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Review
by
Troy Howarth
Film:8
DVD:8
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| The
extreme fetish website insex.com once attracted a paying membership
of 35,000 — until its shocking content got it in trouble with
the Department of Homeland Security, who ultimately shut the operation
down... |
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Every
now and again, a title emerges which is both eye catching and
true to its subject — Graphic Sexual Horror
is one such title. This documentary sheds light on Brent "PD"
Scott, a former professor at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University
(alma mater of George A. Romero), who switched careers and became
a purveyor of extremely rough S&M pornography. PD achieved lasting
infamy with his website insex.com, which provided interactive
fetish, bondage and sadomasochistic streaming videos to an eager
subsection of the public. |
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The
amazing thing about the documentary is its nonjudgmental tone.
While many filmmakers would have used this as an opportunity to
denounce its subject, directors Barbara Bell and Anna Lorentzon
have no such agenda on their plate. Rather, it goes into its subject
with palpable enthusiasm — showing both its positive and negative
elements, and allowing the audience to make up their own mind
based on their own standards and social mores. Make no mistake,
there's some very graphic and disturbing imagery on display...
but as PD would be the first to admit, that's the whole point.
One is left with an impression of the S&M aesthetic as an extension
of the old-school Grand Guignol theatrical scene. By plunging
into the depths of some of the most off-the-wall sexual fantasies,
PD and his actresses provided an outlet for eager viewers, one
which enabled them to feel as if they weren't alone after all. |
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Bell
and Lorentzon keep things flowing at a good pace, and the end
result is undeniably effective, even if the material itself is
destined to be off-putting for many viewers. PD and his stable
of fetish actresses tend to come off as surprisingly intelligent,
with an intellectual approach to their art. The flipside is represented,
however, by the sad, burnt-out visage of one of PD's former flings
— a fetish actress known as "101" whose porn career supported
a drug habit; addiction has since gotten the better of her, and
one can't help but feel pity watching her as she rambles through
mostly incoherent monologues about her past experiences. However,
lest the tone come off as preachy or condescending, there's more
than ample face time given to such proud, intelligent and photogenic
fetish actresses as Lorelei Lee, "912," and Nina — all of whom
provide fascinating insight into the thought process behind their
work. As for PD, he runs the gamut from likable to repulsive —
memorably pushing an Asian actress too far in one scene, while
showing an almost paternal concern for his actresses at other
points. One is left in little doubt that, for better or worse,
he is a serious artist. Whether one sympathizes with what he does
is almost irrelevant, as the point of the film isn't so much to
validate his art so much as it is to draw attention to it. |
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Ultimately,
the film achieves its goal artfully, without any editorializing
or sermonizing from the filmmakers. Bell and Lorentzon allow
their subjects to speak for themselves, and there is no voice-over
narration to fill in the gaps or get in the way. The subject
matter is undeniably disturbing at times, but one can also appreciate
the passion and intensity of the people involved; one doesn't
need to agree with them in order to admire them for being honest
about pursuing their dreams. The end result is in many respects
far more engrossing than one might anticipate; it's certainly
worth a viewing.
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| Graphic
Sexual Horror
hits DVD in this fine edition from Synapse. The 1.85/16x9 transfer
looks superb. Detail is razor sharp, colors are accurately rendered,
and the film is presented completely uncensored. The stereo soundtrack
is very punchy indeed;
dialogue comes through loud and clear. Extras include some brief
cut scenes, extended actress interviews (the bit with a fetish
actress who requests a particularly brutal foot torture sequence,
only to break down in tears afterward —
not out of pain but because somebody has finally given her what
she's wanted for so long —
is especially memorable), a theatrical trailer and an interview
with co-director Barbara Bell. 7/18/10 |
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