Diary of a Nudist

An interesting artifact from a bygone era, the "nudie-cutie" move, like the "nudist" movie and magazine arose during the few years between the allowing of nudity in movies and the de facto legalization of hardcore pornography. And then disappeared when hardcore porn became readily available and the skin magazines more explicit. Like "The Raw Ones" and later "Educating Julie" you can take this one as a "documentary" on the nudist lifestyle or an excuse to see naked bodies-girls-but in an un-explicit and more tasteful manner. I am amused to see the "acting" dismissed as "wooden", seen plenty of big budget productions with big names that did not do any better, and appearing in the buff took a bit of nerve back then. So sit back and enjoy it for what it isi.

This is one of those films that falls into the category of so bad its funny. The film has very little plot and most of the scenes in the film are taken up by showing the various female cast members showing off their best "assets". Also, if you look very closely, almost the entire dialog in the film is dubbed and very badly too. In fact, the same company that did much of the dubbing for films in the Godzilla series, Titra Sound, did the dubbing for this film (and this film was produced in the United States). Also, the ending of this film was one of the sappiest ever. If you want to have a good laugh, you should definitely watch this film, only don't expect lewd, expect nude.

Ever watch a dull, plotless movie just to see naked women?

Director Doris Wishman is known for pushing genre conventions to the limit, and here she combines wall-to-wall T&A with a phenomenally predictable storyline and a stunningly silly ending. (A few naked men, too, but they're not the focus.) The unrelenting wholesomeness may be shocking if you're familiar with Wishman's later, far seedier work.

I have to agree with the gentleman from England. Seeing this film for any other reason than simple fun would be a mistake! This film is a nudie-cutie. In this day of hardcore, it is hard to imagine that this was the "hardcore" of its day. Beautiful cinematography, beautiful locales and sun-drenched bodies offer a sleepy, idyllic look at an alternate reality. It should be remembered that in those times the idea of the naked form and sin WERE synonymous, therefore, Davee Decker would have been regarded as a lowlife to many for being photographed in the nude. To my mind that makes her a bit of a hero! What makes it more interesting to me is the fact that she looked like the typical young housewife of that era, the lady next door that you would have borrowed a cup of sugar from. A fun little cult film, not to be taken too seriously, I'm really curious to find out if she is still alive and what made her do nudie movies when it was taboo at that time.

Diary Of A Nudist was the kind of movie that was extremely controversial and daring 45 years ago. This was the kind of movie that teenagers with fake I.D.'s would go out to see at the drive-ins. For years, mainstream cinema never offered up any skin and seeing the kinds of nudie-cutie quickies from Russ Meyer, Herschell Gordon Lewis, and Doris Wishman certainly were a shock to the system. Today, films like this are considered to be curiosity pieces. There is tons of nudity but very little else. No titillation, no sexual situations, and nothing explicit. Just a group of healthy, beautiful people doing everyday things in the buff.

Still, the movie is a lot of fun to watch; even though there seems to be so much tedium and is slow moving. The scenery is beautiful and you feel you are seeing what Heaven would look like in 1961. There are some fine looking women who always seem to be carrying around hats, towels, and magazines over the more "controversial" private parts. Also, Davee Decker is quite lovely; even though her voice is dubbed.

If you long to see what an "adult movie" was like in the early days and can accept the fact that it is only nudity and nothing more then you will have some fun with this one. It airs occasionally on Drive-In Classics.