New Showbiz

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Model

Model

1981

Director

Frederick Wiseman

Runtime

129 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

MODEL shows male and female models at work on TV commercials, fashion shows, magazine covers, and advertising for a variety of products, including designer collections, fur coats, sports clothes and automobiles. The models are seen at work with photographers whose techniques illustrate different styles of fashion and product photography. The business aspect of running an agency is also shown: interviewing prospective models, career counseling, arranging portfolios, talking with clients, and planning trips. The film presents a view of the intersections of fashion, business, advertising, photography, television and fantasy.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

4.8/10

Fair

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Limited

The film maintains a professional, observational focus on industry mechanics. It lacks explicit depictions of non-cisnormative identities or queer-coded narratives within the professional setting.

Gender Representation

Good

Wiseman deconstructs the fantasy of fashion by highlighting the grueling labor and physical scrutiny of female models. The film exposes systemic power imbalances and gendered workplace hierarchies.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Fair

A diverse array of models reflects the early 1980s New York fashion landscape. The film captures a multi-ethnic workforce operating within highly standardized commercial frameworks.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Fair

The documentary critiques capitalist structures by documenting the commodification of identity. It offers a clinical view of how the business of beauty shapes human standards.

Disability Representation

Limited

There is a notable absence of visible or invisible disabilities. The industry's focus on idealized body types results in an exclusionary landscape for neurodivergent or disabled individuals.

Strengths

  • Provides a profound critique of how aesthetic standards are manufactured and commodified.
  • Deconstructs the 'fantasy' of fashion to reveal the grueling reality of professional labor.
  • Offers a nuanced look at how race intersects with industry aesthetic standards.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks explicit representation of non-cisnormative or queer identities.
  • Excludes individuals with visible or invisible disabilities due to industry-standard body ideals.
  • Prioritizes institutional mechanics over individual identity-driven narratives.

AI Analysis

Wiseman’s documentary provides a rigorous institutional study of the fashion and advertising industries. It succeeds by moving beyond superficial aesthetics to examine the labor, administrative hierarchies, and systemic power dynamics that govern the modeling profession. While the film offers a sophisticated critique of how capitalism commodifies the self, it remains limited by the exclusionary nature of its subject matter. The focus on standardized beauty standards naturally results in low representation for disability and LGBTQ+ identities. Ultimately, the film functions as a social analysis of professional hierarchies. It captures a multi-ethnic workforce, yet the observational style prioritizes industry mechanics over individual identity-driven narratives.

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