Sunday, February 22, 2009

Ultra-realistic labia!

Thanks for your attention.

I saw a wonderful film a few nights ago called 'Lars and the Real Girl' and I was going to write a bit of a movie review but thought, nah. All that I can really think to say about it is, "do yourself a favour and see this film; it's very sweet." And it is; it's a very sensitive film about a man who works through some personal problems with the help of a RealDoll named Bianca and his understanding friends and family. It's a yummy film.


I first became aware of RealDolls, a few years ago when I was doing a postgrad degree in gender studies. They were used as a talking point for ideas about and concepts of sexuality, corporal femininity, object/subject relations, techie-sex, etc. Very many interesting discussions were had indeed.

In one such discussion, I learned of a man who had purchased a RealDoll and a comment that he made has stuck in my head for years. He explained that when he ordered his RealDoll he asked that she have breast implants as he felt that that would make her more realistic to him. Ha! What kind of postmodern craziness is that?! It's so surreal and so fascinating to me that blurry grey bit between fantasy and reality and how differently, different people conceptualize these notions as well as notions of sexuality, human-ness, humanoid-ness, gender, subject/object, etc. I could go on and on...

Also about that time, I watched a documentary about RealDolls on British telly called, 'Guys and Dolls.' Although not as sweet and sensitive as 'Lars and the Real Girl,' it still attempted to portray the men interviewed in an understanding and compassionate light as opposed to allowing it to sway into freakshow territory (those 'documentaries' exist in abundance).

I just googled and found it! I (heart) the internet! Here it is in all its silicone glory. (The vagina repairman scenes are a bit freaky, in that gyno exam gone so entirely wrong kinda way, haha! Viewer discretion advised, I guess). It's an interesting documentary though as it shows that 'Lars' is not necessarily unique or fictional.

'Guys and Dolls':



Hey L, if you need any of this deciphered, let me know. I'm happy to translate (as much as I can, that is!) but here is a good synopsis that explains the show pretty well: http://www.offthetelly.co.uk/reviews/2006/guysanddolls.htm

7 comments:

  1. lol! You and your "Gender Studies"........ we all know that's just a cover you use instead of admitting that you're a preeevert!

    ;-)

    Loved the doc. It's quite sad, how damaged a few of those men seem. I was expecting to dislike them, instead I feel a lot of empathy. Except for the man who had 8 of them... he struck as just a perv... NTTAWWT and his make-up application tastes and skills were horrible!

    So, wanna split the costs on one?

    :-P

    dj

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Marnie, Thanks for the synopsis, that was very thoughtful of you.

    It is a gentle movie, very sympathetic to most of them, dysfunctional but seemingly harmless. Except for the multiple doll man. I couldn't decide whether is was a loneliness thing, or a elaborate sex aid thing.

    Thanks for finding.

    ReplyDelete
  3. dj - with my finances the way they are, and you being such a tightwad, we could only afford a kneecap. ;-p

    Hey, no problem Mog!

    ReplyDelete
  4. oh, goodie..... knees are sexy!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hey, I'll split costs. I'll spring for a set of toes. ;-)

    Seriously, Marnie, I found the video poignant.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kneecaps and toes! This doll is gonna be seriously hot!!!!!

    ReplyDelete