Before renting this via Netflix, I assumed there was something special or different about this production that would justify it's manufacture and distribution on DVD. I was wrong. This is your basic beefcake slide show; actually, rather ordinary beefcake when you get right down to it; the 15 men featured are attractive enough, but not outstandingly so, so that - in its way - has it's appeal. The DVD is easy enough to watch on that level because these guys are like some you see out and about in your town. But that's about all that is good about this disc. Very soon into the film I began to get annoyed: the poses these guys were placed in: really cheesy and dreadful...biting on a sword (puleeze), the 'just hangin' out with my handy ax' pose, and the ubiquitous "someone just ran over my dog" pout on the face of almost every guy; (so novel!) Most of the production was the kinds of things a first year high school photography student would do; and some are not even that good. (and this guy is a professional photographer? in who's opinion?) Also, the photographer's narration of the different models is distracting; the background about each guy is your basic made-up schlock and is unbelievable: the the DVD would be better without it. Equally distracting - maybe more-so - is the prose when the narrator tries to wax poetic: the writing is just tragic tragic tragic. I guess they couldn't afford an editor? All in all, this little movie really misses the mark on almost every count. Go out and buy a nice photo book of beautiful men and you will be much better entertained....a '2' rating is about all this thing is worth.
Reviews
4 Reviews
Naked Fame
(2004)
The other side of the porn-star rainbow...
17 February 2006
Give Colton (Glen) and Blake (Peter) a break....at least they had the guts to put themselves out there and give this documentary project a try. This little story, if you choose to view it this way, may be a bit of a morality tale...although for a limited (mainly gay?) audience. The lesson might be....don't let your babies grow up to be porn-stars???
I found the documentary interesting, maybe because I know nothing of the music business and how a club song is created and marketed, so that was new to me; now that I've seen it, it looked awful, and boring. Also, I admit to romanticising some porn actors (Blake / Peter was one for me) and the gay porn industry despite all the stories about what an awful business it is. So the chance to have the awfulness confirmed and to see the other side of the gay porn rainbow after the sex celebrity merry-go-round slows down was intriguing. It was revealing and more than a little sad.
This documentary catches Glen and Peter at the point in their lives where they're trying to turn away from the youth and looks they've depended on for the first 35 years of their lives to pay the rent. It must be terrifying to be hitting 40 and dealing with the fact life just ain't happening like it was when you were the hottest thing in gay porn. What are you going to do for the rest of your life when the foundation of your first 20 years has gone the way of all flesh?
Of the 3 primary characters, Glen, Peter and Kyle, Glen/Colton comes across as self-possessed and narcissistic most of the time. Not a particularly likable character personality-wise....and, sadly, I don't really care that he doesn't appear to have much of a chance at making it in the club music scene. Colton's story is not yet done; the story after the story is what does he do when he finally accepts he has no career as a singer?
Peter, oddly enough,comes across as the most likable character in the documentary. He is sympathetic, sweet, and his devotion to partner to Glen/Colton is obvious. I wonder how many people would be so self-sacrificing (in this case by taking up a 'day job' - horrors!) to support Glen's long shot at an uncertain music career? As the documentary closes, I was pondering the unevenness of the relationship between Glen and Peter and it's chances for longevity....or survival. I wonder if they are still together even one year after Naked Fame was released?
The truly frightening - even disturbing - character in all of this is songwriter (?) manager Kyle....his appearance alone was upsetting; (as one previous review said - he does look like the freakish Joyce Wildenstein plastic surgery monster featured in all the tabloids.) And the lip hair sticking out from his chin through most of the film was just plain bizarre. Kyle stands out not only for his truly bizarre appearance, but his truly despicable personality and behavior....it is clear that this is the real person behind that baked on mask in the film. And it is impossible to like or care about any aspect of him. Perhaps Kyles adds interest to the documentary because he is so extreme, so unlikable, and because it is obvious that the monster inside and out is who he really is.
