Dogging Tales

Dogging Tales is directed by photographer Leo McGuire. I expected a documentary that gave me an insight as to why people go dogging, or more importantly WHO goes dogging. Although it gave me some conclusive examples of some rather intriguing characters, it was mainly a documentary about WHAT dogging is, which to be honest I could have found out by driving 1mile North of my home address (not that I know the exact location for sure - call it a late night wrong turn!)

The film-making was clever, doing just enough to conserve modesty and identity without completely removing the identity of whom they were following. The use of masks was not only entirely appropriate in protecting identities but it was also completely representative of the contributors' personalities – how many production meetings went into that I wonder. A particular favourite was the use of the meerkat mask for the meek and mild Terry, the boyfriend to a not so meek girlfriend Sara. Also the mask for the arguably deep-voiced female - sassy.

What the doc lacked was an exploration into who was behind the masks and much desired vox pops with those obscured doggers who just so happened to amble past a film crew with their trousers round their ankles. It would have been intriguing to hear what they had to say about their nighttime recreation.

The filming was completely distinctive from much of what I see on television today. It was shot much like a horror film and at sometimes, rather felt like one. And of course who wouldn't appreciate the reactions of our Gogglebox stars to such a wonderfully provocative programme!

It was a one-off factual spectacle that left me almost completely dumbfounded. It left me wondering who the people behind the masks are which is both a criticism and an applause. It also confirmed that my opinion on humanity is either completely off the scale of inaccuracy or that most people just don't think like I do. For example, when the females told us that they felt safe with their husbands watching on from the dugout as they got down and dirty in the boots of their cars, all I could think was what was stopping someone hitting him over the head and all ten of these strangers having their way with her at once? Alike to that, it confirmed my suspicion of lorry drivers as the show told that 70% of lorry drivers go dogging made unavoidably OPEN-MOUTHED moment by the contributor's admittance that he is 'hunting for the furry triangle'! WHAT?! Perhaps I'm too paranoid. Or perhaps they're all just mental. Either way I don't think it's an activity I'm likely to take up any time soon.

To be honest I was quite sad it was a one-off. I quite wanted to find out if our meek little meerkat ever got out his claws for his demanding and exceptionally uncaring girlfriend and her equally physically comparable female 'feeler'... As that's all they ever got around to. I felt like Terry needed to give her more than a flick on the nose for the fact that she spilled the size of his manhood on national television.

A great testament to getting access to some rather complicated communities however and a one-off is rather like to see as a series. I haven't laughed so much at a TV show for quite a while and it does not surprise me that the show pulled in 2million viewers. Great work by Minnow Films and some original directing from McGuire.