I've seen both of them, and even though it was a long time ago, this movie and "Little girls in pretty boxes" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119551/ are practicly the same! They're even made the same year. Odd.
¤ Taste is like the butt - divided! (old swedish saying) ¤
Eating Disorders are rising in the gymnastics world, unfourtunately. Most gymnasts think of their coaches as almost a God figure and will do anything to accomplish their dream of the Olympics. If the coach tells them that they need to lose a few pounds, that becomes all thats on their minds. Sadly, about 3 out of 5 gymnasts on the elite level have an eating disorder. After the 1972 Olympics with Olga Korbut, and especially after 1976 with Nadia Comaneci, gymnastics became a sport for smaller girls, not women in their 20s. For more reading on this subject, I recommend "Little Girls in Pretty Boxes: The Making and Breaking of Elite Gymnasts and Figure Skaters". Its a heart wrenching book about the downside of gymnastics at an elite level.
-Dani
Thanks for the lesson in eating disorders amongst gymnasts...
I don't mean that it's not important - it really is - but your comment had nothing to do with mine. I was wondering why two tv-movies with almost identical plots, but different writers were made the same year. Very strange.
¤ Taste is like the butt - divided! (old swedish saying) ¤
Now that I have seen both, too, I have to say I prefer Little Girls in Pretty Boxes (1997). Better acting, better direction and several different, more complex story lines.
Amy Jo Johnson really was already a little bit too old for this role ... but the music was great in this one, though ;) Anyway, the music is not what should make this movie worth watching, which concentrated too much on the bulimia subject, but however, didn't manage to get it across as well as other movies, e.g. like the great When Friendship Kills (1996) with Katie Wright and Lynda Carter.
I think that "Little Girls in Pretty Boxes: The Making and Breaking of Elite Gymnasts and Figure Skaters" is too one-sided.
It's not the sport that's the problem. It's a handful of coaches and "stage parents" who put too much emphasis on winning instead of the gymnast's well-being.
Lately, however, the FIG, is making things more hard on everyone by making elite gymnastics more difficult and dangerous. Something has to be done with them. We should do what the girls in the movie Stick It did. Now if all the gymnasts would do that, the FIG would have to listen.
you seriously can't figure out yourself why theyre both made?
it was 1996/1997... they're cashing in on the magnificent 7 duh. :)
lol but seriously, summer 96, womens team took gold @ atlanta. i def bought the book little girls in pretty boxes and used to have the movie on tape but i lost it :( i am watching perfect body now, but i can tell i like LGiPB better-much better cast. plus vanessa atler was used as the lead's stunt double, lol, i used to be a big fan. but she went downhill..
I killed eight gophers last year & a purebred Tennesse walking horse that was looking @ me funny
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I like Perfect Body better. Mostly because I like how they handled the ending.
This ending has it pretty much said that Andie will return to gymnastics after she gets through rehab.
Whereas, in LGIPB, you don't know what direction the main character will go in after the movie ends.
it's so sad that these women are pressured into looking like children just to get the gold.
Thunderbirds Aren't Slow