NEWPORT BEACH FILM FESTIVAL 2024 REVIEW! From documentarian Jill Campbell, Beyond the Gaze: Jule Campbell’s Swimsuit Issue takes viewers into the extraordinary career of magazine editor Jule Campbell. The director is the editor’s daughter-in-law, and she interviewed Campbell about her life and career before she passed away in 2022. The documentary also examines the controversy and critique of Sports Illustrated from feminist academics and the supermodels themselves, who discuss their careers at Sports Illustrated.
New Jersey native Jule Campbell had a fascinating life. She aspired to be an artist, but her parents insisted she become an art teacher. Prior to her long tenure at Sports Illustrated, Campbell worked at Glamour. During this period, she became interested in fashion editing as she noticed women had control in this department. Campbell took her creativity and modeling insight to Sports Illustrated in the 1960s. Sports Illustrated had a different brand approach prior to her arrival. The popular magazine was known as an outdoorsman publication with a devoted though niche readership. But that all changed once Campbell brought her creative stamp over to the company.
The magazine editor expresses that her goal was to make the models relatable, coordinate the swimsuits with their personalities, and place them in natural environments. She wanted the women to feel beautiful and cultivate tasteful imagery versus creating lewd content in the more risque magazines of the time. Proving this is the sequence in which we see her elevate a winter fashion shoot by collaborating with photographer Walter Iooss Jr. During this shoot, Campbell and Iooss Jr. bring out Kathy Ireland’s innocent nature. Campbell’s first supermodel icon was Cheryl Tiegs. Tiegs stood out because of her “girl next door” persona and sun-kissed California vibes. An issue featuring Tiegs in a see-through one-piece swimsuit sparked controversy immediately.
“…takes viewers into the extraordinary career of magazine editor Jule Campbell.”
Beyond the Gaze: Jule Campbell’s Swimsuit Issue is packed with anecdotal memories from the models. Each interview brings forth the model’s personality, much like Campbell’s photoshoots. Christie Brinkley recalls her encounter with elephants during a safari shoot. Tyra Banks acknowledges the importance of shooting on a South African beach with a Caucasian model after the end of Apartheid. We also see Sports Illustrated in the 21st century with its current editor, MJ Day, emphasizing the importance of diversity in women’s body types. Paulina Porizkova stands out with her foul mouth and talent as a pianist.
The film celebrates Campbell’s powerful legacy and encourages debate about how models should be depicted within American culture. It is masterfully edited, and the beautiful montages featuring Jule Campbell’s Super 8 home movies and beautifully restored photos from the various shoots are moving. The photography conveys a classical aesthetic with lush lighting and visually engaging poses. Even the swimsuits and sportswear boldly pop against the exotic locales of the photoshoots. Campbell’s vision and photographers’ masterwork still impress in this day and age, as our current era lacks detail due to an overuse of airbrushing and flat lighting. These well-crafted images should be displayed in a museum.
This documentary provides a solid overview of the modeling industry and places Jule Campbell as an essential artist within American culture. Audiences will be entertained by her sharp wit and touched by the moments she recalls family sacrifices during her most hectic seasons. Beyond the Gaze: Jule Campbell’s Swimsuit Issue is one of the year’s most compelling and thought-provoking documentaries.
Beyond the Gaze: Jule Campbell’s Swimsuit Issue screened at the 2024 Newport Beach Film Festival.
"…one of the years most compelling and thought-provoking documentaries."
