W.R.: Mysteries of the Organism
Encyclopedia
W.R.: Mysteries of the Organism (Serbo-Croatian
: W.R. - Misterije organizma, W.R. - Мистерије организма) is a 1971 film by Yugoslav director Dušan Makavejev
that explores the relationship between communist
politics and sexuality
, as well as exploring the life and work of Wilhelm Reich
.
The song that Vladimir sings in Russian after Milena's murder at the end of the movie is called "François Villon
's Prayer" by Bulat Okudzhava
.
Poet and performance artist Tuli Kupferberg
of band The Fugs
, dressed as a soldier, parodies war and the sexual nature of man's fascination with guns by stalking affluent New Yorkers on the street and masturbating his toy rifle. As part of the climax of the film, the gun masturbation is intercut with other orgasmic sequences.
Artists
Artist Betty Dodson
discusses her experiences in drawing acts of masturbation
, as well as her discussions within consciousness raising
groups about female sexual response. The Dodson sequences are relatively straight forward documentary interviews; Dodson's large scale drawing of a man masturbating dominates the background of the shots.
Nancy Godfrey is an artist who makes a cast of Jim Buckley's erect penis
on film. This scene was a point of contention for the censors: on UK prints Buckley's penis is covered with psychedelic colors added in editing.
Jackie Curtis
Jackie Curtis
, one of Andy Warhol
's entourage and occasional film star, is shown on the streets of New York.
Screw
Screw
is an "underground
" magazine that often focused on sexual issues. The film only shows one scene of Screw magazine, where editors work in the nude.
Alexander Lowen
The film also features a rare on-screen interview with neo-Reichian therapist Alexander Lowen
, the founder of bioenergetic analysis
, during a therapy
session.
Serbo-Croatian
Serbo-Croatian or Serbo-Croat, less commonly Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian , is a South Slavic language with multiple standards and the primary language of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro...
: W.R. - Misterije organizma, W.R. - Мистерије организма) is a 1971 film by Yugoslav director Dušan Makavejev
Dušan Makavejev
Dušan Makavejev is a Serbian film director and screenwriter, famous for his groundbreaking films of Yugoslav cinema in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
that explores the relationship between communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
politics and sexuality
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
, as well as exploring the life and work of Wilhelm Reich
Wilhelm Reich
Wilhelm Reich was an Austrian-American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, known as one of the most radical figures in the history of psychiatry...
.
Narrative and documentary elements
The film intercuts documentary footage with, predominantly, a narrative about a Yugoslav woman who seduces a Soviet ice skater. Despite different settings, characters and time periods, the different elements produce a single story of human sexuality and revolution through a montage effect.The song that Vladimir sings in Russian after Milena's murder at the end of the movie is called "François Villon
François Villon
François Villon was a French poet, thief, and vagabond. He is perhaps best known for his Testaments and his Ballade des Pendus, written while in prison...
's Prayer" by Bulat Okudzhava
Bulat Okudzhava
Bulat Shalvovich Okudzhava was a Soviet and Russian poet, writer, musician, novelist, and singer-songwriter. He was one of the founders of the Russian genre called "author song"...
.
Episodes
Tuli KupferbergPoet and performance artist Tuli Kupferberg
Tuli Kupferberg
Naphtali "Tuli" Kupferberg was an American counterculture poet, author, cartoonist, pacifist anarchist, publisher and co-founder of the band The Fugs.-Biography:...
of band The Fugs
The Fugs
The Fugs are a band formed in New York in late 1964 by poets Ed Sanders and Tuli Kupferberg, with Ken Weaver on drums. Soon afterward, they were joined by Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber of the Holy Modal Rounders...
, dressed as a soldier, parodies war and the sexual nature of man's fascination with guns by stalking affluent New Yorkers on the street and masturbating his toy rifle. As part of the climax of the film, the gun masturbation is intercut with other orgasmic sequences.
Artists
Artist Betty Dodson
Betty Dodson
Betty Dodson is an American sex educator, author, and artist. Dodson held the first one-woman show of erotic art at the Wickersham Gallery in New York City in 1968. She left the art world to teach sex to women...
discusses her experiences in drawing acts of masturbation
Masturbation
Masturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism...
