Tags related to tag fetish
Tuesday, April 11. 2006
I miss my Jonnay time
Sunday, June 19. 2005
Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning.
Wednesday, April 27. 2005
DIY BDSM
Obsessive BDSM Movie Review: The Audition
First off, a brief hello to Richard from 'Down On My Knees' and Traci. You guys get mad props for making comments. Awwwooo. Also, a brief hello to whomever else is showing up. I seem to have gotten a recent influx of traffic.
Yoshikawa however has a bad feeling about this Asami. Her background checks don't match up, and her CV is full of holes, and doesn't make sense. He makes Shigeharu agree to never call Asami again. Finally he can't handle it any longer, and he must contact her, so he goes on a clue-hunt, trying to find out where Asami has gone. He learns of a murder that happened 3 years ago at the bar she was supposed to be working at, where the victim was found chopped into pieces... but the police found an extra tongue and 3 extra fingers! He gives up, and goes home, dejected. He grabs a drink... but wait, he has been drugged! OH no! And here is where if you have a weak stomach, you are going to want to stop the flick. WE go though a series of flashbacks at this point, and see what is inside the mysterious laundry bag. It is a man with no fingers and no tongue. Asami then pukes into a metal dog dish, and gives it to the obviously starving laundry-bag-man, who proceeds to partake. Finally the flashbacks subside, and we are left with Asami dressed in a rubber apron, with rubber gloves, and holding an old-school doctors bag of tricks. She gives Shigeharu an injection (through the tongue!) and explains how he will be totally paralysed, but will be able to feel everything. He should also not trust anything but the pain.
At this point, things get crazy.
Asami starts sticking needles straight into the poor Shigeharu's chest, all the while telling Shigeharu what a bad person he is for setting up the false audition. Starting slowly and almost singing 'deeper deeper' as she pushes the needles in. She then slides across, and sits on his chest, and starts to stick needles under his eyelids. Again with the 'deeper deeper' chant/sing-song. It ends up with the poor Shigeharu getting his legs sawn off. Throughout the whole ordeal Asami is very matter-of-fact. She has a businesslike tone, punctuated with singsong bursts of glee and happiness. Very disconcerting.Warning: This movie review is full of spoilers! I use the movie Audition to make some points about BDSM, the lines between fantasy and reality, and the moods of a BDSM scene. Now, if you have not seen Audition, don't worry, that is not a pre-requisite for reading this entry. In fact if totally gory Japanese flicks aren't your thing, it might be worth your while to skip watching it, and read the brief synopsis on the right.
Audition makes a statement (whether it means to or not) on the state of sexual politics in Japan, where women are very subservient to men. But it also is perhaps making a statement about expressions of sexuality. If you do keep an ear to the 'sick-internet-porn' ground, you no doubt have seen (or if you are lucky, only heard of) various 'porn' movies involving people barfing into bowls, eating it, and/or feeding it to others. The fact that this theme is repeated in Audition is probably no co-incidence. I am not into barf-play myself though.
There is some other fetish play parallels going on here as well. I'm going go briefly gloss over the amputation thing, because, like barf, it isn't my thing. There is also the play piercing angle. But like all things in this movie, it is done to the extreme. It is meant to disturb after all.
Probably one of the most disturbing parts of that movie was the torture scenes at the very end. Because on the one hand, being fed barf, having acupuncture needles stuck (straight) into you, and having your limbs sawn off is absolutely no fun. But to be tortured by someone who so obviously takes that much pride, joy and fun in their work is absolute heaven. As Richard commented in a Previous Post of Mine, a BDSM scene is more fun with laughter and imagination. (That being said, I don't event want to imagine that the bowl is full of barf, thank you very much.) The sing-song happiness in Asami's voice is unmistakable. Her movements and skill not only suggest a business like proficiency in what she is doing, but a joy as well. It's like a visit from your friendly neighbourhood dental hygienist and nymphomaniac sadist—all rolled up into one. That kind of skill, joy, and enjoying-of-the-skill is enough to take a submissive over the edge.
