4. WR: Mysteries of the Organism (1971)
I recently bought you Sweet Movie, and as if that wasn't traumatic enough, I now present WR: Mysteries of the Organism by Dusan a mish mash of a film, it explores the relationship between sex and communism, as well as the life and work of Willhelm Reich. Combining documentary footage of insane goings on in sex clinics, a woman plaster-casting the penises of famous men and the antics of our central protaganist, Milena, the film is an all out explosion on our tastes and sensibilities. Milena is a pure proletariat, but she goes against her convictions whenever she seduces a handsome Soviet ice skater who represents the repression of Stalinism and the corrupt Western values that have snuck into communism. Makavejek is concerned with the repression of sexual freedom - idealistic communism had abandoned this and thus when the ice skater has sex with Milena, he is overcome by murderous rage and lops off her head. A full on assault on any kind of sexual repression, WR Mysteries of the Organism would seem aimed at communist countries but also has a sterling message for the west - a people are only as free as their nation allows them to be sexually free - that's the barometer for democracy. It is an entertaining romp, hectically edited that will keep you amused and titillated the whole time you watch it. Given the deluxe treatment by Criterion, snap this one up pronto.