Shortbus
Velocity / Thinkfilm
R1 DVD
Shortbus is an example of
why censorship does not work. It is a film which celebrates the power of sex
and love to heal the fractured lives of a range of couples
post 9/11. It is sexually explicit with real sex throughout the film yet it is
hard to see it as pornography. In my mind there is nothing wrong with porn, but
pornography is sex depicted for the sex of arousal alone with little story or
context. Shotbus is a profound exploration of the
nature of sex to free people from the narrow shackles of their lives. Sadly Shortbus was banned on release in Australia and only allow
distribution with cuts and the replacement of sexually explicit scenes with
other footage. I would suggest you get hold of an import copy from the U.S and
see the film as the director intended.
Shortbus opens with some
wild scenes, we see New York in an artistic even impressionist style and the
camera travels over the red scar which is Ground Zero and we get a context for
the film. Soon we are into the sex with a dominatrix working her trade, a young
man sucking his own dick and a couple making love; they all climax together
(though in different locations) and the story begins.
The
story focuses on a salon called Shortbus where every
sexual taste is catered to and exploration of all forms of
eroticism (albeit legal and safe) are encouraged. The various
individuals and couples whose lives intertwine at Shortbus
include the sex therapist (who sees herself as a relationship counsellor) who
cannot have an orgasm and her young husband Rob who slips out to be whipped
every so often. Jamie and James, a gay couple who are plagued
with relationship issues, because James cannot let himself go and really
experience love. There is Severin a strict and vicious dominatrix who
really just wants some affection and love and many others and Ceth, a beautiful young man exploring his sexuality.
Shortbus explores the way
in which their fractured and difficult lives are helped and hindered by sex. In
the end, however, it is the openness to new sexual freedom which truly helps
them. If there is a message to Shortbus it is the
ultimate power of the orgasm and a celebration of pansexuality.
There are some truly memorable and funny moment like the threesome of Jamie,
James and Ceth where Jamie sings the Star Spangled
Banner while giving James a rim job !
Director,
John Cameron Mitchell explores all manner of sexuality and refuses to conform
to traditional norms. Shortbus has young, old, fat,
gay, straight, bi, BDSM – everybody pushing boundaries to find who they really
are. In a way this harkens back to the radicalism of the Seventies and the
pagan revival and it is not surprising to find Mitchell is involved with the
radical faery movement.
There
are also many moving moments including the suicide attempt by James and when
the retired mayor of New York discusses how he tried to fight AIDS while living
in the closet.
Musically,
shortbus is an achievement too with lots of jazz and
cabaret and a great finale number in Everybody Gets It In
the End.
Shortbus is a celebration
of sexuality, lust and love and has both an innocence and honesty not found in
many films with such explicit content. It is must see cinema.
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