NAPA, Calif. — The end credits of the Sony Pictures Classics' new romantic comedy "Hysteria” feature a montage of images of iconic and modern-day vibrators, including Vibratex’s Rabbit Habit and Magic Wand.
Set in 1880 London, the film tells the true story of how British doctor Mortimer Granville came to invent the first vibrator in an effort to better administrate the pelvic massages required to treat women suffering from hysteria, a condition believed at the time to be caused by a "wandering uterus" and cured only by inducing orgasms.
“As it was set in the 1880s, a modified electric feather duster — later known as the ‘Jolly Molly’ — was the only personal massage apparatus designed for the ‘treatment’ of women shown in the context of the film,” the company said.
The company was thrilled to see Vibratex’s own Rabbit Habit and the Magic Wand featured as more recent vibrators pictured while the credits rolled. “There were only a few items shown from the 1970s and later,” said Martin, “and Vibratex had not just one, but two noteworthy mentions!”
Vibratex became involved with the production of “Hysteria” in 2010, when Shay Martin of Vibratex Inc. received an advance copy of the script from one of the producers, Tracey Becker, before production started.
Vibratex worked with Becker prior to shooting the film, sending Vibratex Rabbits and T-shirts to England for the production crew. According to the company, the T-shirts were deemed “hilarious” and worn by the office staff immediately, with a pact to wear the shirts the first day of shooting.
“The surprising thing about ‘Hysteria’ detailing how vibrators came to be, were the iconic images of my products, the Rabbit Habit and the Magic Wand, being shown at the end of the movie,” Martin said. “I feel Vibratex toys are an important part of the history of women taking control of their lives and their bodies.”
According the Vibratex’s Stephanie Kienzle, the Hitachi and rabbit vibrators are a staple for retailers worldwide.
“The 'massager' was developed as the fifth electric domestic appliance, after the sewing machine, fan, tea kettle and toaster,” Kienzle told XBIZ. “Ten years before the vacuum cleaner and the iron. During the sexual revolution of the ‘60s, the old patents from the ‘30s were improved and re-introduced.
“The Magic Wand has been around since the early 1970s, and is well known for its strength of vibration and quality of manufacturing. It's a staple for physical therapists, and on the night stands of soccer moms and porn stars. There are a slew of copies and similar items, but the Magic Wand has been the gold standard, recommended by everyone from Betty Dodson to Hugh Hefner — he called it the ‘Cadillac of vibrators,’ back when Cadillacs were cool.”
Vibratex, which will soon celebrate its 30th anniversary, has manufactured rabbit vibes in Japan ever since the company’s inception.
"Hysteria" costars Hugh Dancy, Jonathan Pryce, Rupert Everett, and Felicity Jones. The film is currently in theaters. A trailer for the film can be seen here.
