by Alan Rogers in London
X32 – Truth Telling
This film is billed as a companion piece to ‘Trash’. The opening sequence takes in two men taking a lie detector test. I do not know who these men are, but they are (I think) musicians as they talk about being backstage at a show. One admits to doing illegal stuff backstage, but then says ‘are cockfights illegal in America’, the other answers that you can have them but you can’t use chickens. Double entendres always made me chuckle. Cut to Missy naked on the beach strolling with her dog. The video is colour washed but the with some kind of colour offset filter so she appears slightly blurred. Rainbow Colours (Feat. Lil’ Flip) by Three 6 Mafia plays while she confesses to being a seductress and a liar. Missy wades into the ocean before walking back up the beach to the laid out towels to dry. Cut to comedy song about your mother having a penis (a reference to Missy identifying with the males -father(s) in her upbringing as having more influence over her behaviour than her mother – see Trash).
Meaning: A continuation on the exploration of self. The psychopath reference is particularly interesting because it is normally associated with aggressive behaviour. The film associates it with lack of emotion. That, I think is more autism. But I am no doctor.
Value: There is a song by Genesis called ‘The Lady Lies’. Another double entendre. Its narrative is of a demon woman who ensnares men by her beauty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX-3PZC1t3g. This film reminds me of that classic narrative. I like both.
Impact: Entertained. Thought provoking.
X33 – The Primitive Mind
‘Until I win’ by Radical Redemption plays us in with shots of Missy in Perth doing her filming (See Trash again). Cut to close up of Missy and Elton sings ‘Rocket Man’ at us. Is this Missy before she flew to Perth? Or am I taking that from the lyrics? The words talk of importance of sleep. Max zooms in on her nose and lips while she rolls up a banknote (why is a banknote used for this purpose and not a straw?, surely it is a cliche?). We see Missy show the precision of the rolled note before dipping to snort lines of cocaine laid out on a glass for her. She leans back to let the drugs take effect before dipping again. Elton sings on as she drifts away into whatever state the drugs are inducing. Cut to a TED talk on how to make the audience want more (never give the answer, give the question).
Meaning: This is clearly a film about dream states and an attempt at describing them. Drug induced or not.
Value: No nudity in this film, the film shows (past) Missy apparently doing something illegal. The reason for showing this is unclear, other than as a vehicle for discussion about dreams. I have no issue with drugs, providing they are taken responsibly, and it appears Missy is doing that, but I can’t say I enjoy watching anyone taking them.
Impact: I have no feelings for this film, except I really like the song ‘Rocket Man’. And the close up of Missy’s eye is beautiful.
X34 – Doing Karma Sutra
The Kamasutra (I note Missy’s use of Karma rather than Kama is a double entendre, there is a theme here isn’t there?) is a book written in Sanskrit about erotic love many centuries ago. The book is a guide to relationships, but everyone skips to the bit about fucking and what positions you can use to squeeze the most pleasure from the act of. The narration starts with what could be someone describing Kamasutra but we see Missy lying naked on the beach (ion black and white) legs slightly open. Then it cuts to a vivid colour filter of Missy shielding her eyes from the sun, laying on a blanket masturbating in public. ‘Can I get. Witness’ by SonReal starts playing, and the lyrics appear over Missy as they are sung. This music was also heard in ‘Trash’ where the video accompanied it. This is an alternative video for that music, that highlights the lyrics. They are obviously important to Missy. A message to us. Cut to black and white Missy on the beach, while someone talks about film-making.
Meaning: Sex is important. It sells, yes, but it is still fucking important.
Value: Enjoyed the film, I like reading lyrics although slightly distracting trying to read with Naked Missy masturbating behind them.
Impact: Enjoyment.
X35 – Watching Snatches
Film starts with a couple of dudes playing in a studio trying out a new song while a cowboy sits slightly behind them making strange noises. Cut to Missy being filmed through the bathroom window as she prepares to have a shower. I can’t help thinking this was taken by Max intentionally as a voyeuristic film. Missy knows she is being watched. Music is Wicked Game, not by Chris Isaacs but by Daisy Gray. Nice version. Having looked into the lens of the camera, Missy strips naked. The narrative tells of someone across the street looking in at her. At one point she picks up the cat to take it out of the bathroom, showing the cat to the cameraman as she does. Missy ties her hair up before stepping into the shower. Cut to images taken from a Daisy Gray music video. Not sure that is Daisy Gray but that is irrelevant.
Meaning: Voyeurism is a kink that is harmless? Discuss.
Value: This put me in mind of the self conscious Elizabeth (Kim Basinger) in the film nine and a half weeks, where she performs a striptease for John (Mickey Rourke) but has to keep looking back at him to confirm he is pleased with her performance. Sweet. The published memoir (written by Ingeborg Day under a pseudonym incidentally) is a much better, but harder (true) story.
Impact: Entertained.
