- This essay will inevitably contain spoilers!
'SECRETS OF SEX' (1970)
- A review by Richard Harrison (2010)
Take an array of short vignettes instead of a coherent narrative, blend
with sexploitation, garnish with a host of unknown actors, and have the
whole thing narrated by an Egyptian mummy. The result sounds like a
recipe for total disaster, and even those marketing the movie seemed
unsure of their creation, referring to it under a variety of noms-de-plumes.However,
to
summarise
its
bizarre
content as an unsatisfying whole would be to
do Secrets of Sex a grave disservice.
Made in 1969 but released the following year, Secrets of Sex is
notable as one of only two feature films directed by Antony Balch,
nicknamed ‘The Abominable Showman’ for his indefatigable re-branding of
European sexploitation films. It is logical that, given the time,
resources and ideas, Balch would ultimately make a film with the same
erotic charge as many of the imports he marketed. His finished product
contains more original ideas than much of the Hollywood gloss that is
touted around today’s overblown multiplexes. The reasoning for this
seemingly outrageous statement is that each individual story is linked
to the whole (by the mummy- an inspired piece of casting to use the
voice of Valentine Dyall, the original ‘Man in Black’) as well as
existing in its own right. The central theme of the film- the
relationship between men and women, often viewed as one of sexual
gratification, provides the film’s backbone. With this in place, the
vignettes can unfold their stories, which range from the amusing to the
shocking. The very advantage of Secrets of Sex’s portmanteau
structure is in this sheer variety- from the photography story to the
jaw-dropping cat burglar incident. Unlike a more conventional film with
a cause and effect thrusting narrative, Secrets of Sex seems
almost spontaneous, and one is never sure where the film will go next.
One thing that is certain throughout Secrets of Sex is its
unflinching presentation of sexual relations, the sheer frankness of
this causing the film to be censored on its initial release then again
before it was re-released in America. Thus, in its sexploitation the
film is very much of its time- it is a document of Britain as the
‘Swinging Sixties’ came to an end and the 1970s began. This anchoring
is, however, no bad thing. What Secrets of Sex does is present
a titillatingly risqué portrait of gender relations in a
genuinely unique and entertaining way. Beautifully photographed in the
sort of colour inextricably linked with the period, Antony Balch’s film
was both critically and commercially successful on its original
release. Now, 40 years on, it should still be highly regarded, but with
the additional modern label of ‘cult classic’.
It is to Odeon Entertainment's merit that they have resurrected Secrets
of Sex
from its censored cinematic wilderness, but they are not content with
simply releasing
the film alone. Accompanying the release are several superb bonus
features- two short
films by Antony Balch, the original theatrical trailer and a
fascinating commentary
amongst them. This optional extra (where executive producer Richard
Gordon chats amiably
about Balch, revealing the director's accomplishments in a way that
enhances Secrets of Sex)
yet further strengthens this release. In a world where many films are
predictable and take the longest possible road to regale us with their
formulaic stories Secrets of Sex
stands out for its refreshing unpredictability, unpretentious structure
and bizarre content, and this critic cannot recommend this latest Odeon
Entertainment release highly enough.
'Secrets of Sex' is available now from Odeon Entertainment.
Odeon Entertainment website
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