Recent viewings

Oh, Calcutta! (1972) This is one of those movies that I put in my Netflix queue because it's been so notorious, for so long, that I figured I needed to find out why. I watched it -- or as much of it as I could stand -- last night. Now that was a waste of six hours or so. By subjective standards, I mean.

Briefly: it's a stage show with naked people.

There's no plot, just a series of skits reminiscent of Benny Hill, or Laugh-In, or Hee Haw. Except that they have naked people.

The music is laughably bad, and most of the dance routines (with one exception) are uninspired and even campy. One skit features "Jack and Jill", dressed up in Little-Lord-Fauntleroy costumes, who cavort among giant building blocks and swings, engaging in witty sexual repartee until Jack rapes Jill and leaves her blankly staring into space as he casually breezes away. Another depicts a naive and dysfunctional young couple who get more than they bargain for when, at the husband's initiative, they answer a "swingers" personal ad. The funniest part of the latter skit is that the couple's living room, as well as most of the characters' polyester clothes, are that peculiar shade of avocado green that seems to have been popular only in the early 1970s.

As this reviewer points out, it's rather disturbing to notice how a show that purports to depict Sexual Freedom ends up showing one episode after another of a woman being coerced into sex against her better judgement.

An extended balletic pas-de-deux toward the end of the program displayed some actual artistic and athletic talent, and the only real sensual appeal of the entire show. Fortunately, the dance sequence, being entirely devoid of dialogue, avoided the corny one-liners and pointless scatology of the other skits. Unfortunately, it was saddled with ludicrously inappropriate music, a pseudo-Guthryesque talking-blues number about small town lotharios and part time prostitutes. It may be the only pas de deux ever performed that would be improved by deleting the music.

It's difficult to imagine how this corny botch managed to play for years on Broadway. I guess a lot of people, like me, figured that if it was notorious, it must be interesting.