★ 3 / 10
60's Exploitation Flop
akoaytao1234
A bunch of kids decides to have some sexual reflection in Fire island that causes them to find a little bit more than they expected. They set off towards a…
A bunch of kids decides to have some sexual reflection in Fire island that causes them to find a little bit more than they expected. They set off towards a ride that they ultimately decided off.
This is an exploitation-art film that never really finds its footing. Its too lose and sort of just lost in what it was trying to do. It was clearly made for as a cheapie lurid 'sex' films BUT wants to sell it also as art, which does not work that way.
The filmmaker definitely has inspiration, especially of the French New wave but those works because it knows its aim. Here, the script is just too weak. The direction was aimless for the most part. The acting ungodly amateurish, which will came to no shock that most of the cast has mostly had done few or no films afterwards.
I mean might be harsh given the material BUT I have seen films on this particular level to at least worked at least a theme and style.
Not recommended.
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★ 3 / 10
Early Adult Film Revels in Pretentious Free Love Twaddle
jfrentzen-942-204211
It's the Year of the Cock, 1969, an opening title card proclaims. Set on Fire Island, New York, free love reigns in BARBARA, as couples disrobe, fornicate, and…
It's the Year of the Cock, 1969, an opening title card proclaims. Set on Fire Island, New York, free love reigns in BARBARA, as couples disrobe, fornicate, and talk about sex incessantly. This is an early semi-pornographic film shot in a documentary style that is intended to illustrate and explain the sexual revolution and youth rebellion ideologies of the era.
BARBARA attempts to navigate the complexities of coming of age, societal critique, and the pursuit of sexual expression through a myriad of partnerships. A motley crew of young people gathers around Max (Jack Rader), an older island inhabitant who positions himself as a kind of guru of sexual liberation, advocating for a lifestyle of unrestricted sexual encounters as a path to freedom.
The weak narrative weaves through the superficial relationships between Max, his shallow girlfriend Barbara, and a visiting couple, Leslie and Tom, serving primarily as a backdrop for the actors' unabashed nudity and combination of simulated and unsimulated sex. The dialogue, seemingly improvised, is laden with the era's counter-culture clichés, exploring themes of sexual liberation, the intertwining of sex and spirituality, and even touching upon anti-Vietnam War sentiments, all under the guise of expanding the characters' emotional and physical experiences.
Influenced by the French New Wave of the Sixties, BARBARA is stylistically ambitious, employing grainy black-and-white cinematography and occasional inter-titles to convey characters' thoughts or narrative progression, though its artistic endeavors often obscure the on-screen action. The film also draws from the "roughies" genre prevalent in adult cinemas of the 1960s, incorporating elements of non-consensual sex and a suggestion of bestiality.
Released in theaters in August 1970, BARBARA stands among the pioneering films of its time that ventured into the realm of explicit sexual content, alongside early adult films like MONA THE VIRGIN NYMPH and ANDY WARHOL'S BLUE MOVIE. Director Walter Burns sought to advance the cinematic portrayal of sexuality, amalgamating various contemporary themes in an attempt to resonate with the intended audience. However, the film's effort to align with the progressive attitudes of its time ultimately falls short, rendering it pretentious and more superficial than insightful.
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4.4/10
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