Killing Us Softly 4

Gr 9 Up—"Let your eyes be heard without making a sound." This seemingly innocuous cosmetics slogan is dangerous for young women—and our culture. Jeane Kilbourne, author, lecturer, and filmmaker, is recognized for her groundbreaking work related to the image of women in advertising. In this film, an update of her previous three films, Kilbourne shows that this message is just one of countless ads that silence females. The film reveals that ads have become more damaging and deceptive than ever. Advances in technology have resulted in more sophisticated computer-constructed images. Photoshopped models with legs reduced to half their size have contributed to unprecedented rates of eating disorders and female depression, and a 457 percent increase in plastic surgeries from 1997 to 2007. The narrative thread of the film is Kilbourne's podium lecture to a college audience. However, her examples are accessible even to middle school viewers. Arresting visuals and Kilbourne's snappy quips undercut didacticism. The film gives students the tools to critique the 3,000 ads they see per day, on average. It is engrossing enough even for extracurricular use. A piece of art crafted over four decades, this film will change, and perhaps even save, lives. A must-have even if your library owns the previous releases.—Jess deCourcy Hinds, Bard High School Early College-Queens, Long Island City, NY