Passion & Power: The Technology of Orgasm

Though Passion & Power is about vibrators and orgasms, this film is more straight-forward and educational than it is sexy. Such talking heads as Betty Dodson, considered the godmother of the masturbation movement in the ’70s, and feminist Dell Williams connect the invention of the vibrator to the women’s rights movement, as the device allowed women complete sexual freedom from men. The different incarnations of vibrators also are of interest, from a table-like contraption of years past to the more compact versions of today. There also is some commentary on the laws revolving around vibrators, including a case in which a Texas woman was imprisoned for her sexual education class, as state law decrees that only five vibrators are allowed per household.

Shelf Talk: Those who expect to be sexually stimulated by Passion & Power should look elsewhere. This film is more suitable for such sociology classes as human sexuality and could be promoted to the institutional market. There also is a healthy dose of history, from the sexual revolution of the ’60s to the feminist movement. This little discussed topic should generate some curiosity; just make sure your customers know that this is a purely informative film.