Killing Us Softly: Advertising's Image of Women (1979)

Name: Killing Us Softly: Advertising's Image of Women
Genre: Documentary
Released: 1979-01-01

30m

Running Time

Plot.

Taking advertisements from magazines, newspapers, album covers and shop front windows, KILLING US SOFTLY presents specific examples of the ways in which advertisements reinforce stereotypes, affect our self-image and how we relate to each other, our concepts of success and worth, love and sexuality, popularity and normality. Using an intriguing mixture of statistics, humor, insight and outrage, Jean Kilbourne questions how far the use and abuse of women in advertising is connected to the sexual exploitation of women at large and the increasing incidence of child abuse.

Where to Watch.

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Cast & Crew.

Jean Kilbourne

Director

Margaret Lazarus

Producer

Renner Wunderlich

Director

Details.

Release Date
January 1, 1979

Status
Released

Running Time
30m

Genres
Documentary

Last updated: 2023-11-12

Wiki.

Killing Us Softly 4: Advertising’s Image of Women is an American documentary based on a lecture by Jean Kilbourne and is produced and distributed by the Media Education Foundation. The documentary, first released in 1979 and since revised and updated three times, focuses on images of women in advertising, in particular on gender stereotypes, the effects of advertising on women's self-image, and the objectification of women's bodies.The two most recent updates, Killing Us Softly 3 and Killing Us Softly 4, were produced by the Media Education Foundation and directed by Sut Jhally. Using modern print and television advertisements, the films make connections between unrealistic media portrayals of women and problems such as "eating disorders, men's violence against women, and the political backlash against feminism."