Why am I reading a dirty book? But I'm not! Profoundly Erotic: Sexy Movies that Changed History is a (relatively) clean book about dirty movies by Joe Bob Briggs. Even after his awesome Profoundly Disturbing book, I was still skeptical of this examination of the sordid history of films such as I Am Curious (Yellow), The Shiek, and Looking for Mr. Goodbar. Once again, Briggs examines one film each chapter, how it was critically received as well as short but thorough biographies of the life and careers of the folks involved in the production.
As you may have guessed by now, I don't really like sex movies. While I was making my way through Sleazoid Express, I was much happier reading about and not watching the sleazy crap playing on the old grindhouse screens. The same thing applies for Profoundly Erotic though I will be seeking out The Miracle of Morgan's Creek and Kitten with a Whip which both sound like a lot of fun. Speaking of fun, the chapter on Russ Meyer's The Immoral Mr. Teas is my favorite of the book just because the personalities behind that flick were fascinating and very, very weird. And that's what makes this book so great, it is a very entertaining read, especially for film history buffs and it will definitely turn you on (hey o!) to films you've probably never heard of.
The Joe Bob Report
maybe it's just me, but including Looking for Mr. Goodbar in a book called "profoundly erotic: sexy movies that changed history" just seems wrong.
ReplyDeleteIt is an odd choice. I think he was trying to capture the whole dark late 70s vibe there. The chapter I didn't mention but probably should have is the one on 9 1/2 Weeks. That one is pretty friggin' hilarious and should be in a book called Profoundly Terrible: Awful Movies that Destroyed Humanity.
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