There are interesting lines being exposed here. In the BDSM community, its all about 'safe, sane and consensual.' A mantra that is repeated ad nauseum to give legitimacy to a sexuality that is for all its posturing, not entirely about 100% safety, sanity or consensuality, but is in fact about and is rooted in it's opposition. I am certainly not advocating non-consensual sex. But there are a lot of people who truly value the fact that they can't get out of the bondage they are in, and that they are stuck with whatever the top is going to dole out. For a lot of people that is part of the fantasy. A spanking is infinitely more exciting when you know you can't yelp out a traffic light colour to get out of it. Part of the joy of skydiving is that you could fall to your death (on the other side of the token, part of preparing for skydiving is doing things like properly packaging your chute). I suspect, that branding, breath play, edge play and other 'deep BDSM' experiences like that have a similar draw. It is because you are taken so close to the edge that the excitement is there. Which, brings up its own questions: After pushing the edges and boundaries for so long, how much further do you have to go? Is there an analogy here to extreeeeeem parachuters who start by jumping out of planes with a fully automatic chute, but end up base-jumping off of buildings for the ultimate rush?
That is what this movie does, It takes you—rapid-fire—to the boundary, the sweet spot. Then it shoots you over the cliff. Again, and again, and again. Simultaneously you are both utterly revolted, but yet strangely drawn to what is happening. It is a bad car accident happening inside of you. "Wow, that whole black rubber and leather get-up sure is hot! She is pulling out needles! Hardcore! Ahh! they're going in his eyelids! Too far! But the 'deeper, deeper' How disturbing! How wonderful! I'm so conflicted! Ahh! what is she doing with that Piano wire!" <Fall off cliff>
In short, it is a good movie because it is so disturbing, and because it plays with the lines. But it also takes you face to face with some very uncomfortable aspects of BDSM sexuality, and approaches it from the wrong (that is completely non-consensual, totally un-sane) angle.
Audition, a 'brief' Synopsis
SPOILERS FOLLOW!
After 7 years of loosing his wife to cancer, Shigeharu Aoyama is desperate to find a young, pretty, traditional, subservient Japanese woman to have as his wife. His friend Yasuhisa Yoshikawa convinces him to hold an Audition for a movie, so that he can find his perfect wife. The trick, is that the movie is not going to be made. Sounds like the trappings of a romantic comedy? It sure is. Shigeharu meets up with Asami, a beautiful young Japanese girl who had her dreams of dancing ballet shattered when she was young. Being socially inept, Shigeharu stumbles through various romantic scenes with Asami, and soon they both fall in love. Not wanting to seem to eager, Shigeharu waits a couple of days before calling her. When he finally does, we pan to a scene where Asami is sitting on the floor, watching the phone ring and ring. Finally she answers it, and a big laundry bag in the background shudders and MOVES! Oh No!Yoshikawa however has a bad feeling about this Asami. Her background checks don't match up, and her CV is full of holes, and doesn't make sense. He makes Shigeharu agree to never call Asami again. Finally he can't handle it any longer, and he must contact her, so he goes on a clue-hunt, trying to find out where Asami has gone. He learns of a murder that happened 3 years ago at the bar she was supposed to be working at, where the victim was found chopped into pieces... but the police found an extra tongue and 3 extra fingers! He gives up, and goes home, dejected. He grabs a drink... but wait, he has been drugged! OH no! And here is where if you have a weak stomach, you are going to want to stop the flick. WE go though a series of flashbacks at this point, and see what is inside the mysterious laundry bag. It is a man with no fingers and no tongue. Asami then pukes into a metal dog dish, and gives it to the obviously starving laundry-bag-man, who proceeds to partake. Finally the flashbacks subside, and we are left with Asami dressed in a rubber apron, with rubber gloves, and holding an old-school doctors bag of tricks. She gives Shigeharu an injection (through the tongue!) and explains how he will be totally paralysed, but will be able to feel everything. He should also not trust anything but the pain.
