Oh! Calcutta! (1972)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Jacques Levy

Writers:

Kenneth Tynan (deviser) and
Robert Benton (contributions)

Release Date:

June 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

The World's Longest Running Erotic Stage Musical!

Plot:

Based on the controversial off-Broadway musical comedy revue, "Oh! Calcutta! is a series of musical numbers about sex and sexual mores...

Plot Keywords:

Sex | Controversial | Farce | Nudity | Masturbation Scene

Cast

Raina Barrett	...	Test Girl
Mark Dempsey	...	Alfred / Dr. Jaspers
Samantha Harper	...	Helen / Nurse
Patricia Hawkins	...	Jill
Bill Macy	...	Monte / Physican
Mitchell McGuire	...	Dick
Gary Rethmeier	...	Dale / Pearloyster
Margo Sappington	...	Cherie
Nancy Tribush	...	Jane / Sue Ellen / Dr. Bronson
George Welbes	...	Jack

Runtime:

100 min | UK:123 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:R | UK:18 | Norway:18 | USA:X (self applied)

Company:

Elkins Entertainment

Trivia:

The stage version of 'Oh! Calcutta!' opened at the Eden Theater on June 17, 1969 and ran for 1314 performances. A revival opened at the Eden Theater on September 24, 1976 and ran for 5959 performances, making this show the fifth longest running show on Broadway (December 2008).

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: During the final number, you can see the camera crew in the mirrors. Also, a crew member tries to run out of the shot as the camera pans around right after that.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Great New Wonderful (2005)

A fun bit of groundbreaking history

First the film, then the stage production: Okay - this was filmed long before anyone had a home video system - it was back when videotape was a fairly new phenomenon, the player/recorders were far too expensive to be considered for home use, and electronic manipulation of the images was sparkly and new. There are some annoying transition special effects, some cute double-exposure shots, a scene that takes place in a forest glade instead of on-stage, and a scene that's not shown at all - you see a long cut of the outside of a building while you hear what's happening on stage - presumably because of simulated intercourse, though that's apparently not an issue later in the play.

Side note to cinematographers who film plays - just show the audience what they'd see if they were watching the stage production. That's what they expect - it won't disappoint them. A split screen is okay if it's not overdone - but don't cut to the audience during anything but closed-curtain time, don't show closeups of a couple of actors when the whole ensemble is on-stage and moving, and please, please, don't show a line of Celtic dancers from the waist up, ignoring the footwork.

There - had to get that off my chest. Sorry.

Most of the camera-work here is actually pretty good - the annoying parts happened in editing, and the incomprehensible decision to take the one scene away from the stage and put it elsewhere - I'd rather have seen what the actual audience saw.

The stage production - a series of dance numbers and skits about sex - the pain of it, the joy of it, the general absurdity of how it's dealt with in our society. There's some pathos, lots of comedy, some dirty gleeful joy, and some of it falls flat - but some will hit you where you live. By 2005 standards, it's really pretty tame - by 1972 standards in the USA, it was outrageous and shocking. Much of the reason that it's pretty tame now is that it dared to be shocking in 1972 - those who enjoy sexual freedom today owe the folks who dared to do this then. Some of the songs were interesting, but the music was largely forgettable - not everyone has a hit every time out.

As social history, it's interesting. As entertainment, it's spotty, but very fun in parts - well worth an evening. It was really much more fun than I'd expected.