SEX: THE REVOLUTION: THE BIG BANG (TV)
Summary
One in this documentary miniseries chronicling changing societal attitudes towards sexuality in America from the 1950's to the 1990's. The 1960's see the rise of alternative lifestyles and an increasingly open attitude towards public discussion of sexual topics correlating closely with the Civil Rights Movement. An example of the conflicting attitudes present at the time can be found in a 1967 demonstration in front of the Pentagon, where Abbie Hoffman creates a drug called "Lace" which he claims acts as an instant aphrodisiac, and his claims are taken seriously by the media. Across the country debate rages about abortion and birth control, which are illegal in most of the country. One of the pioneers of the public movement supporting birth control is Bill Baird, founder of the Parents Aid Society, who creates the first abortion referral center in 1964, essentially operating out of a van. His mission is to distribute birth control to underprivileged individuals and educate them about the subject. He is arrested many times for his work but continues, even going to the Supreme Court about the legality of displaying or selling birth control products in the state of Massachusetts. The Supreme Court rules that the government has no right to interfere with the reproductive rights of the citizens; this case is cited prominently in the future landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade. In the midst of this "sexual revolution," many businesses seek to capitalize on the new era of sexual expression, such as strip shows, topless bars, and Playboy Magazine. Fashions are affected as well, resulting in more revealing clothing and the rise of the "sexploitation" genre. The films of Russ Meyer work to exhibit a highly sexualized environment without depicting actual sex, and the European new-wave films are allowed to depict nudity in defiance of the Hays Code. Audience expectations change and the Hays Code is repealed in 1967, sparking a movement in Hollywood to produce more sexually suggestive content in their films, and creating controversy in films such as "The Graduate." Also in 1967, the case of Loving v. Virginia occurs, which ends the century-old miscegenation laws in Virginia and permits interracial marriage; that same year saw the release of the film "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," about an interracial couple, demonstrating coincidence between social change and entertainment media. Broadway also begins producing more sexual content, such as 1969's "Oh! Calcutta!," featuring extensive use of full frontal nudity of both genders. Content such as this encourages the general public to re-evaluate their perceptions of nudity and sexuality in their own lives. Around this time, Dr. William H. Masters and his wife, Virginia E. Johnson, become important figures in the psychological study of sexuality. They study the sex act and in their books, "Human Sexual Response" (1966) and "Human Sexual Inadequacy" (1970), they discuss topics such as the female orgasm, launching a wave of newfound understanding about sexual relationships, particularly the role of women therein. The film "Barbarella" (1968) provides one example of the female orgasm's prominence in media, particularly in a scene in which Jane Fonda's character is placed inside a machine which forces her to achieve such a powerful orgasm that it explodes. The late 1960's see the rise of the "swinger" movement, wherein married couples would have consensual sexual relations with other married couples. Group sex also becomes more fashionable during this time. In southern California, the Esalen Institute is formed as a special retreat dedicated to sexual experimentation and "attuning" oneself to become more sensitive to one's partner. Sensitivity training is held in sessions known as "encounter groups." The 1969 film "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" uses the teachings of the Esalen Institute as a basis for the origin of the sex-related issues the characters undergo, and subtly adopts some of its philosophies as a means of resolving them. The books of Masters and Johnson essentially create the field of sex therapy, and "sexual surrogates" are created to help couples work through their inadequacy problems. Universities become a topic of discussion during the sexual revolution in regards to the restrictions they place on female students. Of particular concern is female living arrangements, particularly in the case of Linda LeClair, a student at Barnard College in the late 1960's who receives media attention over the controversy of her living off-campus with her boyfriend. Although LeClair's case was the only one which received extensive media attention, situations similar to hers' occur across the country. She is eventually expelled from Barnard, creating such an uproar that it is eventually decided that universities have no legal right to monitor young women in this fashion, leading to a national discussion about young people's rights. Coinciding with that is the foundation of the women's liberation movement in 1968, created by young women frustrated at being marginalized during the civil rights movement. They decide to protest the Miss America contest, which they view as being emblematic of a stereotypical view of women. The protest culminates in the gathering of bras, steno-pads, and other symbols of stereotypically female pursuits; it is often said that these items were then burned, but that is not the case as they women involved did not have a fire permit. Throughout the 1960's, the sexual revolution faces continual opposition to their efforts. The topic of sex education in schools sparks a nationwide argument; some believe that such a curriculum embodies "institutionalized perversion" of a sort. There is also significant backlash against the increasingly sexualized imagery occurring in many areas of the media. President Richard Nixon launches a campaign against pornography, but its influence is too great and in 1970 the film "Midnight Cowboy" becomes not only the first X-rated Hollywood movie, but wins the Academy Award for Best Picture. By the end of the 1960's, the women's liberation movement is in full swing and the beginnings of the gay rights movement are emerging. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: VH1
- DATE: May 13, 2008 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:24:14
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:92390
- GENRE: Public affairs/documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Public affairs/Documentaries
- SERIES RUN: VH1 - TV series, 2008
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Lynne Kirby … Executive Producer
- Brad Abramson … Executive Producer
- Stephen Mintz … Executive Producer
- Dana Heinz Perry … Executive Producer
- Michael Hirschorn … Executive Producer
- Shelly Tatro … Executive Producer
- Ann Rose … Supervising Producer
- Audrey Costadina … Supervising Producer
- Richard Lowe … Producer, Director
- Hart Perry … Producer, Director
- Martin Torgoff … Consulting Producer, Writer
- Salimah El-Amin … Line Producer
- Steve Jordan … Music by
- Meegan Vess … Music by
- John Allyn … Cast
- Bill Baird … Cast
- Susan Brownmiller … Cast
- Dyan Cannon … Cast
- David Crosby … Cast
- Betty Dodson … Cast
- Phil Donahue … Cast
- Hugh Hefner … Cast
- Tab Hunter … Cast
- Erica Jong … Cast
- Paul Krassner … Cast
- Linda LeClair … Cast
- Ariel Levy … Cast
- Paul Mazursky … Cast
- Legs McNeil … Cast
- Gloria Steinem … Cast
- Martin Torgoff … Cast
- Bruce Vilanch … Cast
- John Waters … Cast
- Randy Wicker … Cast
- Linda Williams … Cast
- Woody Allen
- Brigitte Bardot
- Jane Fonda
- Billy Graham
- Abbie Hoffman
- Virginia E. Johnson
- Sophia Loren
- William H. Masters
- Russ Meyer
- Richard M. Nixon
- Stephen Solomon