“The Neon Demon”, 2016
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
A psychological horror film exploring the viciousness of the modeling industry as seen through the eyes of a young aspiring model in Los Angeles whose natural beauty generates intense fascination and jealousy within the industry.
Starring: Elle Fanning, Karl Glusman, Jena Malone, Bella Heathcote, Abbey Lee, Desmond Harrington, Christina Hendricks, Keanu Reeves, Charles Baker, Jamie Clayton;
Production year: 2016;
Genre: drama, thriller, horror;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 117 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,1;
“Picture Perfect”, 1997
Director: Glenn Gordon Caron
A romantic comedy where a young advertising executive pretends to be engaged to a man who happens to be a model to impress her boss and advance her career.
Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Jay Mohr, Kevin Bacon, Olympia Dukakis, Illeana Douglas, Kevin Dunn, Anne Twomey, Faith Prince, John Rothman, Meg Gibson;
Production year: 1997;
Genre: drama, melodrama, comedy;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 101 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 5,5;
More information about the film “Picture Perfect” on the website imdb.com
“Blow-Up”, 1966
Director: Michelangelo Antonioni
A mystery thriller film following a fashion photographer in London who believes he has inadvertently captured a murder on film while photographing a model.
Starring: Vanessa Redgrave, Sarah Miles, David Hemmings, John Castle, Jane Birkin, Gillian Hills, Peter Bowles, Veruschka von Lehndorff, Julian Chagrin, Claude Chagrin;
Production year: 1966;
Genre: thriller, drama, detective;
Age: 18+;
Duration: 111 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,4;
More information about the film “Blow-Up” on the website imdb.com
“Funny Face”, 1957
Director: Stanley Donen
A musical film starring Audrey Hepburn as a bookstore employee who is discovered by a fashion photographer and transformed into a high fashion model.
Starring: Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire, Kay Thompson, Michel Auclair, Robert Flemyng, Dovima, Suzy Parker, Sunny Hartnett, Jean Del Val, Virginia Gibson;
Production year: 1957;
Genre: musical, melodrama, comedy;
Age: 0+;
Duration: 103 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7;
More information about the film “Funny Face” on the website imdb.com
“Mahogany”, 1975
Director: Berry Gordy, Tony Richardson, Jack Wormser
A drama about a poor young woman who aspires to become a fashion designer, catapulted instead into a career as a glamorous model and the mistress of a wealthy photographer.
Starring: Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Perkins, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Beah Richards, Nina Foch, Marisa Mell, Lenard Norris, Jerome Arnold, Pemon Rami, Obelo, Ira Rogers, Kristine Cameron, Ted Liss, Bruce Vilanch, Don Howard, Albert Rosenberg, Marvin Corman, E. Rodney Jones, Dan Daniel, Princess Galitzine, Jacques Stany, Achille Brugnini, Edward Van Sickle, Giovanni Di Benedetto, Roger Browne, Michael Colton, C. Mitchell, Angelo Lanza di Trabia, Jesse Kitten, Howard Nelson Rubien, Armando Tortorici, Robert Townsend;
Production year: 1975;
Genre: drama, melodrama;
MPAA rating: pg;
Duration: 109 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,1;
More information about the film “Mahogany” on the website imdb.com
“The Model”, 2016
Director: Mads Matthiesen
A Danish psychological drama about an emerging fashion model in Paris who begins to lose herself to obsession and jealousy when her success leads her into a relationship with a fashion photographer.
Starring: Maria Palm, Ed Skrein, Yvo Muller, Dominic Allburn, Guillaume Babouin, Virgile Bramly, Marie Carrour, Alexia Chicot, Thierry Dufournaud, Thierry Hancisse;
Production year: 2016;
Genre: melodrama;
Age: 18+;
Duration: 105 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 5,8;
More information about the film “The Model” on the website imdb.com
In conclusion, films about models often serve to peel back the curtains on an industry shrouded by glamour and allure to reveal the complex and often arduous reality awaiting those who pursue the profession. Whether they focus on the intoxicating highs of fame and beauty as seen in “Zoolander” or depict the dark psychological toll of maintaining an image of perfection as portrayed in “The Neon Demon,” these films offer viewers a multifaceted look at the modeling world. Through stories of rivalry, self-discovery, exploitation, and resilience, audiences are invited not only to witness the glittering runways and flashing cameras but also to ponder the personal costs of aesthetics and the often unattainable ideals of fashion. As a reflection of society's obsession with image and fame, films about models continue to captivate and entertain, while also challenging viewers to consider the humanity behind the headshots.
