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Released by: Cult Epics
Released on: April 11th, 2017.
Director: Nico B.
Cast: Bunny Yeager
Year: 1997
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The Movie:
100 Girls By Bunny Yeager is a forty-four minute look at the life and times of its titular subject, 'the worlds prettiest photographer.' It's been put together by director Nico B., who has, with this project, allowed Yeager (who passed away back in 2014 at the age of eighty-five) allowed his subject to basically tell her own story over an assemblage of her work.
As such, we are treated to vintage photographs and film clips from throughout Yeager's storied career showcasing, as the title implies, one hundred of the women who were lucky enough to have posed for her over the years. As the images play out, Yeager offs up thoughts on her subjects but also lets us in on how she got her start in the business, first as a model herself and then later as a photographer for the like of Playboy and other similar magazines.
Much of the focus of Yeager's voiceover work is, as you'd expect, about the models. She talks about how they came to pose for her and about various other projects that some of them were involved in. The movie is at its best, however, when Yeager is talking about her own history. She talks about working in front of the camera but also her creative process as a photographer. Of course, Bettie Page plays a part here too. Yeager famously shot Page a few times and their work together is a highlight of the piece.
Those excepting a feature length biography of Yeager might be disappointed here but if you're appreciative of pinup or glamour photography, particularly of this vintage, then odds are pretty good that you'll find this quite interesting. Not only does it give us the chance to sit back and listen to one of the best but it also offers up some rare behind the scenes footage from a few of her shoots. It's literally shot as if you're flipping through the book with Yeager - the camera pans down to the photos as she gives her story for each picture.
This could have gone more in-depth and it could have maybe made the case for Yeager's importance as a female photographer of the female form. It never goes there, but that's not really the point - instead this is really just a look back at some career highlights with some interesting anecdotes thrown in. Not as deep as some might want, but still interesting enough that it's worth a look for Yeager's fans.
Video/Audio/Extras:
100 Girls makes its debut on Blu-ray in AVC encoded 1080p high definition framed at 1.33.1 fullframe in a transfer taken from a new 2k scan of the original 16mm negative. The movie is basically entirely made up or archival photographs and clips so this can only look so good as that source material - so don't go into this expecting demo material. However, there's pretty good detail here and the disc is well authored, ensuring that there are no problems with any compression artifacts.
The English language Dolby Digital Stereo track is fine. Obviously lossless audio is always preferred for a Blu-ray release but the track is not particularly complex. Yeager's narration is easy enough to understand and the background music used in the feature sounds pretty decent.
Extras start off with a Bunny Yeager/Bettie Page HD Virtual Photo exhibit which is a five minute piece made up of text screens and archival photos explaining the history and significance of the work that Yeager did with the woman widely and rightfully recognized as the greatest pinup model of all tie. Up next is a seventeen minute piece entitled Bettie Page Uncovered: The Unknown Photographs Of Bunny Yeager. Here we get some insight from Michael De Masche and Helmut Schuster about the photographs that are shown in the piece, presented for the first tie at the Catalina Island Museum in 2016, how they became aware of Yeager and their thoughts on her work behind the camera. Menus and chapter stops are also included.
The Final Word:
100 Girls By Bunny Yeager is an interesting look back at the career of one of the pinup world's most valuable players. Yeager's got some interesting insight and stories to share through her narration while the visuals are sure to appeal to anyone with an eye for the female form. Cult Epics' Blu-ray release presents the feature in a nice high definition transfer with a few interesting extras as well. If you're at all interested in vintage pinup photography or consider yourself a fan of Yeager's work or of Bettie Page, this is definitely worth checking out.
Click on the images below for full sized Blu-ray screen caps!
