Aaron Sullivan Illustrator
Woody Allen directs and stars in the satirical 1972 comedy ‘Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* But Were Afraid to Ask.’
Woody Allen film tackles
sex education with humor
Comedy about the
opposite sex provides
memorable cinema
RYAN NYBURG
PULSE EDITOR
Sex is a dicey subject. It is a basic
human activity, yet one many people,
in this culture especially, have lot of
trouble with. To this end, an undue
number of books have been released
through the years that try to deal with
the topic of sex in such a way as to
_ make
FORGOTTEN ly“
FILMS tcri
_ o u s
and
more scientific. At their best, these
books can be informative and helpful.
At their worst they can be prudent ex
ercises in the condemnation of "de
viant" behavior.
I don't know which side of the
fence David Reuben's "Everything
You Always Wanted to Know About
Sex* But Were Afraid to Ask" falls on,
as I have never read it. But familiarity
with the book is hardly a require
ment necessary to enjoy Woody
Allen's "adaptation" of it. The filmed
version of the book, released in
1972, is an anthology of seven short
pieces by Allen arranged as answers
to the questions posed in the book,
such as 'What is Sodomy?" and
"What Are Sex Perverts?"
While adapting a sexual-education
guide into a film is a bizarrely inter
esting idea, Allen's satire does not
end there. Each short piece is in
itself a satire of a different filmmak
ing style or genre. As a whole, the
pieces mock common notions of sex
and sexuality.
The film opens with the light "Do
Aphrodisiacs Work?," a satire of me
dieval casde dramas. Other than some
good digs at Shakespearean dialog,
the short is nothing more than a pass
able exercise of Allen's neurotic per
sona. It's the weakest short in the film,
but it is soon forgotten after the pow
erhouse sketches that follow.
The second short is the first to really
grab you. Entitled "What is
Sodomy?," it concerns a New York
City doctor (played by the wonderful
ly twitchy Gene Wilder) who through
an odd occurrence ends up in love
with a sheep. Here the writing is
strong enough to allow Allen to riff
on the absurdity of the situation itself
without having to satire a particular
style. It also contains some terrific dia
log: "The defendant did commit an
adulterous act with a sheep. Most dis
tasteful in view of the fact that the
sheep was under 18 years old."
The next short is one of Allen's best
works as comedic filmmaker. "Why
Do Some Women Have Trouble
Reaching An Orgasm?" is a satire of
the often self-possessed Italian cine
ma of the 1960s, in particular
Michelangelo Antonioni and Bernar
do Bertolucci. Done entirely in a
mangled Italian, it deals with a new
lywed couple's sexual problems,
specifically the wife's frigidity.
The short works both as satire and
as a piece of cinema in its own right.
It also contains some of the most
patently absurd dialog ever filmed,
Please see SEX MOVIE, page 10
Bill Clinton's autobiography
may bore readers with its length
The former president's new hook,
'My Life,' lacks an emotional bond
STEVEN R. NEUMAN
FREELANCE REPORTER
There are apparently two kinds of books in this world, and
that division is not made on the basis of fiction or non-fic
tion, nor is it partitioned along the lines of paperback or
hardcover. There are presidential autobiographies and then
there is everything else. President Bill Clinton's new book,
"My Life," falls squarely into the first category, but it sacrifices
a lot of charisma to be there. Surprising
ly, the book, unlike Clinton, is terribly
dull, and at 957 pages it may be the only
current bestseller less accessible than the
Bible but just as thick and heavy.
For the most part, "My Life" disap
points. With an enigmatic and particularly powerful ora
tor as its author, the reader expects a tome with a more in
vigorating tone. Instead, Clinton's words languish in
overblown prose. It's hard to get a sense of the voice of the
novel, because it clashes so violently with the passionate
voice the reader expects from Clinton.
First and foremost, the book is a detailed account of
Clinton's life It is understandable then that it would revel in
BOOK
REVIEW
the intricate details, but this is truly where the book falls flat.
Unfortunately, he makes no distinction between important
details and banal ones. Beginning at the very beginning, with
his birth in 1946, Clinton is remarkably candid about his
youth and his sometimes fractured family life. His accounts
of his unconditional love for his stepfather and his strong but
fragile mother, who weathered him through tough times, can
be charming. But "My Ufe" gives off a very distinct impres
sion that it is a collection of nebulous memories that have
been Scotch-taped together, rather than crafted as a whole.
Those interested in a fly-on-the-wall view of presidential
politics will be sorely disappointed. The second half of the
book dedicates itself to discussing Clinton's work as president.
While "My Life" doesn't have the Tom Clancy whiz-bang ex
citement Clinton's former advisor George Stephanopoulos
packed into his 2000 Clinton expose "All Too Human," it
does put a human spin on the very nature of presidential deci
sions. Clinton's willingness to relay his recollections of emo
tional moments that proved pivotal in his presidency is one of
the best features of the book. It is the first portion, however,
which highlights his tenure as governor of Arkansas and his
rarely discussed early political work, that delightfully provides
insight to the better-known national politician.
The often-discussed Kenneth Starr-bashing isn't nearly as
Please see CLINTON, page 10
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