Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies’ On VOD, A Daring Documentary That Literally Reveals All

It may not be the first point of discussion in your garden variety film history class, but nudity in film has existed just about as long as film has. Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies, now streaming on VOD, takes us back to the very first time flesh was shown on film and continues the journey all the way up to the contemporary use of nudity on screens both big and small. With the help of critics, actors, scholars, and beyond, Skin tells quite the story – but is it more than just a titillating tour through a century of sexy screen time? 

SKIN: A HISTORY OF NUDITY IN THE MOVIES: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: From Danny Wolf comes Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies, a 2+ hour documentary chronicling the evolution of the naked body on screen. Featuring interviews from critics, experts, directors, producers, and screen icons like Malcolm McDowell, Pam Grier, Mamie Van Doren, Sylvia Miles, Linda Blair, and tons more, Skin utilizes clever commentary and clips dating back to film’s very inception to tell the story of nudity on film. We start at the very beginning – yes, allllll the way back to 1887, when bare bodies first began to make their way onto screens seen by the public. Lots of time is spent walking us through what kind of nudity was acceptable, how it was utilized in silent films and eventually in talkies starting in the late 1920s, and how the Hays Code eventually forced everyone to cover up (well, almost everyone, and not for very long).

Over the course of the film’s two hours, we take deep dives into decades and particular years of significance, offering us a glimpse into what was seen as acceptable, what was condemned as taboo, and how things began to change. Unfiltered interviews with some of the pioneers of film nudity help to paint very vivid pictures of what it was like way back when folks might have gasped if you told them there would be breasts on screen. The film explores the innovations of the silent film era, the game-changing actions of Marilyn Monroe, and the rise of erotic thrillers in the ’80s and ’90s until it finally arrives at the widespread nudity on both film and TV today. And Skin doesn’t just spend time on the simple notion of nudity, either; some of the film’s most compelling sequences discuss the imbalance between male and female nudity and how the score is only recently beginning to even, the use of rape on screen, and the way employing intimacy coordinators on set has improved working conditions for performers. With all its content and plethora of interviews, Skin: A History of Nudity probably could have thrived with the miniseries treatment as well, but this two hour trip through nakedness and how the birthday suit has forever impacted film, culture, and everything else in between does more than an adequate job.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: If you’re a fan of any of the dozens of documentaries about Hollywood, film, and everything in between – even the recent The Movies miniseries on CNN – Skin will be right up your alley. It doesn’t reinvent its classic documentary formula, and it doesn’t need to.

Performance Worth Watching: Skin is a documentary, so there aren’t any particular “performances” to write home about, unless you want to round up your favorite clips from the movies referenced. If we’re talking about all-star interviewees, however, the quirky Mamie Van Doren should win every award. I was STUNNED to discover she was in her 80s!

Memorable Dialogue: There are certainly some standout interview moments with many of the film’s subjects, but I couldn’t get one very famous Marilyn Monroe quote referenced out of my head. When asked about nude photos of her in an old calendar, she responded “It’s not true that I had nothing on. I had the radio on.”

Sex and Skin: I mean, that’s the whole point, isn’t it? Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies features sexy clips dating back to the late 1800s, so if you’re here for the naughty bits, you certainly won’t be disappointed (though with any luck, you’ll also emerge from your viewing a little more educated than you were when it began).

Our Take: While things could easily feel tedious and slip into the salacious, Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies manages to balance its more lighthearted, smirking sequences with genuinely intriguing and important social and political commentary. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel or do anything particularly exciting, but it doesn’t necessarily need to. We get all the information we might hope for and then some, plus some wonderfully unfiltered interviews with icons from both on-screen and off. The introduction of each new subject is exciting; whether it’s an old film star reminiscing about the way things used to be or a contemporary critic breaking down the way things are today, the information and anecdotes shared are endlessly interesting.

What Skin does particularly well is seamlessly integrate crucial conversations about protecting the people who are participating in the nudity, as well as explain the way things have changed. Whether that’s examining the gender disparity in on-screen nudity, or discussing the way rape has been used in film, or diving into the exploitation or pornography side of things, Skin covers most of the bases out there. There’s a standout segment about #MeToo and how working conditions have shifted, as well as the depiction of nudity on screen, and an intimacy coordinator also shares the importance of their job when it comes to doing these things right. It’s fascinating to learn about on-screen nudity in a contemporary context versus what was acceptable only a few decades ago; many of the performers from the ’60s, ’70s, and beyond simply dealt with the discomfort of stripping down in front of a fully-staffed set and an often pushy (and occasionally creepy!) director. Seeing this change is important, and it’s what makes Skin work so well.

If you’re looking for a groundbreaking piece of documentary work, this isn’t it. But for those who love the tried-and-true documentary format of talking heads and archival footage, Skin will check every single one of your boxes (and then some).

Our Call: STREAM IT. Even with its 2+ hour runtime, Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies is consistently engaging and, well, titillating. With the help of a colorful cast of interviewees – scholars, actors, industry bigwigs, and beyond – Skin delivers a documentary that doesn’t just showcase nakedness on screen, but compellingly explains its political, social, and artistic significance over decades.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines and harboring dad-aged celebrity crushes. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.

Where to stream Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies on VOD