Customer Reviews

Rotenberg Collection: 50 Years of Pin-Up Fever (Vol 1)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's amazing how these beautiful ladies of yesteryears past continue to please the naked eye. This thick little collection is a welcome addition to Queens of Burlesque, Stars of Burlesque, Bernard of Hollywood Pinups, and many Bette Page photo books. Buy it now. There will probably never be another collection like this again.

Mark Roternberg's enormous, exhaustive exploration of cheesecake photography is an amazing window into our cultural life. It's also a good hot stare at many beautiful women.

The fact that many of these shots are clearly the work of amateur photographers who got their girlfriends to pose, not only nude but quite suggestively, rips the lie off the myth of the propriety of the 50's. The themes (and the excellent thematic organization) of the book are a visual catalogue popular sexual fantasy. The women themselves, in the shape of their bodies and the expressions on their faces, tell us a lot about their lives, and about the lives of men who gobbled up these images. Also, it's rather nostalgic to see all those natural, un-enhanced breasts. Lastly, the strict line between what is shown and what is not is, of course, a fascinating study in the difference between "acceptable naughtiness" and what was then viewed as perversion. These are the social limitations from which sprang the sexual revolution.

I find the organization and presentation of this book excellent. The material is fun, funny, sad, somewhat innocent, and occasionally very erotic. Also, the book is witty, simply by its organizing principles, even without saying a word.

AWESOME!

Let me tell you, I must disagree with some of the other reviewers. The image reproductions are excellent as are the paper and binding quality. This is the case with all the Taschen publications that I own. Before making statements about image reproduction quality, one must first understand the nature of the source material. Also, there is a very definite order to the layout of the photos, it just may not be that apparent in some instances. For example, we have women on the phone; women smoking cigarettes; women in the kitchen; women at the beach; women with whips; women in groups of three; bound women; black women; asian women and so on.

Most of the photos in this book were taken before I was even born, but the playful, girl-next-door innocence of these women casts a wonderful spell on me. Yep, those were the good ole days!

Before I start, let me point out that I only find about four photos with Betty Page in them. Most of the girls were unknown to me, but a few pop up and you say, oh, I know that one from such-and-such. That is what makes it so interesting - the knowledge that thousands of women, girlfriends, housewives, mothers, students, tried to make money and make a living by posing for pin-ups, nude photos and stag films. That girl next door WAS the girl next door. For adults only, no matter what the kids say, don't let them see this. Some photos are grouped into subjects, like girls posing with cigarette, but no real order.
I liked it and look at it a lot, but it is what it says - cheesecake. Not a serious study or history and does not pretend to be. Buy it, enjoy it, keep it safe.

While the subject is interesting the approach brings nothing new to the subject. The numerous illustrations are not organized in an interesting or novel way.

As if to reflect the poor quality of the material and editorial approach the physical product is shoddy. The reproductions are poor, the book is not solidly bound.

On the bright side it should not last very long.