Name of Yugoslavian Movie

[HWright]

I wonder if any of the cinephiles on the Board can help me here. I'm trying to find out the name of a movie I didn't see back in the '90s.

Let me explain: in the early '90's I lived for a time in Montreal and I used to go to movies at Concordia University, which had an excellent film series. In one of their programs there was an ad for a Yugoslavian (?) movie from the late '60's or early '70's featuring a scantily clad woman wearing a gorilla mask and holding a big gun (sub-machine gun? M-16? Kalashnikov? ). In my memory the pose is somewhat like the famous Patty Hearst photo. The film was supposedly very avant garde. I didn't get to see the movie and I am now wondering what it was called and whether it has been put out on DVD.

Anyone have any ideas? This is not a joke, by the way, although I may be remembering some of the details wrong...

Thanks.

Edited December 20, 2006 by HWright

[Chas]

Doesn't exactly match your description , but there can't be too many films with scenes like that !

Film : HIDEOUS

EDIT : I like Guy's guess better . Haven't seen the Makavejev film in ages , but such a scene wouldn't be out of place !

Edited December 20, 2006 by Chas

[brownie]

That Yugoslavian film might be Dusan Makavejev's 'W.R.- Mysteries of the Organism'. From 1971.

[HWright]

That Yugoslavian film might be Dusan Makavejev's 'W.R.- Mysteries of the Organism'. From 1971.

Brownie: Thanks very much for your suggestion. I read the Wikipedia summary of that movie:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WR:_Mysteries_of_the_Organism

It sounds like a very good possibility. I will look around some more and see if I can get any stills or other images from the movie that match my memory more specifically. Even if this isn't the one, it sounds pretty darn interesting in its own right.

Edited December 20, 2006 by HWright

[sidewinder]

That Yugoslavian film might be Dusan Makavejev's 'W.R.- Mysteries of the Organism'. From 1971.

That was the film that came to mind for me too Brownie when I saw this thread ! I seem to recall a scene with the protagonists running through a shopping centre with masks on holding machine guns (very Patty Hearst..)

Very strange film about Wilhelm Reich's theories, as I recall, with an 'agitprop' theme to it. Lots of people sitting inside metal screened chambers and inducing orgasms in each other.

When it was first broadcast here on UK TV back in the 1980s they stuck a little pink triangle on the screen - 'Viewer Discretion Advised'.

Edited December 20, 2006 by sidewinder

[HWright]

[quote name='sidewinder' date='Dec 20 2006, 12:54 PM' post='593788']

That Yugoslavian film might be Dusan Makavejev's 'W.R.- Mysteries of the Organism'. From 1971.

That was the film that came to mind for me too Brownie when I saw this thread ! I seem to recall a scene with the protagonists running through a shopping centre with masks on holding machine guns (very Patty Hearst..)

Very strange film about Wilhelm Reich's theories, as I recall, with an 'agitprop' theme to it. Lots of people sitting inside metal screened chambers and inducing orgasms in each other.

When it was first broadcast here on UK TV back in the 1980s they stuck a little pink triangle on the screen - 'Viewer Discretion Advised'.

Well, I combed the web and didn't come up with any additional stills or images useful to this case. However, I noticed that they have played it in Boston at both the Brattle and the Harvard Film Archive, both of which have similar programs to the one Concordia had in the '90's, so I think that for now, lacking any further evidence, I will conclude that this is the movie I was thinking of... I'm certainly interested in seeing it after all I've read about it now. It is also interesting to note that some critics and followers of Wilhelm Reich (the WR of the title) find the movie to be a misrepresentation of his work and ideas.

Edited December 20, 2006 by HWright

[HWright]

Just as a little follow up, I read on Criterion's website today (5/14/07) that they are putting out a DVD of "WR: Mysteries of the Organism":

http://www.criterion.com/asp/release.asp?id=389

I will certainly rent it when it becomes available (in June, I think)

Edited May 14, 2007 by HWright

[RDK]

Wasn't it the French director Godard who said that all you need for a movie is a gorilla and a gun?

[Adam]

Wasn't it the French director Godard who said that all you need for a movie is a gorilla and a gun?

I thought he said all you needed was an ape and an AK-47.

I also think that WR is the film in question.

Also be sure to check out Sweet Movie.

And then check out Amos Vogel's book Film As a Subversive Art, whcih features that same still from WR on the cover.

http://www.amazon.com/Film-Subversive-Art-...5763&sr=8-1

[RDK]

[porcy62]

I am not sure, but you should check out also Makavejev's other movie "Montenegro", though probably Brownie is right.

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0082770/

[sidewinder]

I remember seeing the 'Montenegro' film on UK TV also, way back, but don't recall a gorilla woman on it ! Worth checking though.

Why was the TV here so much more worth checking out for interesting stuff back then, on only the 4 channels - and now its all 'reality' shows, property buying crap, chef shows, lack-of-talent shows with Ozzy Osborne's Mrs and third rate footballer-wives type 'drama'. The nation has turned into a bunch of idiots.

Edited May 15, 2007 by sidewinder

[porcy62]

I remember seeing the 'Montenegro' film on UK TV also, way back, but don't recall a gorilla woman on it ! Worth checking though.

Why was the TV here so much more worth checking out for interesting stuff back then, on only the 4 channels - and now its all 'reality' shows, property buying crap, chef shows, lack-of-talent shows with Ozzy Osborne's Mrs and third rate footballer-wives type 'drama'. The nation has turned into a bunch of idiots.

Not the nation, the nationS. Everything worthing seeing is on pay-channel.

On the other hand with my wife I have the best excuse for listening music, instead of sitting in front of a dumb empty brain damaging box. My problem is that I have to work on that shit!

Edited May 15, 2007 by porcy62

[sidewinder]

My problem is that I have to work on that shit!

I feel for you !