The Store: A Time Capsule Forgotten

One of the new Apps on the new AppleTV platform is M2M, a fashion channel app. The channel post feeds from fashion collections in Milan, Paris, London and NYC, along with fashion documentaries, tv shows or feature length films. I’ve been in heaven upon it’s birth and glued since. Right in time for the holidays, the channel unearthed a documentary titled “The Store” by Frederick Wiseman. Wiseman and his team camped out at the flagship of Neiman Marcus in Dallas during the holiday season of 1982. If you were growing up in the 80’s or just simply alive during the 80’s. You have to see this movie! I swear to you, watching it is like falling backwards 30+ years into a flood of great memories. 

This documentary has so many, #rememberwhen ’s in it. From the man buying fur coat, who really plans on modeling at home alone later. To delusional ladies who try to lunch, who are being blown smoke in their eyes in the fitting room. I understand it’s all about the sale but please you cannot let that woman walk out wearing that skirt with that top. When a designer designs something to be worn a certain way. There is a reason why it was designed that way and you should never question the designer, nor the shop girl advising you to not wear it that way. Remember, shop assistants want you to come back, so they’re not going to sell you something you are going to look like shit in! Please, yield to their advice because they really want your money and telling you something works on you is in your best interest. Telling you that something “doesn’t work” or “not flattering” is flashing red lights on that top or dress. Telling you that the jacket “shaves 10 years off you” is the green light to buy. 

Trust me, there is so much more to write about in this film. Like the house models who work the store by shauntaying around the store in designer gowns. To the singing telegram that turns into a stripper gram. Which if we are being honest here, was so the norm and socially acceptable 30 years ago. What the hell  has happened to us today, how’s a stripper at work not gauche? At the same time it was hard to see scenes like the department managers meeting in the conference room with several high up on the chain women keeping mum when the men are talking in the room. On the flip side it’s so obvious based on the look on these women faces is that these men are making stupid decisions about things they have no clue about. So happy to see the progress the retail industry has made in the past 30 years.

This movie is certainly going on our annual holiday movie list next year. While the movie was shot during the Christmas season, it take Xmas to whole other level. Certainly it is a holiday classic for the nostalgic at heart. The movie not only follows it’s employees and clients around the story but it also follows it’s grumpy and Debbie downer big boss Stanley Marcus. Although it was eye opening to see how sour the man is even with Lady Bird Johnson as her wing man (or lady). Now warning, if you have a phobia of clowns. Then get ready for the creepy skinny 60+ year old man who parades through the store as book characters. The clown is his most creepy look through out the whole lot. Although the elf costume is a close second. I promise this movie is worth a minute!

Don't have AppleTV? Sadly I could not find the video on YouTube or Amazon. You purchase the DVD directly from the film distributor. There a $29 cheap version.  

http://www.zipporah.com/films/19