Rhode Island International Film Festival 2009

Bursting with sex appeal and kitschy charm, No Strings Attached is a playful romp through the world of burlesque, from its origins in the 1860s to its contemporary revival, encompassing a wide variety of acts that blend satire, music, dance, and eroticism. Women of all shapes and sizes are drawn to burlesque today, and the empowerment they feel as they celebrate their bodies onstage is infectious.No Strings Attached follows the Scenic Sisters, a San Francisco duo, as they train five novices to be part of their act at the annual, international Tease-O-Rama convention. The camera captures the camaraderie and joy the women experience as they rehearse, create costumes, and finally perform their 60s-era spectacle to the tune of Fever, in which they are so hot they must take off their clothes.Using archival footage, No Strings Attached profiles the rich history of burlesque beginning in the late nineteenth century, when performances featured women who satirized Victorian society and questioned prevailing gender norms of the day. The film covers the transformation of burlesque over time, as it became less about feminine wit and more about the female body. No Strings Attached illustrates that the current neo-burlesque revival brings the focus back to the art of satirical tease. Including performances ranging from Michelle L'Amour's naughty Snow White routine to the fire tassel twirling of sixty-year old Satan's Angel, No Strings Attached provides an intimate glimpse through feathers and glitter into this subculture full of glamour, sexuality, and sass.