Catalog shopping at home has never been sexier than in the era of the International Mall.
Gays of a certain age will certainly remember mail-order clothing brands with adverts that were selling for much more than underwear. Now Catalog’s hilarious, heartfelt, and cryptically gay history is being told in a colorful new documentary, All Man: The International Male Story,
Founded in the mid-’70s by entrepreneur Jean Burcard, International Mail has been credited with forever changing the world of men’s fashion and the public’s perception of masculinity. Once sold with the tagline “Freedom for the Man”, the magazine celebrated male beauty and encouraged its viewers to take comfort in looking great.
and you know what? It worked! International Man became a real hit. At its peak in the ’90s, it is said to have about three million copies of each quarter issue in circulation, with annual revenues exceeding $100 million.
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Although not explicitly gay, the publication was responsible for more than a few sexual awakenings. as all men Turns out, this was (in part) by design, as its staff was largely made up of women and gay men. Telling the story of this “band of outsiders,” Doc highlights how their work “changed the way people saw themselves—themselves, each other, and how the world would see them.”
Filmmakers Brian Darling and Jesse Finlay Reid have gathered an eclectic crew of talking heads from former magazine employees and models (including Madonna’s ex, Tony Ward), style superstar Carson Cressley, musician Jake Shears, funny guy Drew Droz. Like for practical celebrity commentators. , and designer Simon Doonan.
And although he passed at the end of 2020, all men Also included are interviews with catalog founder Jean Burchard, who reminisces about this “story to be true”, giving the Doctor a plethora of doses of sweet nostalgia.
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All Man: The International Male Story The film has been lighting up the festival circuit since it premiered in Tribeca last summer. If you’re lucky, it might be coming to a festival near you. Over the next week alone, it will play the Tallgrass Festival in Wichita, KS, Out at the Movies Fest in Winston-Salem, NC, and the 35th Annual Out on Film Fest in Atlanta, GA—all of which have streaming options. Local audience.
Later in October, the feature heads to the Seattle Queer Film Festival, with more screening dates to come, so stay tuned!
You . can read more about All Man: The International Male Story Watch the official trailer here, and below: