October 1, 2013
The Skin I'm In
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 1 MIN.
Documentary filmmaker Broderick Fox trains his camera on himself for this dramatic journey of self-realization.
"The Skin I'm In" is, on one level, an account of how Fox asked First Nations artist Rande Cook to create an intricate tattoo design for him, and how he then spent a year under the needle of Los Angeles tattoo artist Zulu getting the design applied.
But Fox's skin contains a small crowd of personae, He introduces them all in the course of the film, from Rick the go-go boy to Dina the tough female impersonator. And the tattoo isn't just for show; it's a celebration of Fox's integration of the broken parts of himself after hitting rock bottom with an alcohol problem. More than that, the tattoo is part of his healing process, and part of a meditation on body image and body art.
Fox offers his story with no sense of self-importance -- this is not a vanity project. Rather, this film will speak to anyone who has felt shattered and engaged in the struggle to become whole. Fox shares his triumphs and his fears; from his story we might draw solace, even strength.
The DVD release includes three deleted scenes, as well as an introduction in which Fox explains why he wished to include them on the home video release.
"The Skin I'm In"
DVD
$14.99
www.createspace.com/378790
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.