A program of short pornographic films, most from the 1920s, but one from around 1905, made to be shown in the waiting rooms of higher-class French brothels.
Being a fan of silent film and porn, I was really interested to go see this when it screened tonight (to a shockingly large crowd) at the Seattle International Film Festival. Going in, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect--definitely some nudity, probably some posing in long strings of pearls and funny hats, some dancing around, maybe a bit of simulated sex. But no, this was full-on hardcore pornography, with close-ups and money shots and everything. I wouldn't say it was all overly arousing. But it was fascinating, and somewhat informative.
The women were mostly good-looking, but not in that sleek modern way. They had bulges where modern porn stars don't, they had hair growing in places and in amounts that wouldn't be fashionable today. (Although I have to say I'm getting a bit weary of the modern no-hair look.)
But what was cool about most of these films was that the people involved seemed to be having such a good time. There was a weird sort of innocent charm about the films. They didn't feel dirty so much, even though there was lots of perverse goings on--lots of nuns, a bit of bestiality (involving nuns), prostitution, some peeing, etcetera. But there was nothing cynical or ironical about them, and I appreciated that. It was all in good fun. It was almost like watching some of the really early Chaplin films, except with penetration.
I was highly surprised at, and happy about, the amount of lesbianism. Almost every one of these films contained some lesbianism, often involving lesbian nuns. I was surprised because I sorta thought lesbianism was more of a modern fixation. But I guess some things are timeless. There was also a brief, small snippet of male oral homosexuality (and the one dude looked really uncomfortable and unhappy about it, and he practically leaped up and back over to the woman when the gay part of his scene was over).
The highlight of the program, the one that got the crowd screaming and clapping, was a sick and twisted and hilarious animated film about a little man with a giant detachable penis running around and sticking it into things, cows, donkeys, etcetera, and sword-fighting. It was way better than the Disney stuff from the 20s.
The films were edited together in a clever way to keep it all from getting repetitive and uninteresting. Definitely worth my $8.50.
8/10