X36 – What I like
I love that you have included clips from ‘After Life’. I loved that show. It is a fabulous piece of work. I think it is far better than ‘The Office’ (albeit that show broke Gervais into mainstream consciousness). I put it up there with ‘Fleabag’ as being classic modern UK TV. After Life is an examination of grief told in a way that makes you empathetic, sad, happy, angry and all emotions in-between. The arc of his narrative across all three series is so beautifully subtle. You know he will never recover from his grief. But in the end that is ok. That’s what makes us human. ‘What I like about you’ by The Romantics plays and we see the video for the song superimposed with Missy giving head. The video is jerky in time with the music. It is clearly taken from the beach video as you can see the sea in the background. The effect of the jerkiness is to make it look like Missy is bobbing her head in an inhuman way. We can assume that Max is the lucky recipient, and he appears to be holding Missy’s hair. This allows us a clear view of her profile as she clearly enjoys making the owner of the penis feel good, and presumably allows said owner to regulate the pace of administration.
Meaning: Missy likes giving head. No real hidden message here.
Value: The video is brilliantly cut and intercut with the music which rocks along in synchronous harmony.
Impact: Mild arousal, Fun.
X37 – The Coming Revelation
Workin’ Woman Blues by Valerie June starts to play and we see Missy naked in her garden in black and white, then close up of her lips. The narrative confesses that Missy is not who we think she is. Beat the Devil’s Tattoo by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club starts to play and we see a speeded up grainy shot of Missy on the beach, naked. She is conversing with someone off camera (Max we presume). We then see Max and Missy in silhouette by the sea. Max gets hard (with Missy’s help) Missy then kneels to give Max head. The video is jerky (Like ‘What I Like’) which makes the video less erotic and more artful. Now Missy has Max fully erect she turns around and they have standing doggy style sex on the beach. His hand remains fisted in her hair. At some point she collapses onto her knees, Max then starts to fuck her doggy style kneeling before washing in the sea. Although this is not the first sex tape it is the most explicit yet. The narrative continues to point out that Missy is creating these films and only showing the side to her that she wants us to see. That her real personality is not yet known. But will be revealed.
Meaning: Missy knows we do not know her, but she wants us to know she is fearless now she has faced her demons. She clearly loves sex, though.
Value: Another beautiful art sex film. Grainy and jumpy to reduce the eroticism and increase the artistic value.
Impact: Mild arousal, Intrigue.
X38 – Promiscuity
Another ‘After Life’ clip (does a Punch and Judy show translate?, Mr Punch seems very a very British cultural reference) cuts to Missy relaxed, naked and smoking a cigarette in a chair in front of a brick wall. ‘Get Me Out’ (Theme from ‘Jail’) starts to play by Jon Lee & Lil Droppa. The narration argues that men’s poor fidelity excuses any infidelity by women. That might be a quite localised viewpoint. Missy continues to chat idly to an unseen person whilst sipping beer and smoking. The narration is eventually revealed as a quote from the New Testament. We are all lecherous buggers apparently. Well if the shoe fits.
Meaning: Confessions of a naked film-maker (Clue: she sleeps with other men).
Value: I like these little vignette glimpses into normalcy.
Impact: Smiles.
X39 – The Sirens Call
An odd start featuring Bill the puppet from ‘Saw’, before a (speeded up) shot of naked Missy laying out a blanket in the garden before lying on it. Blue Song by Mint Royale plays. Missy is in focus but all around her is blurred by effect. The narration tells the story of a Siren who affects men in the jungles of Australia. Missy shifts about affording us the best view of her naked body, whilst seeming to care less and moving to the music (cleverly done). The tale is taken from an episode of Love, Death and Robots season 3: Jibaro.
Meaning: Crime never pays.
Value: A tale about stealing, stolen. I am in awe.
Impact: Enjoyment.
X40 – Pornografika
A short clip of rock stars admitting to behaving badly cuts to someone adjusting a camera in a hi-vis jacket. The tale starts with regret of sorts, and shows a melancholy missy sitting naked in a garden smoking a cigarette. The music adds to the melancholy feel with a slow acoustic drawl of folk music I am unaware of. The conversation Missy is having (with herself) appears to be one of looking back at her life and accounting the loss and gains. The nod of the head at the end signals her story is up, only after the confession that apologies are only needed when they make a difference.
Meaning: Regrets. I have a few. But then again. Too few to mention.
Value: Soft, subtle, nudge along the road of enlightenment.
Impact: Reflective.
X41 – Phantasy
A man walks into a bar… Actually a diner… Anyways the eerie static on the radio kicks into ‘Down to Earth’ by Flight Facilities, a trance like song to accompany your story about sexual daydreams of child Missy. The video is a mashup of music videos, videos of families and children, and naked masturbating Missy. The colour palette is orange which Goethe would approve of; being warm, exciting, and noble. The line ‘One of those places was in another persons mind’ is a plot twist. We were thinking this is Missy’s fantasy. It is not. It is ours.
Meaning: Missy is our fantasy girl.
Value: A great story set to thumpingly good vibes
Impact: Smiles.