Bettie Page Reveals All

Bettie Page modeled 60 years ago, and her work looks like it could’ve been produced yesterday. I don’t think there has ever been a more timeless human being when it comes to the art of modeling. And, yes, I’m counting Marilyn Monroe. Bettie Page Reveals All, director Mark Mori’s new documentary, features one of the final interviews with Page, and she often acts as the film’s narrator. It contains much of her work, and plenty of details behind those exotic shoots that were way ahead of their time. It also goes into detail about how Page disappeared, the hardships she endured and her decision to re-enter the spotlight … sort of. We don’t see the aged Page, but we hear her plenty. Her voice, of course, doesn’t match those effervescent and infamous photos and films on display in the movie. She was in her 80s for this interview, and you can hear the years on her vocal chords. This movie won’t win over any new fans for Page. When Page herself isn’t narrating, the likes of Hugh Hefner and Dave Stevens (The Rocketeer author) offer up unyielding praise of Page and her career. There are moments where it all becomes a bit much and strange; the hardships and sexual assaults Page endured weigh heavy on the mind while hearing people praise her bondage films. As filmmaking, it isn’t an especially sharp piece of work. The soundtrack choices are mostly terrible and the transitions are choppy at best.