At this point, things get crazy.
Asami starts sticking needles straight into the poor Shigeharu's chest, all the while telling Shigeharu what a bad person he is for setting up the false audition. Starting slowly and almost singing 'deeper deeper' as she pushes the needles in. She then slides across, and sits on his chest, and starts to stick needles under his eyelids. Again with the 'deeper deeper' chant/sing-song. It ends up with the poor Shigeharu getting his legs sawn off. Throughout the whole ordeal Asami is very matter-of-fact. She has a businesslike tone, punctuated with singsong bursts of glee and happiness. Very disconcerting.
Audition makes a statement (whether it means to or not) on the state of sexual politics in Japan, where women are very subservient to men. But it also is perhaps making a statement about expressions of sexuality. If you do keep an ear to the 'sick-internet-porn' ground, you no doubt have seen (or if you are lucky, only heard of) various 'porn' movies involving people barfing into bowls, eating it, and/or feeding it to others. The fact that this theme is repeated in Audition is probably no co-incidence. I am not into barf-play myself though.
Asami in her wonderful rubber get up. Open wide!
Probably one of the most disturbing parts of that movie was the torture scenes at the very end. Because on the one hand, being fed barf, having acupuncture needles stuck (straight) into you, and having your limbs sawn off is absolutely no fun. But to be tortured by someone who so obviously takes that much pride, joy and fun in their work is absolute heaven. As Richard commented in a Previous Post of Mine, a BDSM scene is more fun with laughter and imagination. (That being said, I don't event want to imagine that the bowl is full of barf, thank you very much.) The sing-song happiness in Asami's voice is unmistakable. Her movements and skill not only suggest a business like proficiency in what she is doing, but a joy as well. It's like a visit from your friendly neighbourhood dental hygienist and nymphomaniac sadist—all rolled up into one. That kind of skill, joy, and enjoying-of-the-skill is enough to take a submissive over the edge.
There are interesting lines being exposed here. In the BDSM community, its all about 'safe, sane and consensual.' A mantra that is repeated ad nauseum to give legitimacy to a sexuality that is for all its posturing, not entirely about 100% safety, sanity or consensuality, but is in fact about and is rooted in it's opposition. I am certainly not advocating non-consensual sex. But there are a lot of people who truly value the fact that they can't get out of the bondage they are in, and that they are stuck with whatever the top is going to dole out. For a lot of people that is part of the fantasy. A spanking is infinitely more exciting when you know you can't yelp out a traffic light colour to get out of it. Part of the joy of skydiving is that you could fall to your death (on the other side of the token, part of preparing for skydiving is doing things like properly packaging your chute). I suspect, that branding, breath play, edge play and other 'deep BDSM' experiences like that have a similar draw. It is because you are taken so close to the edge that the excitement is there. Which, brings up its own questions: After pushing the edges and boundaries for so long, how much further do you have to go? Is there an analogy here to extreeeeeem parachuters who start by jumping out of planes with a fully automatic chute, but end up base-jumping off of buildings for the ultimate rush?
That is what this movie does, It takes you—rapid-fire—to the boundary, the sweet spot. Then it shoots you over the cliff. Again, and again, and again. Simultaneously you are both utterly revolted, but yet strangely drawn to what is happening. It is a bad car accident happening inside of you. "Wow, that whole black rubber and leather get-up sure is hot! She is pulling out needles! Hardcore! Ahh! they're going in his eyelids! Too far! But the 'deeper, deeper' How disturbing! How wonderful! I'm so conflicted! Ahh! what is she doing with that Piano wire!" <Fall off cliff>
In short, it is a good movie because it is so disturbing, and because it plays with the lines. But it also takes you face to face with some very uncomfortable aspects of BDSM sexuality, and approaches it from the wrong (that is completely non-consensual, totally un-sane) angle.