A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

Fame and Fortune

I got a message today about a movie that’s doing the film festivals now, about Steve Haworth‘s work. Steve makes the point in this trailer that he’s Constitutionally protected from prosecution (which may be the case, especially in Arizona, but that still has to be tested in court before it’s a definitive statement), but I wanted to remind practitioners that I strongly urge the oldschool “word of mouth referral only” method of promotion.

It should be a fascinating movie and I’m looking forward to seeing it, but every time a media product comes out into the mainstream world, I worry about what type of attention it’s going to bring, especially when it’s tightly focussed on one person’s activities. That said, at some point I guess a line is crossed where you should be able to make the case that it’s been publicly done for long enough that it’s all de facto legal until specific laws are written codifying what’s what… (BMEshop see also: MODIFY, Like a Butterfly, Dances Sacred and Profane, and the Nomad Piercing DVD; BMEnews see also: a recent extreme body modification prosecution).

Comments

268 responses to “Fame and Fortune”

  1. Stimpson Avatar
    Stimpson

    The strobe effect and the danger music suggest that the images should be shocking, even people seeing this who woldent normally have a negative reaction are going to pick up on that vibe. This strikes me as a choice that projects a strong negative connotation on the images presented. Odd choices for documentery. I wonder if the mood carries over nto the piece or if this is just a shock-centeric teaser.

  2. Stimpson Avatar
    Stimpson

    The strobe effect and the danger music suggest that the images should be shocking, even people seeing this who woldent normally have a negative reaction are going to pick up on that vibe. This strikes me as a choice that projects a strong negative connotation on the images presented. Odd choices for documentery. I wonder if the mood carries over nto the piece or if this is just a shock-centeric teaser.

  3. Absinthe Avatar

    I’m definitely hoping there will be some kind of release near me, if not (and I doubt it haha) I’ll have to wait for DVD. I think in part I’m mostly interested in seeing how it plays out through the film, one of the things I loved most about Modify was that all the people in it with these “scary” mods were totally funny and relaxed people which can only do good for the community. But then again I totally get the idea of taking the fight to the establishment as it were, whatever it turns out like I wish it every success!

  4. Absinthe Avatar

    I’m definitely hoping there will be some kind of release near me, if not (and I doubt it haha) I’ll have to wait for DVD. I think in part I’m mostly interested in seeing how it plays out through the film, one of the things I loved most about Modify was that all the people in it with these “scary” mods were totally funny and relaxed people which can only do good for the community. But then again I totally get the idea of taking the fight to the establishment as it were, whatever it turns out like I wish it every success!

  5. Absinthe Avatar

    I’m definitely hoping there will be some kind of release near me, if not (and I doubt it haha) I’ll have to wait for DVD. I think in part I’m mostly interested in seeing how it plays out through the film, one of the things I loved most about Modify was that all the people in it with these “scary” mods were totally funny and relaxed people which can only do good for the community. But then again I totally get the idea of taking the fight to the establishment as it were, whatever it turns out like I wish it every success!

  6. Absinthe Avatar

    I’m definitely hoping there will be some kind of release near me, if not (and I doubt it haha) I’ll have to wait for DVD. I think in part I’m mostly interested in seeing how it plays out through the film, one of the things I loved most about Modify was that all the people in it with these “scary” mods were totally funny and relaxed people which can only do good for the community. But then again I totally get the idea of taking the fight to the establishment as it were, whatever it turns out like I wish it every success!

  7. Shawn Tried And True Avatar
    Shawn Tried And True

    So good.

  8. Shawn Tried And True Avatar
    Shawn Tried And True

    So good.

  9. Shawn Tried And True Avatar
    Shawn Tried And True

    So good.

  10. Shawn Tried And True Avatar
    Shawn Tried And True

    So good.

  11. Coma Avatar
    Coma

    Any idea how recent the footage is?

    i totally agree that this trailer has a very horror-movie feel to it. Which isn’t good really, seeing as a fair amount of horror movies use body mod-esque practises but present them as ‘torture’ or y’know, some wierd perversion the killer has.

  12. Coma Avatar
    Coma

    Any idea how recent the footage is?

    i totally agree that this trailer has a very horror-movie feel to it. Which isn’t good really, seeing as a fair amount of horror movies use body mod-esque practises but present them as ‘torture’ or y’know, some wierd perversion the killer has.

  13. Coma Avatar
    Coma

    Any idea how recent the footage is?

    i totally agree that this trailer has a very horror-movie feel to it. Which isn’t good really, seeing as a fair amount of horror movies use body mod-esque practises but present them as ‘torture’ or y’know, some wierd perversion the killer has.

  14. Coma Avatar
    Coma

    Any idea how recent the footage is?

    i totally agree that this trailer has a very horror-movie feel to it. Which isn’t good really, seeing as a fair amount of horror movies use body mod-esque practises but present them as ‘torture’ or y’know, some wierd perversion the killer has.

  15. deadpass Avatar
    deadpass

    the video perfectly illistrates why the mainstream will never understand why we do what we do, it’s just too freakshow for them.

