Multi-Media Resource Center

Extreme close-ups of 38 vulvas, aged three months to fifty-six years. Intended as an educational film by and for women, but screened to mixed audiences, the women photographed were mostly friends and acquaintances, or children of friends and acquaintances, of the director. The Glide Methodist Church's education division, which specialized in community service related to sexuality and pregnancy, produced the film, despite the director's male colleagues finding the concept unsavory.

Through a series of dream-like episodes, UNFOLDING suggests universal awareness—aloneness, fantasies, searching, touching, loving. In the vague suggestion of a story, nature and sea mix with hints of legend, ritual, and poetry. UNFOLDING becomes one’s own folklore of imaginings. Double and triple exposure blend ocean, hills, sun, woman, and man, to portray subterranean feelings, ethereal feelings, the freeing of self, in loving and lovemaking, culminating in orgasm.

The male in this film is a paraplegic with a C-6 spinal cord injury, having some return of movement in his arms and hands. He was injured seven years ago, and has been with his partner for the last three years. There are only two areas below his shoulders in which he can experience any feeling; one is underneath the coronal ridge of his penis and the other is the area immediately around his anus. The relationship of the couple is warm, full, intimate, and satisfying. It is clearly a film of effective sexual functioning, and is one of the warmest films we have had the opportunity to make. The man manually and orally stimulates the woman, helping her move through the sexual response cycle several times to orgasm. Body changes such as breast enlargement and development of the vascular trees in the breasts are quite evident. She pleasures him by orally and manually stimulating his penis and anus.

Two young men, who have lived together for over a year, share their relationship and sexual pattern. The film begins showing them preparing dinner while enjoying kissing, joking, and flirting. After dinner, they become more sexually aroused, moving to the living room where they continue to kiss and caress. They stimulate each other manually and orally to orgasm. Post-orgasmic play continues the element of fun and affection, which is clearly shown throughout the film.

Shirley shares her masturbatory pattern while a narrator describes each of the steps in self-sexual exploration. She is first seen in the bathroom showering, drying, and brushing her hair luxuriously. In the bedroom she moves and strokes her body sensuously, gradually focusing in on her breasts and genitals. She then uses a vibrator on these areas, and moves into an exuberant orgasm. Close-ups show the vaginal area contractions of the pubococcygeus muscle during orgasm. Her delight continues to be visible after her orgasm, as she caresses and stretches her body.

A young black couple go for a walk in the country. They undress and begin foreplay with much kissing and caressing.This couple has a varied sexual pattern, including mutual oral-genital activity with her on top, intercourse in several positions, and both direct and circular thrusting. There is a great deal of affection and continual touching. At one point, she guides his penis back into her vagina. A warm-feeling film."