Oddball
Films presents Strange Sinema, a monthly screening of new finds, old gems and offbeat
oddities from Oddball Films’ collection of over 50,000 film prints. Oddball Films director Stephen Parr has complied his 73th program of classic, strange, offbeat and unusual films. This special Valentine's installment: Strange
Sinema 73: You Got WHAT?, examines
the subject of sexually transmitted diseases. This genre-bending program
highlights the hilarity, the graphic medical exams and the kitschy cultural
implications of these guilt-infused diseases. The films feature animation,
educational, military training, mental hygiene films all targeted teens,
military men, couples to educate, inform and oftentimes scare the hell out of
people! Join us for an evening of hilarity, groans and squeals as we explore
the wonderful world of VD-and more. Films include The Innocent Party (1959)
the classic guilt-tripped noir-like shocker about a “dirty” girl and her hidden
secret- VD! with a super-cool beatnik jazz soundscore; You Got WHAT?, (1970),
this hippiesque VD film is punctuated
by bell bottoms, tarot cards and kooky improv vignettes; VD Attack Plan (1973) an
animated D*sney film features a syphilitic army sergeant directing his VD
troops into battle against stupid humans. Other highlights include: One a
Minute (1944) which promotes condoms so US Navy sailor-saps can cover
their “sucker-bets” on shore as they
“take a chance” with the VD-infected hostesses at the Kit Kat Club; Herpes:
The New Sexual Epidemic (1981), join
three people on their painful, and itchy journeys with the simplex; Birds,
Bees and Storks (1965), A father (voiced by Peter Sellers) sets out to explain the facts of life
to his son, but becomes increasingly embarrassed to the point where his
explanations are so vague as to be incomprehensible. Plus!
Thank
You Mask Man (1968), the legendary animated short by the infamous
comedian and satirist Lenny Bruce is a vivid send up on race, class and
sexuality. Watch as Tonto and the Lone Ranger let it all hang out. Like crazy
man. Also! Sex commercials and PSAs like VD For Everyone!
Date: Thursday,
February 13th, 2014 at 8:00pm
Venue: Oddball
Films, 275 Capp Street San Francisco
Admission: $10.00
Limited Seating RSVP to RSVP@oddballfilm.com or
(415) 558-8117
Web:
www.oddballfilms.blogspot.com
You Got WHAT? (Color, 1970)
This quirky film, punctuated by bell bottoms, tarot cards and kooky
improv vignettes
takes a lighthearted approach to the “VD epidemic”. Mixing actors and
real –life medical personnel the film beams with graphics and quirky 60s social
relevance.
The Innocent Party (Color, 1959)
The guilt-tripped noir-like shocker about a “dirty” girl and her
hidden secret- VD! See what happens when she “gifts” her boyfriend with
it! A cool beatnik-jazz soundtrack
highlights highlights this sordid tale produced by the Kansas State Board of
Health!
VD Attack Plan (Technicolor, 1973)
“Yes, it’s true. Walt D*sney Productions has
made a significant contribution to the war against VD. “VD Attack Plan” – A
fully animated Walt D*sney 16mm motion picture.” states the brochure
accompanying this 16mm educational film. This frequently hilarious animated
film had some forward thinking and enlightening approaches (not just for D*sney
but everyone else producing this type of film in 1973) to the subject of
sexually transmitted diseases. These include promotion of condoms (instead of
abstinence) and the fact that VD can be spread through same sex couplings. This "war against disease", narrated by
veteran actor Keenan Wynn features him as a syphilitic army sergeant directing
his VD troops into battle against stupid humans. This film doesn’t miss a
beat-even showcasing some of the graphic (!) effects of the disease in
action. In brilliant Technicolor, just
like you’d want it to be.
One a Minute (B+W, 1944)
A poker
game provides the metaphor for US Navy sailor-saps on shore as they “take a chance” with the VD-infected
hostesses at the Kit Kat Club. “The only
way to cover that sucker bet is to use provalactics” spouts the doctor. Don’t
miss the pretty girls do their “perp walk” as their std tests are announced.
The shame!
Birds, Bees and Storks (Dir. John Halas, Color, 1965)
A father sets out to explain the facts of life to his son, but becomes
increasingly embarrassed to the point where his explanations are so vague as to
be incomprehensible. Inspired by Gerard Hoffnung's 1960 book of the same name, this is a
delightful and all too familiar study of the embarrassed middle-aged British male, as a
father attempts to explain the facts of life to his son but ends up delivering a
monologue so packed with euphemisms about birds, bees and butterflies that it ends up being
totally incoherent. Produced by the esteemed Halas & Batchelor Animation Studio, the
visual style (inspired directly by Hoffnung's drawings) is simple in the extreme -
for much of the film, we just watch the father squirming and blushing in his chair,
which focuses our attention both on Peter Sellers' monologue and director John Halas'
subtle visual characterization, all nervous tics and fidgeting.
Herpes: The New Sexual Epidemic (Color, 1981 excerpt)
“Oh no,
Kathy! Did you tell David?” Join
three people on their painful, and itchy journeys with the simplex. One is
a young woman in the thralls of love, but a prison of shame. One is an
expectant mother, ready to give the gift of life, not herpes. And the last is a
sailor, infected from exotic ports of call, but hoping to dock in his beloved's
harbor. Feel the pain, then, learn the facts.
Sex Hygiene (B+W, 1941, excerpt)
Produced
by The US Army Signal Corps in Collaboration with the Surgeon General and
directed by Hollywood icon John Ford
this densely packed panorama of propaganda postulates that military men can
obtain a higher physical aptitude by abstaining from sex. Several servicemen
relax by playing pool, but one of them goes off to spend time with a
prostitute. Later, he discovers he has contracted a venereal disease. A graphic
and frank presentation of the types and treatment of venereal disease follows.
The
nearly one hour film (don’t worry we won’t be watching it all!) showcases
doctors, charts, VD under a microscope and those dreaded sores that plague our
men in uniform.
Plus!
The infamous animated short
featuring Lenny Bruce!
Thank
You Mask Man (Color, 1968)
Before
George Carlin, Richard Prior and Redd Fox there was Lenny Bruce.
This
legendary animated short by the infamous comedian and satirist Lenny Bruce is a
vivid send up on race, class and sexuality. Watch as Tonto and the Lone
Ranger’s let it all hang out. Like crazy man.
Also! Sex
related commercials such as “VD is for Everyone!”
About Oddball Films
Oddball films is the film component of Oddball Film+Video, a stock footage company providing offbeat and unusual film footage for feature films like Milk, documentaries like The Summer of Love, television programs like Mythbusters, clips for Boing Boing and web projects around the world.