NOVA: Dying to Be Thin
by Larkin McPhee
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DVD details
Actor: Susan SarandonDirector: Larkin McPhee
Brand: WGBH BOSTON VIDEO
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 60 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-06-29
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: WGBH BOSTON
DVD Reviews of NOVA: Dying to Be Thin
DVD Review: Realistic Portrayal of Eating Disorders, Their Causes and Treatment (Compared to THIN)
Summary: 4 Stars
As a former anorexic, and after watching Thin by Lauren Greenfield, I was pleasantly surprised by this documentary. While perhaps not as visually artistic and with subjects not as shockingly thin as Greenfield's, this piece is ultimately much more even and balanced. It gives a little bit of the history of anorexia and hulimia, briefly discusses the biology of people prone to eating disorders, touches on the trigger points that lead to eating disorders (familial and cultural), shows treatment options and portraits of women who've recovered or are recovering (though not all in this order).
Unlike Greenfield's work, it does not show the drawbacks to treatment facilities (bad influences, competition, learning tricks from fellow patients) nor does it show the difficulty of recovery. It does, however, depict many of the underlying reasons why people develop eating disorders and some of the consequences of eating disorders. By far, the highlight of Dying to Be Thin was the interview with plus-size model (and former anorexic) Kate Dillon--who was, herself, one of my inspirations for recovery. Back in the late nineties, Kate helped me realize that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, but we Westerners try to package beauty in a one-size-fits-all mold, which just isn't real or realistic. In a previous article, Kate said, "We all have different bodies, so why are we trying to make them all look the same." Go Kate!
If you want to watch Thin, definitely watch Dying to Be Thin with it. For more information on what it's like to be trapped in the hell of an eating disorder, read Lauren Greenfield's companion book to the DVD, also titled Thin. And for information on what causes eating disorders and how people deal with life after them, read Gaining: The Truth About Life After Eating Disorders.
DVD Review: Very informative
Summary: 5 Stars
I have an eating disorder myself and had initially bought the DVD as a possible thinspiration. But instead it scared me, mostly about anorexics losing bone mass when they lose their period. The video showed that you could lose a lot of bone mass in as little as 5 years, it scared me to realize I may have already caused that much irreversible damage.
I did however find the scene called "Running on Empty" thinspirational because the girl in that scene was my idea of perfection. She ate normal meals but exercised excessively to get rid of her anxiety. I admire that because of all of the different ways people use to cope with anxiety (such as drugs or binging), she choose exercise and stuck with it. Of course that's probably just her personality type but still its admirable.
DVD Review: Excellent Presentation of Some of the Issues of Eating Disorders, But a Bit Muddled.
Summary: 4 Stars
I have been involved with the analysis of eating disorders for decades, as well as being involved with ballet and athletics, so I feel qualified to comment on this. I was quite surprised and disappointed when this dvd opened with a scathing reproach of all of ballet for promoting disease and destruction in young women. This distorted view is actually corrected later in the program, and the efforts of those in ballet to promote the best possible health of dancers are shown. In this competitive world people will sometimes go too far and make mistakes, but that is not the way it has to be. To be a successful dancer or athlete, excellent stength and health are required. A ballerina must have perfect muscle strength and tone and very strong bones, not just light weight(when lifting a ballerina you must not get the feeling that her ribs will crack! Do you really think ten pounds one way or the other make such a difference?). We also find some confusion here in what constitutes a psychiatric disorder and what is poor judgement. This is a very important distinction in eating problems. Anorexia nervosa is primarily characterized by a distortion of self image and not just by an effort to lose weight. We are shown the cases of a few women who just decided they were making some diet mistakes and decided not to remain excessively thin. One of these young ladies was said to have anorexia. Then why did she have a complete understanding of her body composition and decide on her own to fix it? Other more serious cases requiring psychiatric intervention are also presented. The program does discuss one important aspect that is not discussed elsewhere enough and that is eating disorders among men. Some conjecture is offered as to why it occurs less often among men than women. Do you really think men don't care about their appearance? Actually, differences in how eating disorders affect men and women are not well understood. It would also have been useful to examine another eating disorder that is connected with the desire to be thin and that is obesity. Even thought these distinctions are not brought out to my satisfaction in this program, I still think it is one of the best presentations available and I do recommend it. The real nature of the grief of these case studies is movingly portrayed.DVD Review: VERY interesting!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have read many books about eating disorders, and this is the first video I have watched. I enjoyed it and it brought the people to life, instead of just reading about them in a book. It follows a few girls during and after treatment for eating disorders. It brought me to tears a few times and helped me understand just how serious eating disorders are. I am more concerned about myself now, too. Do yourself a favor and take an hour to watch this video. It is well worth your time, whether or not you have an eating disorder or know someone who does. DVD Review: Interesting and informative.
Summary: 5 Stars
This video shows exactly what it's like to have an eating disorder. I now have a better understanding. I'm not a sufferer of anorexia or bulimia, but I do know that this shows what can happen if you are a sufferer and effective ways to treat the disorders. I watched this because psychology is my area of interest, but I would recommend this. It could be a very valuable teaching tool.
Description of NOVA: Dying to Be Thin
A 14-year-old looks at her image and says, "I see somebody that is fat and ugly and a disappointment." She is like a growing number of young American girls afflicted with such eating disorders as anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Tormented by an irrational fear of being fat, an estimated eight million young women are torturing themselves-sometimes to death.It's no wonder eighty percent of women are dissatisfied with their bodies. Driven by the waif-like images flooding the media of popular actresses, models, dancers and celebrities-who can weigh nearly twenty-five percent less than the average American woman-young girls are obsessed with an unattainable image of perfection.
Dying To Be Thin introduces you to students, ballet dancers, fashion models and other young women who are seeking recovery or have conquered their disease. Plus, you'll discover how leading eating disorder specialists are making dramatic advances in the diagnosis and treatment of these two devastating diseases. Go behind the scenes with NOVA for a courageous and candid look at America's body obsession.
On one DVD5 disc. Region coding: All regions. Audio: Dolby stereo. Screen format: 4 x 3 full frame.
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