The History of BDSM – Page 12 – Documenting my research in the history of consensual sadomasochism

CSI “Slaves of Las Vegas” S02E08: The Celluloid Dungeon

Apr 042022

IMDB Aired November 15, 2001.

Co-writer Jerry Stahl also wrote the notorious CSI episodes “Fur and Loathing in Las Vegas” (2003) (dealing with furry culture) and “King Baby” (2005) (dealing with infantilism). He also co-wrote the screenplays for the cult porn films Nightdreams (1981) and Café Flesh (1982), under the pseudonym Herbert W. Day.

Melinda Clarke makes her first appearance as Lady Heather. She also played a brothel madam in the Firefly episode “Heart of Gold” (2003) and the body-modified zombie lead of Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993).

As so many of these types of episodes, it begins with the discovery of a dead sex worker. In this case, it’s a nude young woman found buried in a sandbox. Also typical, the victim’s body is treated as a puzzle to be solved that will lead to the discovery of their true identity.

Link Digest, March 2022

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Mar 172022

Kinbakunomicon posted a translation of the transcript of a 1971 roundtable discussion in Kinbaku Taizen, which is full of interesting perspectives from Japanese people on different forms of BDSM in Japan, Europe and America.
A video interview with an elder of the spanking community, which is BDSM adjacent.
Mashable covers the loss of a unique space for diverse sexuality in the censoring of Tumblr.
XBIZ covers the history of adult industry content prohibitions, which appear to be based more on industry folklore and urban legends than actual laws or policies.

Love and Leashes (2022): The Celluloid Dungeon

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Mar 142022

Love and Leashes is a 2022 Korean romantic comedy, currently streaming on Netflix, about two office workers who begin a dominant/submissive relationship, based on a webcomic.

Note: I do not speak Korean, and I’m going entirely by the dubbing and subtitles. There are likely many cultural and linguistic nuances I am missing. E.g. “Master” is frequently used, but not “Mistress”.

Jung Jihoo transfers to the public relations department of a corporation, where he meets a woman with a nearly identical name, Jung Jiwoo. She’s highly intelligent and competent, but ignored or belittled by the department’s sexist boss. Jihoo is actually her superior in the hierarchy, but he tries to listen to her and compromise.

Jiwoo is attracted to Jihoo, but is reluctant to act on it. Her mother and friend both urge her to act on it, but in a stereotypically “feminine” way, which is at odds with her direct personality.

Because their names are so similar, Jiwoo accidentally picks up a personal package delivered for Jihoo, and finds a studded leather collar and leash with the nameplate “Miho”. Jihoo tries to cover for this, but she figures it out, and says nothing.

Talking Love and Leashes with TammyJo Eckhart: The Celluloid Dungeon

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Mar 092022

I discuss the BDSM-themed Korean romantic comedy Love and Leashes with my friend and colleague TammyJo Eckhart, a historian and author.

Currently on Netflix, Love and Leashes follows a submissive man and and a dominant woman as they learn about each other and deal with a prejudiced society. You can also read the English translation of the original webcomic.

Link Digest, February 2022

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Feb 212022

Fashion designer Thierry Mugler, who did a lot to bring the worlds of fetish and fashion together, died on January 23rd 2022, at age 73.
The American Sex podcast has an in-depth report on censorship in the podcast space, particularly regarding sexually explicit works, which is exacerbated by Spotify’s project to monopolize and exploit the entire podcasting ecosystem.
The second episode of the On Guard Salon talks about dating and cruising for gay leathermen in the pre-Internet days.
The Dildorks podcast interviewed Leigh Cowart, author of Hurts So Good: the Science and Culture of Pain on Purpose, a book that explores the many ways in which people seek out pain and other intense sensations, including BDSM but also experiences like eating hot peppers, body modification, marathon running, and more.
In Rolling Stone, Tina Horn profiles Netflix’s thriller Brazen, which reiterates tired stereotypes about kink and sex workers.
Internet platforms come and go, and Tiktok is in the “come” phase of that cycle. For our purposes, Esme James is running a video series called Kinky History, and you can read an interview with her on BI.org.

Story of O (1975): The Celluloid Dungeon

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Feb 142022

Story of O (1975), dir. Just Jaeckin

[Note: all English quotes are from the English dub.]

The relaxation of film censorship in the 1960s and 1970s, both in the US and abroad, created an interesting period in mainstream films were much more daring in terms of sexuality and violence, while some porn films had bigger budgets and higher production values to play in mainstream theatres and reach a larger audience. Naturally, someone would try to adapt arguably the most famous novel about BDSM to the big screen, Histoire d’O by “Pauline Reage” (aka Anne Desclos), published 1954.

Interviewed by Mind over Splatter podcast on the Hellraiser films

Celluloid Dungeon, Interview No Responses »

Feb 042022

I’ve been interviewed by the Mind over Splatter podcast episode on the Hellraiser horror movie franchise. (Starts around 24:30)

Link Digest, January 2022

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Jan 172022

The Decoder Ring podcast explores the notorious X-rated 1982 videogame Custer’s Revenge.
On Guard is a Youtube channel spun off from the Watts the Safe Word BDSM educational channel, which covers the gay leatherman culture of the 1970s and 1980s.
The Internet Archive has a scan of the December 1983 issue of the gay magazine The Body Politic, which has an article by Geoff Mains called, “The Agony and the Ecstasy” about gay male S&M, extracted from Urban Aboriginals.
The Dirty Sexy History podcast has a number of episodes on kink or kink-adjacent topics, including episodes on 19th Century dominatrix Theresa Berkley, the consensual Master-slave relationship of Arthur Munby and Hannah Cullwick, and the death of composer Franz Kotzwara from erotic asphyxiation in 1791.
Another magazine has an interview with Jack Fritscher, legendary publisher of gay leather/BDSM magazine Drummer and porn producer, as promo for an upcoming documentary Raw! Uncut! Video!: A Love Story About Fetish Porn by Ryan A White and Alex Clausen.

Interview with Kinky Cocktail Hour

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Jan 122022

Transparent S03E02, S03E04 & S03E09

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Jan 112022

Episode S03E02 “When the Battle is Over” Aired 22 Sep 2017

Jiz Lee returns as Pony, having regular domination sessions with Sarah.

Sara struggles with joining the board of her Jewish temple, and says some slut-shaming things about her ex-husband’s Millennial girlfriend. She’s insecure about being a wife and mother with her ex-husband in all ways except sexually.

In session with Pony, Sara is miles away. She’s on a St. Andrew’s cross, in her underwear, being spanked by Pony, rambling about flyers for her temple. Shot of her face in the cross.

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Episode S03E02 “When the Battle is Over” Aired 22 Sep 2017

A Lover's Pinch: A Cultural History of Sadomasochism