Signatures of the Soul (1984)

Overview : Tattooing — "the world's oldest skin game" — is the subject of this iconic documentary. Writer/director Geoff Steven scored a major coup by signing Easy Rider legend Peter Fonda as his presenter. Travelling to Aotearoa, Samoa, Japan and the United States, the doco traces key developments in tattooing, including its importance in the Pacific, prison-inspired styles, and the influence of 1960s counterculture. Legendary tattooists feature (including Americans Ed Hardy and Jack Rudy), while the closing credits parade some eye-opening full body tattoos.

Release Date : October 4, 1984

Runtime : 60m

Genre : Documentary  

Companies : Seehear, Television New Zealand

Countries : New Zealand

Keywords : tattoo, art, tattooing, tattoo artist, documentary filmmaking