The Store

This Boxing Day, join us as we step into a high-end department store during the early 80s – the dawn of Ronald Reagan’s America.

Sales, sales, sales. Towards the beginning of Frederick Wiseman’s The Store – his 15th feature-length documentary – an executive at the Neiman-Marcus department store in Dallas spells it out: the only purpose in life for staff working at the store, whether they’re cleaners or managers, is to make sales.

Over the next two hours, Wiseman examines every corner of the store. We watch shoppers try on the latest 80s prints at private shopping appointments, an in-store model sashays between departments and a sable-coat salesman discusses the minutiae of furs with husbands hoping to curry favour with their wives.

Curator’s Note
Contrasting his earlier films which focused on public institutions, The Store is the third in Frederick Wiseman's cycle of films exploring private enterprise. 1976’s Meat shone a light on production, and 1981’s Model delved into advertising. Here, Wiseman completes the sale.

Whether this cycle is a critique of capitalism is up to you. Either way, Wiseman opens the door to a world that’s a pleasure to spend time in. If you're unaccustomed to buying a sable coat, you'll leave the cinema knowing exactly what makes one better than another.

For those who are accustomed to a sable coat purchase, we ask you to leave it at home – it'll be a scorcher.