, they earn respect from the camera that views each of them as a person not a body; however, these successful women are denied independence, as they are always in the frame with Isaac. The professionals are also stripped of all femininity. Polly Mellon, Candy Pratt and Sandra Bernhard all have gruff sounding voices and wear man-tailored shirts and suit jackets. They co-opt the male power system to gain respect and take away the threat of women in the work force. They are denied a gendered identity, even while they are still denied complete equality with men. They are seen on the phone, eating or talking, never behind a desk like Isaac. Successful women gain respect, but not to the extent that they are feminine.This is no longer a film about fashion, or even a look behind the scenes of a show, but rather a portrayal of women. Nina asks Isaac why he distracts the audience with a scrim, because the clothes look so good. Its real purpose is to access the models' bodies, having nothing to do with fashion design. Women are either viewed as sexual objects, or men in women's bodies, both of these depictions narrow and incomplete. The sign systems for fashion and female identity become entangled and inseparable. Through the camera's male gaze, the violation of public and private, and the advocacy of stereotypes, women continue to be devalued and unjustly portrayed.

metalgoth First off, I must say that I am not the likely audience for a film like this. I know almost nothing about fashion and have difficulty getting into documentaries. I did see this years ago, about the time it hit video, and while I liked Isaac, the movie didn't hold my interest.Fast forward to 2008, I've been watching Ugly Betty for two seasons. It is another unlikely choice for me, but it's over the top enough to be fun. Everyone around me loves The Devil Wears Prada, so I've seen that several times as well.Then Unzipped reappears on satellite TV, and as I watch it I see a first hand look at the world that Betty and Devil are only reflecting. Seeing it in this context I found a whole new appreciation for this movie. It's interesting, funny and dramatic in places, and it's beautifully shot. Maybe there are a lot of documentary clichés at work here, but who better to give the glamorous black and white treatment to than supermodels and fashionistas? It works, extremely well, now I understand better where it comes from. Why settle for an 'inspired by' Anna Wintour when you can have the real thing? Anyway, I'll be getting this on DVD to add to my expanding fashion-themed section. Who knew?

Brucekent33 Hello Young lads and ladettes Sometimes life takes on a whole new meaning. Back in the days of yor a yong little lady became a Queen of a country and secretly had sex with this Sun God to establish some sort of funnel vision of Love. After a few years of romance someone with a huge gap mouth opened up there trap and cause this very nice young lady to be head chopped. Causing the Sun God to cry out to his Mother who by the way appeared several hundred years later. Things insued and thus this young lady reappeared in another land. Landing roles as a true Fashion Icon. Her name is yet to be seen but she is in this movie. Can you please tell your Dumb and white Friends in the know to add this to the Top and Bottom of any and every magazine,newspaper, and book they can as well as scrolled throughout the Television screns people watch daily "Grow more Trees" "Grow more grass" "Grow more plants"? It would really help the earth sustain itself. It does not take that much time to do so. Thanks in advance Linda Evangelista...

Jennifer-23 Well, it was long, and showed very little of the models really. I was thinking it was going to have tons of models. It's all about the designer. It's sort of depressing, but if you want to be a fashion designer, this flick is a must!