EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK (1972). Director: Woody Allen.
Woody Allen took some questions from the book of the same name and filmed several segments supposedly relating to these questions. "Do aphrodisiacs work?" is a very funny medieval sketch where Allen winds up with his hand locked in the chastity belt of his horny married queen (an excellent Lynn Redgrave). "What is Sodomy?" actually looks at bestiality as Gene Wilder plays a doctor who falls in love with a sheep. It's a bit yucky, like anything pertaining to the subject, but it has its moments.
"Why do some women have trouble reaching orgasm?" is a spoof of Italian movies with Allen discovering that his wife (Louise Lasser) only gets turned on in public places. "Are transvestites homosexual?" presents Lou Jacobi (who's terrific) as a husband who gets caught wearing the clothing of his hostess at a dinner party. "What are sex perverts?" first has a homoerotic hair tonic ad, and then presents an episode of the TV show
What's My Perversion? an erotic take on
What's My Line?
"Are Sex Research Findings Accurate?" has John Carradine letting loose a giant breast upon the world in a spoof of monster movies. In "What happens during ejaculation?" Woody plays a nervous sperm who doesn't really like the idea of being thrust out into the big wide womb. This is probably the most inventive segment.
Everything You Always Wanted to Know is certainly not for all tastes but it has its share of laughs and holds the attention. You'll probably learn no more about sex than you did from the book.
Verdict: Watch out for giant boobs! ***.
Even as a kid, I found this movie is pretty vulgar and unfunny, and the antiquated sexual stereotypes make it seem terribly dated indeed. I am a fan of a lot of Allen's early work - Sleeper is still a comic gem. But this is one I probably won't watch again, even with the wonderful cast. (To me, sex is sacred and sublime and often humorous, but not gross! LOL)
ReplyDelete-Chris
I get you, Chris! Like I say, this flick ain't for everyone. Allen was ahead of his time in some ways, and as you say a bit antiquated in others.
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ReplyDeleteYet another movie of the 70s that could never get made today. There were so many things we were still allowed to laugh about in the 70s.
ReplyDeleteTimes have definitely changed and what was once considered funny can seem politically incorrect at best and vile at worst these days.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment!