“V.D.: The Love Bug” (1979) is a color, PSA-style film targeted at adults and high-school aged youths discussing the symptoms, spread, and long-term consequences of venereal diseases (VD) such as gonorrhea, syphilis, and herpes. Made as part of ABC Learning Resources Inc., the film includes anonymous interviews with herpes patients as well as interviews with medical professionals and experts regarding symptoms and treatment. In the United States, the term venereal disease had been associated with gonorrhea and syphilis, however, in 1979 the Center for Disease Control (CDC) was concerned as cases of herpes simplex type 2, trichomoniasis, and candidiasis were starting to surpass cases of those other V.D.s.
Main titles (1:06). Various angles of woman in doctor’s office describing experience/ pain of living with genital herpes virus to doctor, distorted voice to protect identity (1:13). Microscopic image of a herpes virus; Image becomes smaller and list of other associated diseases appears: Chicken pox, Mononucleosis, Hepatitis, Shingles (1:36). Illustrated outline of man and woman, red dots appear on body to denote where Herpes Simplex Type 1 and Type 2 affect the body (1:48). Return to scene of female patient with doctor (2:14). Narrator details statistics of Americans living with herpes over footage of couples in 70s-style clothing laying together, picnicking in public park (2:29). Interview with anonymous herpes patient 1: Man in suit smokes cigarette, describes first noticing blisters/ lesions (2:43). Image of genital herpes lesions/ blisters (2:59). Interview with anonymous herpes patient 2: Woman fiddles with hands as she describes emotional problems, isolation experienced as result of virus (3:33). Interview with anonymous herpes patient 3: Another woman details struggles of pursuing healthy intimate relationships (3:48). Woman from opening sequence details how virus affects intimacy with her husband (4:01). Interview with Dr. Yehudi Felman, V.D. Unit N.Y.C. Dept. of Health – preventative measures, controlling symptoms in women (4:34). Narrator stands in lab at University of Pennsylvania, holds up breakthrough medicine (4:58). Shots of Dr. Herbert Blough, lab technicians at Scheie Eye Institute lab for preliminary testing of 2-Deoxy-D-glucose ointment treatment (5:15). More example images of genital herpes lesions/ blisters (5:45). Anonymous herpes patient 2 details experience in Dr. Blough’s medical trial (6:02). Break from programming for PSA: “Anyone can share V.D. with someone nice as you” sung over different clips of men, women across professions – teacher, butcher, housewife; Intercut with interviews of people on the street (6:07). Pedestrian traffic on busy city street, montage signs for sex shops, “x-rated” movie parlors, peep shows (7:04). B-roll taken from historical U.S. Army training film warning against V.D. syphilis (7:31). Yehudi Felman discusses highest risk groups (8:03). Narrator details what is considered a V.D., 18 STDs (8:13). Gonorrhea: Excerpt from animated film “A Half-Million Teenagers,” symptoms in men and women (8:38). Syphilis: Symptoms in men and women, image of chancre sore, rash on body (9:26). Narrator stands in front of directory board at venereal disease clinic in Chelsea, Manhattan (10:16). Interview with Dr. Yehudi Felman (10:31). Street interviews with pedestrians on V.D.s (10:48). Dr. Yehudi Felman details why funding for V.D. cures is limited (11:35). Narrator sits in health class at John Bowne High School Flushing, Queens (11:56). Simulated interview between Health Dept. V.D. Investigator and patient (12:54). Illustrated diagram exemplifying web of infection (13:40). Dr. Yehudi Felman discusses prevention (14:04). Narrator at pharmacy highlights where to find condoms (14:30). Dr. Yehudi Felman details condom advancements (14:42). Closing credits (15:09).
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