This DVD is one hour and a quarter of demonstrations of 50 sexual positions between a man and a woman, taken from the Kama Sutra.  There are different men and women for different positions.  They all look to be in their twenties or thirties.  There are two sets, both clearly in studios but designed to look like tastefully decorated bedrooms.  The cameras move around the partners showing them from different angles and keeping the image flowing.  It also enables the video from showing any genitals, by using carefully chosen angles.  In a voice-over, a female narrator, gives information about the position in slightly breathy suggestive tones.  Jazzy, repetitive ambient music plays in the background. 

There are two versions of this movie on the DVD: 3D and regular.  In order to view the 3D version, you need to wear the 3D cardboard glasses provided, with a blue transparent filter in the left eye, and a red one in the right.  There is a 3D effect, although it is not strong.  If you can watch this DVD wearing the 3D glasses without feeling self-conscious and silly, this will demonstrate remarkable self-esteem.  The regular version is exactly the same, except that it does not have the 3D effect and does not require viewing with special glasses.

There is a 4 minute "making-of" featurette, showing the director and crew speaking in Frensh using a special 3-D camera.  This short film has no voice over, but just shows various scenes of the actors having their make-up put on, the director interacting with the actors, and a few playful moments when they are relaxing. 

It is fairly obvious that the actors, while naked, are not actually having sex, and even if they were, you would not be able to see much.  The actors move with a constant writhing, in an elegant simulation of sex, as if they were dancing to the music.  The actors turn their necks in swaying motions in a symbol of ecstasy.  The positions are often quite athletic and the motions would probably look rather different if they participants were actually coupled together.  They would look rather sweatier and their faces would probably take on rather more pronounced expressions.

As a guide to sex, this DVD is unlikely to be very useful, because it does not show the various attempts to get it right.  Maybe it provides more guidance than written descriptions or pictures in a book, but probably not much more.  The 3D effect may be fun, but it certainly doesn't provide any additional instructional value. 

All told then, this Kama Sutra DVD is more of a novelty item, that is more suited for erotic entertainment or as a suggestive gift than as a useful guide to sex.  

© 2007 Christian Perring. All rights reserved.

Christian Perring, Ph.D., is Academic Chair of the Arts & Humanities Division and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Dowling College, Long Island. He is also editor of Metapsychology Online Reviews.  His main research is on philosophical issues in medicine, psychiatry and psychology.

Categories: Sexuality, Movies