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Breasts - A Documentary
Breasts - A Documentary
Actors: Birgitte, Susan Mason, Tawny Peaks, Rachel Rocketts
Director: Meema Spadola
Genres: Special Interests, Television, Documentary
UR     2006     0hr 50min

Twenty-two women ? most topless, all candid ? reveal how their breasts have shaped their lives, from puberty to sex to motherhood and beyond. Intersparsed throughout are precious archival gems, including a racy 1920s carto...  more »

     
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Movie Details

Actors: Birgitte, Susan Mason, Tawny Peaks, Rachel Rocketts
Director: Meema Spadola
Creators: Eileen Schreiber, Meema Spadola, Rocky Collins, Thom Powers
Genres: Special Interests, Television, Documentary
Sub-Genres: Pre & Post-Natal, Television, Documentary
Studio: First Run Features
Format: DVD - Color - Closed-captioned
DVD Release Date: 03/21/2006
Original Release Date: 01/01/1999
Theatrical Release Date: 01/01/1999
Release Year: 2006
Run Time: 0hr 50min
Screens: Color
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 9
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Languages: English

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Movie Reviews

Enlightening, even for us neanderthal guys
happydogpotatohead | New Orleans, LA USA | 04/11/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)

"This came on HBO one night and I watched it until the end. I was totally fascinated, and no, not just by the toplessness. These are real people, with stories to tell that are worth hearing. As a "guy," it was highly enlightening to me to see how women view their breasts, and how they view all the issues, ideas, fantasies, etc. that are associated with them. Their stories were sad, happy, triumphant, and, yes, maybe occasionally a bit titillating (excuse the pun). The story of the woman who had a mastectomy hit me the hardest. At first, I admit, I flinched at the sight of her scar. But as I listened to her story and realized her triumph, I started to understand things about women that I'd never understood before. It was an invaluable experience.Another thing that I liked about this documentary was that even though it was given from the female point of view, it was not exclusionary. I didn't have the feeling that I was a male intruder trespassing on forbidden territory, as I do sometimes when I see some female-oriented films.After the initial shock/buzz of seeing so many different types of women with no shirts on, it wears off. The thing that draws you into this movie and keeps you there are these women's stories. In the end this becomes a very human document, a short visit with some fascinating and beautiful people who have a lot to say. Anybody looking to this for titillation will be mostly disappointed, but anyone with a brain will learn from "Breasts.""
Deeply insightful with a sense of humor
Courtney L. Lewis | Kingston, PA USA | 04/24/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I purchased this video for a course on the cultural and historical issues surrounding Western attitudes towards women's bodies and was thrilled with the content and presentation. Participants (mostly topless or in bras) discuss their attitudes and experiences involving their breasts. Puberty, sexual partners, breastfeeding, breast cancer, breast enlargement/reduction and one lovely transsexual's experience of getting her breasts are touched upon (forgive the pun!). Between topical segments, the director has spliced in such things as movie clips from 1950s puberty films and early 20th century "pornography" clips involving breasts. With each of these women's experience, the viewer can draw widespread cultural expectations and historical tradition involving the female body."
Such a Funny and Sensuous movie...But a Powerful emotional r
Tim From Cincinnati | Land of Lonnie Mack | 05/11/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ms.O'Gorman (prod descript) said if nothing else, its a good one for women. I disagree. I was So surprised watching this dvd How amazing and important this film Really is...Its ONE for all Men and Women..And maybe? Men might Understand much More about a woman's breast. Outstanding, despite low on money project would get 10 stars if i could. Well worth the 50 mins of quite a story."
An intimate glace into body image
A. Slaff | Virginia, USA | 02/21/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)

"The hour-long documentary Breasts directed by Meema Spadola (who also made a film called Private Dicks: Men Exposed) is a great resource for open dialogue about female bodies, specifically, breasts. Composed of a range of viewpoints--large and small, young and old--the film allows the women to talk about how they feel about their upper bodies and how breasts affect their interactions with the world. Although I am not sure I learned much from watching the film, it was refreshing to hear other opinions on breasts.

I watched the movie with a male friend of mine who I assumed wouldn't enjoy the film much, but afterwards we talked a little bit about his experiences. The film was a good jumping off point for the two of us to discuss other body issues that women have and initiated a few questions about breasts and how women might feel about them. He thought, though, there could have been a larger diversity of breasts and viewpoints and that by limiting the film to 22 voices, many of whom are only shown in specific segments, there were a lot of perspectives excluded.

I thought the film attempted to show women from various walks of life, but it is true that many of my own feelings about breasts were not echoed in what the women on-screen were saying. I did particularly enjoy the mother-daughter pairs who appeared together and discussed not only their own bodies but their feelings about each other's bodies. I think these scenes revealed a lot about how women feel about the bodies of those around them. I also particularly enjoyed the historic clips that were interspersed throughout the interviews because they did a lot to show different ways in which breasts have been depicted over time as well as kept the tone of the film lively.

One issue I did have is that the film raised the question of the power of breasts, something my male friend immediately picked up on and was joking about, without doing much to provide an answer. None of the women really were able to describe the power of having breasts in a clear manner. Instead, it came off as a vague and questionable notion. I would have liked to have seen a few more academic and scientific voices in the mix that could have possibly explained things like biological reasons for the power of breasts and sociological and psychological points of interest. However, as a film that provides a frank glance at what some women think about their breasts, I thought this film was worth seeing. Only an hour long, it easily held my attention and I was disappointed when it was over.

Even though many women assume that they are the target audience, I think this film is particularly appropriate for men. It allows them an opportunity to see women's bodies through the eyes of the women they belong to and to understand a little about what breasts mean to those of us who have them. I also thought the film would be an excellent resource for women with questions about body image who might need some reassurance that the way they feel about their breasts is completely normal."