The Shvitz

"I want to take heat, I want to walk around naked, and I want to scratch my balls." Okay, maybe that's not terribly high on your list of lifetime ambitions, but after watching Jonathan Berman's wonderful, and often hilarious, look at life in a Jewish steambath ("shvitz"), you'll wish you could take an hour off, sit in what should legally be called an oven, and have some guy alternately whiplash you with oak leave bunches and toss pails of cold water in your face. And, if you're female, take heart: women can enjoy this kind of sadomasochistic fun too (the program visits a women's shvitz also). Doing a pretty darn good job of keeping the camera lens clear in a less than optimum setting for shooting, The Shvitz takes viewers into the raw innards of a Brighton Beach steambath which, while "far from being your typical aerobic health club," aims to clean out the poisons from the pores (including, perhaps, the traditional shot of vodka taken just prior to entering the sauna), clear the head (recall the pails of cold water), and provide a place for camaraderie amongst the clientele (a.k.a. male bonding). Interspersed throughout the film are choice archival clips, a narrative history of the steambaths, commentary on the gay activities at the bathhouses, and the long, slow decline of this American institution. An outstanding film which--although it features more moons than Saturn, boasts a tongue-in-cheek swing soundtrack, and uses arty black and white cinematography--is a dignified look at a human car wash, where people get a scrub and a wax and come out looking and feeling like a million bucks. Highly recommended for larger collections. Editor's Choice. (R. Pitman)