Bikewer
28th August 2007, 07:44 AM
I usually at least check out the offerings on the Independent Film Channel and the Sundance Channel; occasionally there's some good stuff on.
Last night, almost by accident, I caught The Writer Of O, a documentary on the author of the infamous Story of O.
For those not familiar, the book is now considered an erotic classic, but for most of the last 60 years it's been banned in various countries and held up as an example of decadent literature.
Speculation raged for many years as to the real identity of the author, "Pauline Reage". This pseudonym was attributed to a variety of people in the French writing community, almost invariably male. "Only a man could have written such a book."
This little documentary reveals the identity of author, one Dominique Aury, a woman who was in the inner circle of the French publishing industry for many years.
Aury evidently wrote the novel for her lover, rather as a present.
The documentary was well done, with clips from one of the (many) films made of the book interspersed. (thus the "mature" rating)
At one point, Aury recounts that even in France, the "authorities" were considering a prosecution for pornography.
Rather than being hauled before the police, she was invited to lunch with a couple of important fellows from government and industry, and spent the afternoon dining and drinking wine, with never a mention of the book!
She described the meeting as "very 18th century", and felt that they just wanted to meet the author and determine if she was "of good character."
Last night, almost by accident, I caught The Writer Of O, a documentary on the author of the infamous Story of O.
For those not familiar, the book is now considered an erotic classic, but for most of the last 60 years it's been banned in various countries and held up as an example of decadent literature.
Speculation raged for many years as to the real identity of the author, "Pauline Reage". This pseudonym was attributed to a variety of people in the French writing community, almost invariably male. "Only a man could have written such a book."
This little documentary reveals the identity of author, one Dominique Aury, a woman who was in the inner circle of the French publishing industry for many years.
Aury evidently wrote the novel for her lover, rather as a present.
The documentary was well done, with clips from one of the (many) films made of the book interspersed. (thus the "mature" rating)
At one point, Aury recounts that even in France, the "authorities" were considering a prosecution for pornography.
Rather than being hauled before the police, she was invited to lunch with a couple of important fellows from government and industry, and spent the afternoon dining and drinking wine, with never a mention of the book!
She described the meeting as "very 18th century", and felt that they just wanted to meet the author and determine if she was "of good character."