  16. deadpass Avatar
    deadpass

    the video perfectly illistrates why the mainstream will never understand why we do what we do, it’s just too freakshow for them.

  17. deadpass Avatar
    deadpass

    the video perfectly illistrates why the mainstream will never understand why we do what we do, it’s just too freakshow for them.

  18. deadpass Avatar
    deadpass

    the video perfectly illistrates why the mainstream will never understand why we do what we do, it’s just too freakshow for them.

  19. terry Avatar
    terry

    the film looks interesting but from the trailer it seemed like a horror movie.

  20. terry Avatar
    terry

    the film looks interesting but from the trailer it seemed like a horror movie.

  21. terry Avatar
    terry

    the film looks interesting but from the trailer it seemed like a horror movie.

  22. terry Avatar
    terry

    the film looks interesting but from the trailer it seemed like a horror movie.

  23. xchristinex Avatar

    ugh, i agree with most of the above comments. the trailer really doesn’t paint body modification in a positive light. i definitely think more people will be exposed to it, but i certainly don’t think it’ll benefit the general consensus on how body modification is perceived. i personally am very interested in watching it, but like most people said, it seems more like a horror film than a documentary on an ‘artform’.

  24. xchristinex Avatar

    ugh, i agree with most of the above comments. the trailer really doesn’t paint body modification in a positive light. i definitely think more people will be exposed to it, but i certainly don’t think it’ll benefit the general consensus on how body modification is perceived. i personally am very interested in watching it, but like most people said, it seems more like a horror film than a documentary on an ‘artform’.

  25. xchristinex Avatar

    ugh, i agree with most of the above comments. the trailer really doesn’t paint body modification in a positive light. i definitely think more people will be exposed to it, but i certainly don’t think it’ll benefit the general consensus on how body modification is perceived. i personally am very interested in watching it, but like most people said, it seems more like a horror film than a documentary on an ‘artform’.

  26. xchristinex Avatar

    ugh, i agree with most of the above comments. the trailer really doesn’t paint body modification in a positive light. i definitely think more people will be exposed to it, but i certainly don’t think it’ll benefit the general consensus on how body modification is perceived. i personally am very interested in watching it, but like most people said, it seems more like a horror film than a documentary on an ‘artform’.

  27. Frester Avatar

    I definetley wanna see this, but the trailer makes it look like a horror movie.

  28. Frester Avatar

    I definetley wanna see this, but the trailer makes it look like a horror movie.

  29. Frester Avatar

    I definetley wanna see this, but the trailer makes it look like a horror movie.

  30. Frester Avatar

    I definetley wanna see this, but the trailer makes it look like a horror movie.

  31. stretchfreak Avatar
    stretchfreak

    thats kick ass!

  32. stretchfreak Avatar
    stretchfreak

    thats kick ass!

  33. stretchfreak Avatar
    stretchfreak

    thats kick ass!

  34. stretchfreak Avatar
    stretchfreak

    thats kick ass!

  35. JenO33 Avatar
    JenO33

    I live in Arizona and it’s the most conservative place I’ve ever lived in so far which makes me respect Steve Haworth even more for not being scared.

  36. JenO33 Avatar
    JenO33

    I live in Arizona and it’s the most conservative place I’ve ever lived in so far which makes me respect Steve Haworth even more for not being scared.

  37. JenO33 Avatar
    JenO33

    I live in Arizona and it’s the most conservative place I’ve ever lived in so far which makes me respect Steve Haworth even more for not being scared.

  38. JenO33 Avatar
    JenO33

    I live in Arizona and it’s the most conservative place I’ve ever lived in so far which makes me respect Steve Haworth even more for not being scared.

  39. PiercedPirate Avatar

    I tend to agree with overall statement here of the trailer being a little too “scary movie” and not enough “straight shooting documentary.” Now, I’m just going by the trailer here, but it looked to me like it displayed Steve as a pretentious asshole, suspension as a fetish, and pain as the desired outcome of modification, not the mod itself. The whole “To Some, Pain is Pleasure” made it seem like we’re all in this for the pain and we need to hurt and bleed to get off.

    I’ll be interested to see this, and to see if the film itself gives off a better vibe than the trailer does.

  40. PiercedPirate Avatar

    I tend to agree with overall statement here of the trailer being a little too “scary movie” and not enough “straight shooting documentary.” Now, I’m just going by the trailer here, but it looked to me like it displayed Steve as a pretentious asshole, suspension as a fetish, and pain as the desired outcome of modification, not the mod itself. The whole “To Some, Pain is Pleasure” made it seem like we’re all in this for the pain and we need to hurt and bleed to get off.

    I’ll be interested to see this, and to see if the film itself gives off a better vibe than the trailer does.

  41. PiercedPirate Avatar

    I tend to agree with overall statement here of the trailer being a little too “scary movie” and not enough “straight shooting documentary.” Now, I’m just going by the trailer here, but it looked to me like it displayed Steve as a pretentious asshole, suspension as a fetish, and pain as the desired outcome of modification, not the mod itself. The whole “To Some, Pain is Pleasure” made it seem like we’re all in this for the pain and we need to hurt and bleed to get off.

