Catalogue of Noses tackles the pressures of the film industry and Jewish assimilation in this delightful musical short! The film is based on the real-life experiences of actress and screenwriter Lauren Schaffel. In 2004, an aspiring teen actress, Emily (Jemma Handler), must undergo rhinoplasty surgery at the behest of her mother, Debbie (Lori Alan). Debbie wholeheartedly believes it is the right decision because it will further her career opportunities and is a tradition among the women in the family. Under pressure, Emily feels insecure about her beauty and struggles to choose the right nose.
The significance of getting a nose job lingers in Jewish culture. Doctor Pearlman (Michael Kostroff), the surgeon, recalls how his grandmother survived Nazi Germany by passing as Aryan with her fair appearance and a “normal” looking nose. After hearing various perspectives from her mother and the rhinoplasty surgeon, Emily must make a final decision. Will she stay the same or change her natural beauty?
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“…struggles to choose the right nose.”
Josie Andrews superbly directs this musical short. All the performances are wonderful, and everyone brings high energy to their roles. Jemma Handler has a beautiful singing voice and perfectly handles the material. Both Lori Alan and Michael Kostroff are scene stealers in their supporting roles. Lauren Schaffel even appears as the adult version of Emily, and she is adorable in her brief scenes. Andrews and cinematographer Luke Sargent are experimental in their blocking and use of a doctor’s office for the musical numbers.
The musical numbers are composed by Adam McDonald and Lauren Schaffel. Schaffel’s lyrics are playful and an homage to Fiddler on the Roof. “When I Am A Shiksa” and “Doctor P” are hilarious and capture the dorky nature of Emily’s personality. “Doctor P” embraces the surreal nature of the musical genre with background dancers wearing giant noses on their heads. To differentiate each number, Sargent uses a spectrum of color lighting to personify Emily’s emotions. Red lighting is cleverly subverted in the ballad, “New Nose, Old Nose.” It is awesome to have a lighthearted musical again!
Catalogue of Noses is a palette cleanser in a world where musicals are uninspired remakes, overtly political, and unnecessarily campy. Schaffel’s story provides a great message for teenagers about feeling confident in their appearance. See this film, whether you love the musical genre or are a casual viewer; it is an enjoyable viewing experience.
"…a palette cleanser in a world where musicals are uninspired remakes…"
