4. Shocking Asia (1976)
In Shocking Asia, we are treated to some cultural delights from the continent of Asia which makes a bit of a change from Africa being perpetually scrutinised by Mondo movie makers. Shocking Asia is quite grim viewing but again, as with all Mondos, some of it is laughable so it is quite jarring viewing with the viewer saying "Ha ha! Look at that fakery!" and then twenty seconds later "Oh God that's really hideous! My eyeballs! My eyeballs!". It flirts between the two extremes. In the most disgusting sequence we see rotten body parts floating down the Ganges as people bathe in the water nearby. That was just horrible. There is a visit to Japan so we can peek inside their sex clubs and see what makes the Japanese tick. There is sex change footage which may have been shocking back in the 1970s but is shown in medical TV shows all over the Western world. The director rounds things off in a fantastic display of political correctness with women wrestlers and midget wrestlers. In 1976, I might have been very shocked at this film. But seeing as I wasn't yet born back then, I can only see Shocking Asia through contemporary eyes. Big time gruesome in a silly hole in the bat kind of way.