    I’ll be interested to see this, and to see if the film itself gives off a better vibe than the trailer does.

  42. PiercedPirate Avatar

    I tend to agree with overall statement here of the trailer being a little too “scary movie” and not enough “straight shooting documentary.” Now, I’m just going by the trailer here, but it looked to me like it displayed Steve as a pretentious asshole, suspension as a fetish, and pain as the desired outcome of modification, not the mod itself. The whole “To Some, Pain is Pleasure” made it seem like we’re all in this for the pain and we need to hurt and bleed to get off.

    I’ll be interested to see this, and to see if the film itself gives off a better vibe than the trailer does.

  43. phoenixxx Avatar

    i see this leading to more corrective explanations to non-modified people.

    the whole thing made me sigh in an “uh-oh” way.

    i dunno…..part of me thinks some things are better left unknown to the general public. i mean there are thousands of us that found modification without movies (Strangeland does NOT count, damnit) and this could just open it up to more yahoos than usual.

    that being said, hopefully the movie will be a little more realistic than the trailer.

  44. phoenixxx Avatar

    i see this leading to more corrective explanations to non-modified people.

    the whole thing made me sigh in an “uh-oh” way.

    i dunno…..part of me thinks some things are better left unknown to the general public. i mean there are thousands of us that found modification without movies (Strangeland does NOT count, damnit) and this could just open it up to more yahoos than usual.

    that being said, hopefully the movie will be a little more realistic than the trailer.

  45. phoenixxx Avatar

    i see this leading to more corrective explanations to non-modified people.

    the whole thing made me sigh in an “uh-oh” way.

    i dunno…..part of me thinks some things are better left unknown to the general public. i mean there are thousands of us that found modification without movies (Strangeland does NOT count, damnit) and this could just open it up to more yahoos than usual.

    that being said, hopefully the movie will be a little more realistic than the trailer.

  46. phoenixxx Avatar

    i see this leading to more corrective explanations to non-modified people.

    the whole thing made me sigh in an “uh-oh” way.

    i dunno…..part of me thinks some things are better left unknown to the general public. i mean there are thousands of us that found modification without movies (Strangeland does NOT count, damnit) and this could just open it up to more yahoos than usual.

    that being said, hopefully the movie will be a little more realistic than the trailer.

  47. House frau Avatar

    I think they are definitely going for shock value and more of a horror type trailer because that is what gets people’s attention, what will make “average” people want see this if it is available to them. Maybe I am jaded because I look at modblog often, but I don’t think this is all that upsetting to non modified people like me. I have seen the “cat guy” on Discovery channel a few times along with the guy tattooed to look like a leopard, and then there is Real Sex on HBO late night with all sorts of things. People that look “normal” are often the ones who are “freaks” underneath! Once the shock value wears off, I think people (Americans anyway) don’t care about this kind of stuff unless they are right wing bible thumpers. This is the least of their problems here, I think the idea of having a black president is going to freak out the racist close minded bible belt more than this flick. So modified people, don’t worry!

  48. House frau Avatar

    I think they are definitely going for shock value and more of a horror type trailer because that is what gets people’s attention, what will make “average” people want see this if it is available to them. Maybe I am jaded because I look at modblog often, but I don’t think this is all that upsetting to non modified people like me. I have seen the “cat guy” on Discovery channel a few times along with the guy tattooed to look like a leopard, and then there is Real Sex on HBO late night with all sorts of things. People that look “normal” are often the ones who are “freaks” underneath! Once the shock value wears off, I think people (Americans anyway) don’t care about this kind of stuff unless they are right wing bible thumpers. This is the least of their problems here, I think the idea of having a black president is going to freak out the racist close minded bible belt more than this flick. So modified people, don’t worry!

  49. House frau Avatar

    I think they are definitely going for shock value and more of a horror type trailer because that is what gets people’s attention, what will make “average” people want see this if it is available to them. Maybe I am jaded because I look at modblog often, but I don’t think this is all that upsetting to non modified people like me. I have seen the “cat guy” on Discovery channel a few times along with the guy tattooed to look like a leopard, and then there is Real Sex on HBO late night with all sorts of things. People that look “normal” are often the ones who are “freaks” underneath! Once the shock value wears off, I think people (Americans anyway) don’t care about this kind of stuff unless they are right wing bible thumpers. This is the least of their problems here, I think the idea of having a black president is going to freak out the racist close minded bible belt more than this flick. So modified people, don’t worry!

  50. House frau Avatar

    I think they are definitely going for shock value and more of a horror type trailer because that is what gets people’s attention, what will make “average” people want see this if it is available to them. Maybe I am jaded because I look at modblog often, but I don’t think this is all that upsetting to non modified people like me. I have seen the “cat guy” on Discovery channel a few times along with the guy tattooed to look like a leopard, and then there is Real Sex on HBO late night with all sorts of things. People that look “normal” are often the ones who are “freaks” underneath! Once the shock value wears off, I think people (Americans anyway) don’t care about this kind of stuff unless they are right wing bible thumpers. This is the least of their problems here, I think the idea of having a black president is going to freak out the racist close minded bible belt more than this flick. So modified people, don’t worry!

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