Scratch the Surface

In junior high, all the girls in my class wanted to be like Brooke Shields, who looked ab fab in those Calvin Klein jeans! Part of a phenomenon that began in the '80s and continues today--the reign of the supermodel--Brooke Shields and her peers were and are considered paragons of feminine beauty, women who set the standards of fashion and dictate the measurements of the ideal female form. In Scratch the Surface, model-turned-filmmaker Tara Fitzpatrick reflects on her years in the modeling industry, taking a behind-the-scenes look at the effect the business has had on models. Shields, Phoebe Cates, Whitney Houston, and other well-known celebrities share their stories, revealing that these very beautiful women can and do suffer the same teenage angst and self-doubt that "normal" girls face growing up. When Phoebe Cates had her first cover, she got glares from her friends and had mean things written on her locker, while other models were ridiculed by classmates, or had to deal with sibling jealousy. An official selection of the Seattle International Film Festival and winner at the Chicago International Film Festival, this engaging, informative documentary offers a glimpse of the darker side of giving up one's life as a teenager to pursue worldwide fame. Recommended. Aud: H, P. (J. Asala)