Talking heads reflect upon the power of seeing images that bucked the conventional American likeness of masculinity. They credit International Male for expanding notions of masculinity. The pages of International Male were by no means erotic, but the interviewees express how a man in a puffy shirt could prove as alluring as a Playgirl centrefold. The photos exude confidence. All Man follows the success of International Male through the tragedies of gay history, like the AIDS crisis. They tearfully remembers all the colleagues and friends she lost. Other interviewees look at the catalogue’s existence as evidence of the greater struggle between conservatism and progress. There are interviews with fashion designers, former International Male staff, and celebrity personalities who were influenced by the magazine.
This documentary features an impressive cast of talking heads that reminisce on the momentous impact of the clothing catalog, including Burkard himself, who they interviewed before his passing in 2020. The documentary has as many curves and well-toned pecs as an issue of International Male, but it’s perfectly PG-13 entertainment. The narration, voiced by actor Matt Bomer, remains earnestly celebratory throughout, although it briefly pauses to note how the catalogue shared the fashion biz’s lack of diverse representation. The 83-minute film situates International Male’s place in the cultural zeitgeist, focusing on the catalog to discuss American masculinity, discrimination in fashion, and eventually, in the film’s most poignant section, the HIV/AIDS crisis. Unfortunately, the run time and talking heads format do not allow for in-depth or notably impactful conversations on the topics. At the end, it is a fun, escapist romp through the past of the influential catalog. (5/10)
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