The Story of X

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My guess is that you probably don't recognize Chuck Workman's name. You most certainly have seen his work, though, if you are a fan of the Oscars. Workman's breathtaking montages of classic film clips are, more often than not, the highlight of each broadcast. His new documentary, The Story of X, covers cinematic territory not normally associated with coveted statuettes. In fact, the film tells the story of x-rated cinema-porn, smut, nudies, adult films, stag films- from the first, flickering silent images up to, and including, the video revolution. From the lows (early images of beastiality) to the highs (Midnight Cowboy) to the blockbusters (Behind the Green Door), The Story of X covers it all. Controversies and varied viewpoints are presented. Russ Meyer, Bernardo Bertolucci, Jack Valenti and Al Goldstein are all interviewed, as are censorship advocates, civil libertarians and unapologetic porn lovers. Buck Henry narrates with dry wit and intelligence. A quick word of warning: The Story of X is everything one would want in a documentary - complete, honest, balanced, informative - but it is also about pornography. The images and language are often raw and explicit. With this in mind, if the world of cinema's demimonde has always interested you, then The Story of X is the film you've been waiting for. Oh, and if you want to talk to the filmmaker himself, he'll be here to talk about sex. --John Porter