Cluding the Largest Concentration of Amish 1998
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490 Journal of American Folklore 114 (2001) Germanic sectarian populations in Ohio, in- Barbie Nation: An Unauthorized Tour. cluding the largest concentration of Amish 1998. Produced, written, and directed by Susan people anywhere. Tucked into coverage of Stern. 54 min., VHS format, color. (New Day the Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale is a brief gem Films, Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J.) of an interview with the sale’s Quilt Co- Chair, Eli Hochstetler, who describes the JEANNIE B. THOMAS quiltmaking activity of his 83-year-old Utah State University mother. He reports that quilting gives his mother a reason to get up in the morning; it is Susan Stern’s film takes as its subject matter a way for her to contribute something of value a doll whose shoes will not stay on her for five minutes, “yet ideologies adhere to her with to the world. And, indeed, quilts account for great tenacity.” The doll is, of course, the Bar- about half of the annual sale’s substantial re- bie doll. Her look at Barbie was prompted by ceipts. the creation of a game called “Jealous Barbie” The work of Susan Shie and James Accord by her five-year-old daughter, Nora. Stern ex- lead into the “Contemporary Messages” seg- plains: “My Barbie Doll had to be jealous of ment. The video successfully and sensitively her Barbie doll for hours on end. Her Barbie documents the collaborative style with which had better hair, a better car, a better guy. Hor- this couple produces highly complex and per- rified, I sat Nora down and explained in my sonal art works within the “Green Quilt” best feminist manner that women don’t have movement—the creation of quilts that project to be jealous of other women. Nora listened positive messages about the environment— patiently and then said: ‘Okay, Mom. First which they started. let’s play “Jealous Barbie” and then we can The other interviews with contemporary play what you want to play.’ ” quiltmakers and fabric artists combine to make Stern told this story to friends, who in turn this final section of the video the strongest and told her their Barbie stories, all of which pro- most appealing. Anyone who has ever inter- vided the impetus for her to make her award- viewed artists about their work should be winning film, Barbie Nation: An Unauthorized aware of the difficulties. Initial responses tend Tour. In the film, Stern, who is also the narra- to be either pompous or self-deprecating, and tor, acknowledges that Mattel’s marketing of it is to the credit of the interviewers and edi- the doll is brilliant, but argues that its efforts tors of this program that these subjects present would have failed if there had not been “a mil- themselves as passionate, thoughtful, and de- lion stories in America waiting to be acted out; lightful human beings. within each buyer was a fantasy life yearning Rather than attempt to evoke in the viewer to be made plastic. Barbie was the perfect ve- a direct emotional response to beauty, creativ- hicle.” The film traces some of these fantasies ity, grief, or celebration, the program allows us as they are enacted by children, Barbie fans and collectors, gays, artists, and groups of to connect with sympathetic people who have adults that Stern calls “Barbie players” who had these experiences. And, because of the create fantasy lives for their dolls. “Everybody skillful way in which the subjects were se- has a Barbie story,” Stern says, “and the stories lected, interviewed, recorded, and edited, the are about us.” In the process of documenting result is quite successful in its mission to go be- some of these stories, she films the San Fran- yond the quilt’s surface to examine the under- cisco Barbie Doll Club; an anti-breast implant lying stories. A few awkward transitions and demonstration outside of the Barbie Hall of choices distract from an otherwise professional Fame in Palo Alto, California; the National production, but the overall quality of the Barbie Convention in Birmingham, Alabama; audio and video provide excellent support for and Mattel’s 35th anniversary Barbie Festival the content. Unraveling the Stories would work held at Disney World in Florida. She also in- well in a classroom as context for an exhibi- cludes clips from Barbie ads; a Philadelphia TV tion, or in any situation in which one is asked news story with the lead-in question, “Is deep “So, what’s the big deal about quilts?” frying a Barbie part of a Satanic ritual?”; and a Film Reviews 491 contemporary musical video in which Barbie being female in America to the children. For is barbecued. instance, one child says, “It doesn’t really mat- One of the stories that Stern tells is the re- ter if they’re pretty; it’s not that important. But markable one of Barbie’s creator and one of there is one important thing about being Mattel’s founders, Ruth Handler. Handler’s pretty; if you’re not pretty—at least a little bit life story and personal experience narratives pretty—people won’t really like you and then about being a woman in corporate America you won’t have any friends.” In the film, Han- are fascinating and complex. Her creation of dler says that she did not want little girls who the Barbie doll—which was named after her were chubby or not pretty to be intimidated own daughter (the Ken doll was named after by Barbie, and she tried to keep her bland at her son)—was inspired both by seeing a Ger- first but admits that each year, as she got pret- man sex doll after World War II and by the tier, the sales increased. This section on the adult paper dolls with which her daughter and children is interesting and brief—too brief. friends played. Outside of these paper dolls, no Because children are one of the primary adult dolls for children were on the market in groups who play with Barbie, it seems appro- the 1950s. Handler says she felt an adult doll priate that they should have been given a could help girls deal with physical changes, larger role in Stern’s film. such as developing breasts, as they grew up and Stern also presents adult “Barbie players,” went through puberty. She was initially told from those who arrange their Barbies in every- by the men at Mattel that there was no way thing from S&M tableaux to those who create they could make a doll with breasts. However, different scenes from ordinary social life. The make a doll with breasts they did: in 1959, folklorist will want more contextualization Barbie made her appearance, selling for three and information about the various groups dollars. At the time, parents hated Barbie but from the children to the Barbie players who kids adored her, and Mattel marketed directly appear in the film. Scenes shot at a Barbie fash- to kids through television advertisements. Its ion show need more contextualization as well; marketing strategies over the years have paid; they leave the viewer with questions like: presently, two Barbies are sold every second What is the purpose of the show? What is the somewhere in the world. motivation of the participants? Handler’s life experiences narrated in the Overall, this film provides a fascinating and film also include accounts of her tremendous engaging look at a toy that has become a plastic difficulties in the 1970s. She lost a breast to icon of late-20th-century American culture. cancer; was indicted for falsifying financial re- Stern says that some may view her movie and cords; and, despite the huge and continuous say, “Look at all these weird people doing success of Barbie, was forced out of Mattel. things with Barbie dolls!” She does not see it However, she then went on to found Nearly this way; she notes that, by 1997, a billion Bar- Me, the first company to make customized bies had been sold, and she says they are “a bil- breast prostheses that are available in depart- lion testaments to how people can create from ment stores. the most mass produced of things a life that is Along with the stories about the creation unique.” Besides being informative, provoca- and marketing of Barbie, Stern also documents tive, and entertaining for general audiences— the stories of those who buy Barbie. For ex- it aired on the Public Television series P.O.V. ample, she films two young girls playing with (Point of View) in the summer of 1998—Bar- the dolls. The typical American girls owns bie Nation could also add to many classroom eight Barbie dolls, and the children filmed do discussions, including those concerning popu- indeed appear to be well stocked with both lar culture in general, popular culture and Barbies and Barbie accessories. The girls are creativity, the intersection of popular culture shown at play, but it is apparent the play and with folk culture, the influence of popular cul- the doll communicate cultural messages about ture on children’s folklore, and gender studies..