, as well as her discussions within consciousness raising
Consciousness raising
Consciousness raising is a form of political activism, pioneered by United States feminists in the late 1960s...
groups about female sexual response. The Dodson sequences are relatively straight forward documentary interviews; Dodson's large scale drawing of a man masturbating dominates the background of the shots.
Nancy Godfrey is an artist who makes a cast of Jim Buckley's erect penis
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
on film. This scene was a point of contention for the censors: on UK prints Buckley's penis is covered with psychedelic colors added in editing.
Jackie Curtis
Jackie Curtis
Jackie Curtis
John Curtis Holder, Jr. , better known as Jackie Curtis, was an actor, writer, singer and Warhol Superstar.-Early life and career:...
, one of Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
's entourage and occasional film star, is shown on the streets of New York.
Screw
Screw
Screw magazine
Screw is a weekly pornographic magazine published in the United States aimed at heterosexual men. It was first published in 1968 by Al Goldstein and was printed weekly in tabloid form...
is an "underground
Underground press
The underground press were the independently published and distributed underground papers associated with the counterculture of the late 1960s and early 1970s in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and other western nations....
" magazine that often focused on sexual issues. The film only shows one scene of Screw magazine, where editors work in the nude.
Alexander Lowen
The film also features a rare on-screen interview with neo-Reichian therapist Alexander Lowen
Alexander Lowen
Dr. Alexander Lowen was an American psychotherapist. A student of Wilhelm Reich in the 1940s and early 1950s in New York, he developed Bioenergetic Analysis, a form of mind-body psychotherapy, with his then-colleague, John Pierrakos...
, the founder of bioenergetic analysis
Bioenergetic analysis
Bioenergetic Analysis is a form of body psychotherapy , based upon the work of Wilhelm Reich, but adding a number of innovations...
, during a therapy
Therapy
This is a list of types of therapy .* Adventure therapy* Animal-assisted therapy* Aquatic therapy* Aromatherapy* Art and dementia* Art therapy* Authentic Movement* Behavioral therapy* Bibliotherapy* Buteyko Method* Chemotherapy...
session.
Cast
- Milena DravićMilena DravicMilena Dravić is a Serbian actress.Born in Belgrade, Dravić was involved with the performing arts from the age of four: first with dance and later classical ballet...
as Milena - Ivica VidovićIvica VidovicIvica Vidović was a Croatian and Yugoslav actor who appeared in many classic films in the cinematic output of the former Yugoslavia....
as Vladimir Ilyich - Jagoda KaloperJagoda KaloperJagoda Kaloper is a Croatian painter and actress famous for groundbreaking roles in classic films in the former Yugoslav cinema.-Biography:...
as Jagoda - Tuli KupferbergTuli KupferbergNaphtali "Tuli" Kupferberg was an American counterculture poet, author, cartoonist, pacifist anarchist, publisher and co-founder of the band The Fugs.-Biography:...
as US Soldier - Zoran RadmilovićZoran RadmilovicZoran Radmilović was a Serbian actor, beloved for some of the most memorable roles in the history of former Yugoslav cinema....
as Radmilović - Jackie CurtisJackie CurtisJohn Curtis Holder, Jr. , better known as Jackie Curtis, was an actor, writer, singer and Warhol Superstar.-Early life and career:...
as Herself - Miodrag Andrić as Soldier
- Živka Matić as Landlady
- Wilhelm ReichWilhelm ReichWilhelm Reich was an Austrian-American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, known as one of the most radical figures in the history of psychiatry...
as Himself (archive footage) - Mikheil GelovaniMikheil GelovaniMikheil Gelovani was a Georgian-Soviet actor, known for his many portrayals of Joseph Stalin in cinema.-Early life:Mikheil Gelovani was a descendant of the old Georgian princely house of Gelovani. He made his stage debut in a theater in Batumi during 1913. From 1919 to 1920, he attended the Drama...
as Joseph Stalin (archive footage) - Jim Buckley as Himself
- Betty DodsonBetty DodsonBetty Dodson is an American sex educator, author, and artist. Dodson held the first one-woman show of erotic art at the Wickersham Gallery in New York City in 1968. She left the art world to teach sex to women...
as Herself - Nancy Godfrey as Herself
- Dragoljub Ivkov
- Nikola Milić
- Milan Jelić