The Immoral Mr. Teas 1021022 218326516 2008-06-10T03:34:13Z LorenzoB 2054613 Wiki {{Unreferenced|date=March 2008}} {{Infobox Film | name = The Immoral Mr. Teas | image = The Immoral Mr. Teas.jpg | caption = Theatrical poster to ''The Immoral Mr. Teas'' | director = [[Russ Meyer]] | producer = Peter A. DeCenzie | writer = | starring =Bill Teas<br>Ann Peters | music = Edward J. Lakso | cinematography = Russ Meyer | editing = Russ Meyer<br>John F. Link Sr. (uncredited) | distributor = | released = [[1959]] | runtime = 63 minutes | country = [[USA]] | awards = | language = | budget = | amg_id = 1:70178 | imdb_id = 0052920 }} '''''The Immoral Mr. Teas''''' (1959) is the first commercially successful film of director [[Russ Meyer]]. '''Tagline:''' ''A Frenchy Comedy for Unashamed Adults!'' ==Etymology== The name "Teas" is of course a [[homonym|homophone]] of the word ''[[tease]]'', and one of the meanings of tease includes to sexually excite another person by subtle means, usually explicitly avoiding advancement to more potentially consequential erotic situations. The title character is played by Meyer's army buddy, Bill Teas, whose homophonic name Meyer happily exploits. ==Background== Before this film was released, the only moving pictures exhibiting extensive nudity were either underground (covertly produced and distributed) [[pornography|pornographic]] films, typically distributed "under the counter" in 16 mm black and white movies, or [[naturist]] pictures, openly displayed in specialized movie theaters, usually under the cover of exhibiting the fun and freedom of nudism in naturist reserves ([[nudism|nudist camps]]). ==A breakthrough== ''The Immoral Mr. Teas'' was the first American "above ground" movie since the [[Pre-Code|pre-Code]] [[Classical Hollywood cinema|early sound era]] to show female nudity without the pretext of naturism. It is considered to be the first commercially viable American "skin flick" and popularized the [[nudie cutie]] genre. This movie exhibited a wry humor and an admirable respect for and appreciation of the beauty of the female form&mdash;comparable to that of sculptors and painters throughout the ages. The movie consists of a series of short scenes. In a sense, no one is ''actually'' naked; we only see the nudity through the viewpoint and ''vivid imagination'' of Mr. Teas. Mr. Teas' mental constructions extend beyond the nudity (always exclusively of female characters)&mdash;there is an underlying surrealism in Mr. Teas' imagination that results in a number of genuinely bizarre situations. It is arguable that the nudity seen in ''The Immoral Mr. Teas'' is now considered completely unremarkable by modern Hollywood [[MPAA film rating system|R-rated]] movie standards. ==A typical scene== Mr. Teas attends an appointment with his [[dentist]], who must perform an extraction of a [[Molar (tooth)|molar]]. Naturally, the dentist has an assistant&mdash;a stunningly beautiful and not-quite modestly dressed assistant. The application of [[Analgesic|analgesics]] appropriate to the procedure quickly releases Mr. Teas' fertile imagination, and we see the scene through this viewpoint. Rather than the typical equipment&ndash;cluttered dental office we are on a set&mdash;only a dentist, a dental chair, Mr. Teas, and the assistant are present&mdash;against a stark and simple background. Only now the assistant is completely nude. As the procedure is completed the dentist removes the molar from Mr. Teas' mouth&mdash;but rather than only a small object in the extraction pliers the molar has the appearance of a single large staghorn ([[deer]] [[antler]]) with a number of points. The body of the "molar" is white, while each tip (representing the roots of the molar) is colored a bloody red. Mr. Teas has paid a price for his lustful imagination. ==External links== * {{imdb title|title=The Immoral Mr. Teas|id=0052920}} {{russ meyer movie}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Immoral Mr. Teas, The}} [[Category:1959 films]] [[Category:Films directed by Russ Meyer]] [[Category:Erotic films]] [[it:The Immoral Mr. Teas]] [[ja:インモラル・ミスター・ティーズ]]