Tackle Happy: The Origins of Puppetry of the Penis

with Simon Morley, David Friend, Don Bridges
Directed by Mick Molloy
(MVD)
By Lex Marburger

This DVD could be looked at in several ways. It could be a tale of brave and visionary performance artists capitalizing on the body taboos of modern culture and succeeding in overcoming political censorship. It could be a story of how touring the country with a severe lack of knowledge in setting up shows, like the majority of bands, can destroy relationships and bank accounts. Or maybe it’s simply a couple of guys playing with their dicks.

Really, it’s all three. The whole story/documentary of Tackle Happy is a couple of Australian guys with no other talent than elastic cocks and the willingness to show them off in public. They get a following in the general public, try to go on tour, get banned in several counties, lose all their money, then release a video and get asked on Jay Leno.

The dick stuff? Having one, it’s nothing that special, but it’s kinda funny, seeing someone twist their genitals around that much. And although a lot of the things they’re supposed to represent need prompting (“Ladies and gentlemen, the Windsurfer”) some things are truly impressive (“Loch Ness Monster” is a particular fave).

Shocking? Not in the least. Half of us have a penis; the other half who will watch this movie have seen one, some closer than others. The fact that you can twist it around should come as no surprise. What would have been interesting is if the director, rather than follow around the “dick trickers” all the time, would go interview the politicians who found the performance obscene, in a Michael Moore-style documentary. It would’ve been good to juxtapose the images of an uptight bastard with a flying cock. After all, I love redundancy.
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