Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating (and often amusing) look at nudity in the 50's, October 14, 2002
This disc is packed with stuff! There are the two movies with their very coy nudity (watch as the ladies artfully stand with their legs covering the 'rude' bits or with towels/papers/hats draped over their midsection. The picture is a good restoration of some poor quality (old poorly preserved) originals, but it is still very watchable. The movies themselves are not spectacular in their plot but still fun and interesting.The extra's (of which there is over an hour) are the piece de resistance. You get trailers from 6 nudism related movies, extra footage from The Naked Venus, four shorts on nudity, a heap of poster art/production stills from various nudity related movies (with radio discussions over the top) and an easter egg of a nudist wedding. About half of the extra's are in black and white (as is The Naked Venus). Some have been restored to very good quality but one or two are almost unwatchable. There is virtually no full frontal nudity, but lots of breasts and bottoms. Everything is from the 50's and 60's and looks it (even naked, you can tell the era from the hair/makeup (sometimes this is caked on) and the cars). If you're interested in the history of nudity or nudity in films then this is highly recommended.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good, Clean Fun (Naturally), February 6, 2003
I finally broke down and purchased my first double feature from Something Weird Video. I'll have to admit I wasn't expecting very much, because while some of these low-budget films from the late fifties/early sixties are enjoyable in a campy way, a lot of them are pretty tedious or just plain dumb. Consequently I'm pleased to say that these two little movies turned out to be quite entertaining.First up is DIARY OF A NUDIST, a color film about a newspaper reporter whose editor sends her on an assignment to uncover the shocking goings-on at a nudist camp. The acting in this one is atrocious, and the filmmaking is hopelessly amateurish, but there's a certain innocent charm about the whole thing that makes it fun to watch. The actress who plays the reporter is rather cute and appealing, and the film has a relaxed, take-your-time feeling that really suits the subject matter. The music score is kind of catchy, too, and features a dreamy instrumental version of "You're My Thrill." The second feature, THE NAKED VENUS, is actually quite impressive. In some ways it has the look and feel of a B&W European art film. The story, centering around a controversial divorce case, is well constructed and the performances (particularly by the actor and actress who play the lawyers) are pretty darn good. This one really held my attention until the very end. Loved the courtroom scene -- the expressions on the judge's face are priceless. In terms of nudity, there isn't anything crude or tasteless here. It's just people having a relaxed time with their clothes off. All in all, with two good little films and some interesting extras, I'd say this disc is definitely worth the price of admission.
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
A Gentler Age, September 24, 2003
This Double feature may be a cloyingly "sanitized" presentation, yet, it bespeaks a gentleness and wholesomeness that is sadly absent in this day and age. The attempts back in the 1960s to exercise as much caution as possible in the portrayal of the human form, undoubtedly was on account of prevalent censorship laws, and therefore renders the unnatural contorting of the body somewhat quaint if not ungainly. However, one must look beyond that little annoyance and appreciate the genuine and sincere attempt to portray the joys of naturism in the most dignified and elegant way. These directors have striven to break free of the prevailing stigma and deal with the subject as boldly as possible, avoiding sensationalism, but attempting to bring nudity and naturism to the public domain devoid of any false mystique or lascivious excess. This also applies in the case of about an hour of short clips, trailers and other delectable short subjects that have been selected from the decade of the 1950s and `60s. One could not help but feel that there was an ever so slight tendency, especially in "Beatlettes Go Nudist", to be a tad exploitative of the ladies. In addition to the now politically incorrect male chauvinism that is almost palpable in the piece, there is some unnecessary double-entendre in the maudlin commentary! Even then, one must appreciate the tender care exercised in keeping it free from the pornographic crudeness that one too often encounters presently. This is a good albeit imperfect example of the historic approach to fostering a respect for the unadorned human form. But, it would have been far more real if the men were equal partners with the women in the portrayal. The very few images of masculine grace certainly left one inspired to spend many more hours in the gymnasium to appear as they did!!
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