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Plot Summary
Follow avant-garde photographer Greg Friedler as he embarks on an absurdly emotional 30-day roller-coaster ride to bring together 173 naked human beings of every shape, size, and walk of life as they bare all to Friedler’s lens and eventually the world as he sets out to shoot the fourth and final book in his critically acclaimed “Naked” series in Las Vegas. AMERICA STRIPPED, David Palmer’s acclaimed documentary, is a no holds barred behind the curtain exploration which follows Friedler’s own personal search into the underbelly of Vegas to capture its wide array and at times bizarre denizens who when stripped of clothing and society’s judgments in front of his lens discover an even playing field of beauty, humanity and ultimately self love. This film contains nudity.
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Customer Reviews
Wonderful documentary about humanity
(Note: There are what could be considered spoilers in this review)
America Stripped: Naked Las Vegas is a film that documents the making of the fourth and final book in the Naked series by photographer Greg Friedler. Producer/Director and Cameraman David Palmer follows Friedler as he journeys through the glamour and and the evil depths of Las Vegas to find people to photograph. The formatting of the book is simple. One photo of the person dressed, whether it be a suit and tie, a showgirl costume, as Elvis and even a fighting Knight! Then one photo of that person naked. Straight on shot with the same pose for the most part, almost a mug shot look about the photos. Make no mistake about it, this is NOT pornography! This is a study of how we judge people by the way they dress and look everyday. You'll see everything from successful business men and women right down to a homeless guy. It's interesting to realize that when seen naked...it is impossible to tell who is super successful to who is at rock bottom, in fact you may even think the roles are reversed.
As David Palmer (Hit and Run) was trying to find a suitable ending for his film, it struck him to go back after a year and interview some of the people who were photographed to get updates on their situations and see their reactions to the book. I found it fascinating to watch the movie then go back after a year to see how the events of the world have changed many of the peoples lives. People seemingly at the top crashing down and people at the bottom rising above it all. Particularly touching to me is the story of a woman working at a peepshow and strip club dancer. She was obviously strung out and didn't look healthy, then one year later getting her life together and looking unbelievably beautiful! Very heartwarming to me.
Friedler and Palmer come together to make a great film. Friedler has three other books in the series called Naked New York, Naked Los Angeles and Naked London. If you are the type of person who likes to people watch then "America Stripped: Naked Las Vegas" is a movie you have to see. Yes, it has lots of nudity BUT done tastefully. It celebrates the people in the book, it does not mock them. It is a documentary, an artistic study, and a chance to learn about many people whom you might not otherwise encounter or interact with in your lifetime. You can see that Friedler cares for the people he is photographing and even goes as far as to learn more about them beyond the needs of the book and film. Palmer does a incredible job of documenting the journey that is Naked Las Vegas.
Not What You Think.
If you go by title one might expect your typical titillating documentary on sex. But David Palmer's documentary America Stripped, goes much deeper then the card-snappers glossy images you get walking down The Strip. In fact you'll most likely experience a Vegas you never knew existed. Palmer's adept storytelling weaves together photographer Greg Friedler quest to make his final book in a series on nudity, and tells the stories of the characters that fill its pages. But instead of the usual suspects of show-girls showing up a cast of misfits appear. The survivors, the outcast - the citizens of forgotten Las Vegas. As they disrobed one by one my uncomfortable feeling for them was replaced by respect. The courage to reveal themselves as they are reminded me that real people have interesting bodies, unlike the Photoshop images we are taught to idolize.
Funny and poignant Palmer cleverly interviews former Mayor Oscar Goodman who's clown like appearance fits his roll as Grand Poobah of Vegas. Goodman closes by saying he'll need a few drinks to get all the way through the book. I'm just glad he wasn't in it.
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