Film Overview"Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask" is a 1972 American funny film directed by its distinguished writer Woody Allen. It draws motivation from Dr. David Reuben's bestselling 1969 book of the same name. This episodic film, featuring differing visual representations of human sexual habits, is an inventive satire that uses various film categories to explore 7 various attractive topics.
Plot StructureThe movie rolls out in a series of seven vignettes, each addressing a concern based upon the book. The astute humor related to Allen uses to these stories, leaving the viewer entertained and amused. The stories are not interlinked and stand on their own comical benefit and approach to a particular subject.
Vignettes BreakdownThe first vignette, "Do Aphrodisiacs Work?" parodies Italian cinema, with Woody Allen playing a court jester trying to seduce a queen.
The second story, entitled "What Is Sodomy?", puts Gene Wilder as a doctor who falls in love with a sheep - an unreasonable principle but handled in normal Woody Allen humor.
In "Why Do Some Women Have Trouble Reaching an Orgasm?", Woody explores the world of surrealism, utilizing a foreign language accompanied by subtitles for added comical impact.
The fourth vignette "Are Transvestites Homosexuals?" depicts a video game show situation to explore the theme of transvestism, a bold topic for the period.
The story, "What Are Sex Perverts?" has a lot to do with voyeurism, including a group of scientists observing human behavior.
In "Are the Findings of Doctors and Clinics Who Do Sexual Research and Experiments Accurate?", Allen himself plays a sperm cell fearing its upcoming 'objective', an unique animated experience of scientific expedition.
The last episode "What Happens During Ejaculation?" transposes the workings of the male body onto a Starship Enterprise-like setup with every team member playing a body organ.
Audience Reception and ImpactLaced with Allen's trademark wit and humor, this film was quite bold and ahead of its time. Releasing in an era where sexual conversation was not so typical, the movie pressed borders, providing a funny, non-threatening view of taboo topics. The movie played a major part in starting a conversation and stimulating discussion about varied sexual behavior.
Ending Note"Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask" is a cinematic rollercoaster trip that sparkles with Woody Allen's humoristic radiance. In spite of being a collection of seven different stories, the film keeps a sense of continuity and fluidity thanks to the universal theme of human sexuality. It is a pioneering film that attempted to challenge the prevailing standards of the time and to penetrate into the still often mystical and misconstrued world of human sexuality.
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