WR: Mysteries of the Organism (1971)
"W.R. - Misterije organizma" (original title)

A dense film that cuts up footage of a primary plot of two young Yugoslavian girls, one a politico and the other a sexpot, and an affair with a visiting Russian skater. Mixing metaphors of ... See full summary »

Director:

Dusan Makavejev

Writer:

Dusan Makavejev

Stars:

Milena Dravic, Ivica Vidovic, Jagoda Kaloper

3 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Milena Dravic	...	Milena
Ivica Vidovic	...	Vladimir Ilyich
Jagoda Kaloper	...	Jagoda
Tuli Kupferberg	...	US Soldier
Zoran Radmilovic	...	Radmilovic
Jackie Curtis	...	Herself
Miodrag Andric	...	Soldier
Zivka Matic	...	Landlady
Dragoljub Ivkov
Nikola Milic
Milan Jelic
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jim Buckley	...	Himself
Betty Dodson	...	Herself
Mikheil Gelovani	...	Joseph Stalin (archive footage)
Nancy Godfrey	...	Herself

Storyline

A dense film that cuts up footage of a primary plot of two young Yugoslavian girls, one a politico and the other a sexpot, and an affair with a visiting Russian skater. Mixing metaphors of Russia's relationship with Yugoslavia, intercut with footage and interviews with Wilhelm Reich and Al Goldstein of Screw magazine. The film applies Reich's theories of Orgone energy and analogies of Stalinism as a form of Freudian sexual repression. Also known as W.R. The Mysteries of the Organism in English subtitled version. Was banned in Yugoslavia shortly after it was made.

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Plot Keywords:

yugoslavia | interview | 1960s | severed head | psychology | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Yugoslavia West Germany

Language:

English Serbo-Croatian Russian German

Release Date:

23 July 1971 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

W.R.: Mysteries of the Organism

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Neoplanta Film, Telepool

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Banned in Yugoslavia immediately after release.

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Quotes

Narrator: Comrade lovers, for your health's sake, fuck freely!

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Connections

References Berserk (1967)

User Reviews

It's a mystery alright!

WR: Mysteries of the Organism, is one unique if not messed up viewing experience. Part documentary and part fictional surrealist philosophical sex comedy, Serbo-Croatian director Dusan Makavejev assaults the viewers senses with imagery, music, politics and satire. "Mysteries of the Organism" is on many top 1000 film lists, but for some odd reason it is nearly impossible to track down. Just like Makavejev's other film "Sweet Movie", I was put on a several month waiting list on Amazon. Thank god for ebay! This is a film that screams for a DVD release, but I don't think many distributors want to touch it due to it's explicit sexuality and subversive elements. The film starts off as a documentary on Wilhelm Reich, a scientist who studied the orgon and used the human orgasm as a method for healing. Of course, similar to the scientist Tesla; his books were seized and burned by the U.S. government and FDA. Then the second part of the film deals with Milena, a sexually liberated Yugoslavian girl who makes revolutionary speeches on her apartment balcony. She says "The October Revolution failed by not excepting free love". Later she falls in love with a Soviet figure skater who's afraid to express his sexual feelings. So this film is a comedy, based on the politics of human sexuality. It mocks capitalism and communism for suppressing people's sexual desires. Now if only I could find the soundtrack. My rating is 10/10, which means I'll watch it again!