Commentary on a Bettie Page Video

I saw this Bettie Page video on Harem Girl and thought it was very interesting:



The video is divided into two very distinct sections, one a longer-shot that gives an entire sense of the set and the situation, with a second section of close-ups and slightly pulled-back video focused on Bettie's face. The transition between the two sections is just an abrupt cut, disappointing, no doubt, for modern viewers, but important to the way the video works. This is a striptease video, with much more tease than strip.

In the first section of the video, Bettie and her co-stars move with exaggerated gestures, like silent movie stars, which makes sense because this is, essentially, a silent movie. At first, I thought Bettie was dancing, and I thought, she's a terrible dancer, but then I realized her movements aren't dancing at all, but coordinated pageantry that approaches but never really wants to be dancing. Instead, it is a ritualistic performance designed to display and promote certain fetishistically important features, especially her legs. She most reminds me of a Barker's Beauty, only the prize on display is herself. It would be easy, I imagine, to let the gestures become mechanical and tired, but she keeps them fresh and playful. Even in these distant shots we see a little of the personality that will be the main feature of the video's second section.

The far shots are okay, but what really makes this video is the close-up section. Of course, she's beautiful, with her wide, white smile, her bright red lips, her black hair framing smooth white skin, and her eyebrows that are pronounced enough to be almost masculine, but hover instead at the line suggesting enhanced sexuality. Her face is strong, but all that power is in abeyance here, as she engages in play. And when she looks at the camera, her eyes look through it at me, and I feel that special sense of "golly-gee"ness that makes men blush when a beautiful woman singles them out for attention. But instead of pushing that line, she pulls back. There is no stress here. This is play, this is fun. And then she winks at me. Wow. Just wow. Now I've got a smile to last all day. Really nice.

Dr. C's Science Corner, Plus a Correction

Some months ago, you may remember a post on our friend's blog that included an allusion to Willem Defoe's stage show that included leading an anthropomorphic duck around by its genitals . . .

No? Well, here it is: Larryville Chronicles

In response, I made a comment about ducks having no penis at all, which, as it turns out, is incorrect. Although about 97% of all bird species have no penis (or phallus as biologists prefer to refer to them, since they're not actual penises), ducks are different. In fact, some ducks have ridiculously long phalluses, sometimes as long as the rest of the duck's body. In addition, the duck can shoot its phallus out in an attempt to aggressively deliver its sperm during forced copulation. If you dare, see the slow-motion video here:

Duck Phallus Eversion (WARNING: It's pretty gross.)

Of course, no duckess is going to just take this kind of behavior, so female ducks have evolved an oviduct (analogous to the vagina) with all kinds of counterscrews and dead-end pockets. The female ducks can relax or contract the structures in the oviducts to either allow or deny intromission.

If you want to read a longer summary of the research, look here: Kinky Science

For the original research in all its scientific glory, see here:

Coevolution of Male and Female Genitalia Morphology in Waterfowl

PLOSone is a favorite journal of mine. You may also remember it as the source of the first documented non-human fellatio. Missed that one? Here's the link to that exciting story:

Bat Fellatio