Shortbus
ThinkFilm (2006)
Drama, Erotica, Queer Themes/Interest, Romance
Not In Collection
#2082
6*
Seen ItYes
(07/19/2016 Home)
IMDB   6.4
101 mins USA / English
DVD  Region 2   Unrated
Raphael Barker Rob
Lindsay Beamish Severin
Justin Bond Brothel Madame
Jay Brannan Ceth
Shanti Carson Leah
Paul Dawson James
PJ DeBoy Jamie
Stephen Kent Jusick Creamy
Sook-Yin Lee Sofia
Director
John Cameron Mitchell
Producer Wouter Barendrecht
Alexis Fish
John Cameron Mitchell
Tim Perell
Writer John Cameron Mitchell


Numerous New York City-dwellers come to the exclusive club Shortbus to work out problems in their sexual relationships. Rob and Sophia are a happily married couple, except for the fact that she has never experienced sexual climax. This irony follows her to work, because she is a couples counselor who frequently has to deal with the sexual issues other couples have. Two of her patients are Jamie and James, a gay couple who have been monogamous for five years and counting. James wants to bring other men in to the relationship, and his own history with depression may hint at an ulterior motive. Ceth (Pronounced like Seth) may be the perfect addition to their family, but Caleb, a voyeur from across the street, may have his own ideas about that. Sophia visits Severin, a dominatrix with secrets of her own to reveal. [IMDB]

Writer/director John Cameron Mitchell follows up the cult classic HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH with another salacious slice of sex-laden cinema. Mitchell interweaves three separate tales of highly sexed and sexually frustrated New Yorkers, all of whom find some kind of salvation at an underground club named Shortbus. Anything goes at Shortbus--wild orgies between people from different ages, backgrounds, and sexual preferences are treated as commonplace, and most of the sex scenes shot through Mitchell's voyeuristic lens are completely unsimulated. Mitchell allows little time for his audience to pause for breath, opening SHORTBUS with a frantic collage of copulation and carnality that features most of his central characters. These include Sofia (Sook-Yin Lee), a sex therapist who has never reached full orgasm; gay couple James (Paul Dawson)--who begins the movie by fellating himself--and Jamie (PJ DeBoy); and Severin (Lindsay Beamish), a dominatrix who finds herself unable to find true love. Mitchell lets his cast of characters unravel their tales of woe, interspersing the touching and mostly sad stories with eye-popping scenes from Shortbus and swooping birds-eye shots of a computer simulated version of New York City. The director also draws heavily on an indie-rock soundtrack, making repeated and effective use of the beautiful "Winters Love" by Brooklyn-based group Animal Collective. But it's the sex scenes that will really get tongues wagging, and its testament to Mitchell's fearless and uncompromising vision that he depicts sexual acts that run the full coital gamut, from amusing to titillating to shocking. Amid all the boundary-pushing there is a tender heart buried in SHORTBUS's central narrative--which revolves around the search for identity and acceptance--but less sensitive viewers who seek amusement in the singing of the National Anthem into a prominent orifice will also find plenty to enjoy here. [Rotten Tomatos]
Edition Details
Original Title Shortbus
Packaging Amaray-Box
Subtitles Deutsch; Französisch
Audio Tracks DD 5.1
Deutsch - DD 2.0
Englisch - DD 2.0
Französisch - DD 2.0
No. of Discs/Tapes 1
Personal Details
Purchase Date December 2009
Location Duplicate - Gifted
Owner Deitz
Store Gift
Condition New
Quantity 2
Tags queer heritage
Links Queerty Interview: John Cameron Mitchell
DVD-Shop
IMDB
Wikipedia
Rotten Tomatoes
Shortbus at Core for Movies
TheMovieDb.org

Features
Deleted Scenes, Trailershow (46 Minuten)
References
Streaming, VoD Not Found
Lists ‡ 175 Essential Films for GLBT Viewers from Advocate (6/23/2014)

Notes
Now, "I wouldn't be where I am today " (R Perrin) if I hadn't seen a fair amount of erotic play, but this movie can't compare to director Mitchell's genius "Hedgwig" -- I acquired this film in 2009 as a gift (in fact, I ended up with two copies), and have seen clips and read commentaries, but didn't get around to actually viewing it until seven years later -- I knew the scene, and the fun of it, but never knew anyone with Mitchell's characters angst -- I suppose we are to believe that the protaganists were riding the shortbus (a term, by the way, that I fine extraordinarily demeaning, right up there with the "N" word), but what of it -- should we care much about them?