So, all in all, this little documentary is an interesting take on a couple of gay porn celebrities faced with what to do with their lives after youth is done,the music stops, and responsibility for the rest of their lives is fast approaching. The sad fact may be that these guys most likely have the best years of their lives behind them....the future is looking kinda bleak. I wonder if they'll stay public enough for us to know 5 or 10 years from now....
I found the documentary interesting, maybe because I know nothing of the music business and how a club song is created and marketed, so that was new to me; now that I've seen it, it looked awful, and boring. Also, I admit to romanticising some porn actors (Blake / Peter was one for me) and the gay porn industry despite all the stories about what an awful business it is. So the chance to have the awfulness confirmed and to see the other side of the gay porn rainbow after the sex celebrity merry-go-round slows down was intriguing. It was revealing and more than a little sad.
This documentary catches Glen and Peter at the point in their lives where they're trying to turn away from the youth and looks they've depended on for the first 35 years of their lives to pay the rent. It must be terrifying to be hitting 40 and dealing with the fact life just ain't happening like it was when you were the hottest thing in gay porn. What are you going to do for the rest of your life when the foundation of your first 20 years has gone the way of all flesh?
Of the 3 primary characters, Glen, Peter and Kyle, Glen/Colton comes across as self-possessed and narcissistic most of the time. Not a particularly likable character personality-wise....and, sadly, I don't really care that he doesn't appear to have much of a chance at making it in the club music scene. Colton's story is not yet done; the story after the story is what does he do when he finally accepts he has no career as a singer?
Peter, oddly enough,comes across as the most likable character in the documentary. He is sympathetic, sweet, and his devotion to partner to Glen/Colton is obvious. I wonder how many people would be so self-sacrificing (in this case by taking up a 'day job' - horrors!) to support Glen's long shot at an uncertain music career? As the documentary closes, I was pondering the unevenness of the relationship between Glen and Peter and it's chances for longevity....or survival. I wonder if they are still together even one year after Naked Fame was released?
The truly frightening - even disturbing - character in all of this is songwriter (?) manager Kyle....his appearance alone was upsetting; (as one previous review said - he does look like the freakish Joyce Wildenstein plastic surgery monster featured in all the tabloids.) And the lip hair sticking out from his chin through most of the film was just plain bizarre. Kyle stands out not only for his truly bizarre appearance, but his truly despicable personality and behavior....it is clear that this is the real person behind that baked on mask in the film. And it is impossible to like or care about any aspect of him. Perhaps Kyles adds interest to the documentary because he is so extreme, so unlikable, and because it is obvious that the monster inside and out is who he really is.
So, all in all, this little documentary is an interesting take on a couple of gay porn celebrities faced with what to do with their lives after youth is done,the music stops, and responsibility for the rest of their lives is fast approaching. The sad fact may be that these guys most likely have the best years of their lives behind them....the future is looking kinda bleak. I wonder if they'll stay public enough for us to know 5 or 10 years from now....
Three Dancing Slaves
(2004)
An effort that aspires...but falls short......
22 January 2006
I believe this film aspired to tell us something, but I can't say that I discovered it in the course of viewing. To guess along with some other reviewers, perhaps the director wanted to show a realistic depiction of the despair and turmoil in the a family destabilized by the death of a parent and the effect on the survivors? But my question is - what is it about this director's way of telling the story that makes this film unique? Or different? I learn nothing from this film and come away asking 'why was this film made?' Perhaps this film resonates differently in its home market (France?) than in the U.S, but I can understand why most US audiences would be disinterested: the English title :Le Clan" mystifies me - (a translation issue perhaps? whatever - a poor choice for the US market) and besides the uninteresting theme, there is poor story development, gaps in some of the story that leave one groping for "what happened?" and an odd final scene: the ending of the film is just plain strange.
The production team clearly had higher ambitions than an eye-candy film (and the homo-erotic visuals aren't bad) but the subject matter is largely depressing and the story itself poorly developed; i was never drawn into the brother's plight, their individual stories, or a sense of what their lives hold for them in the future. Despite the failures, there is one bright spot in Salim Kericouche, who is excellent, His character plays a friend of the family(Hachim) and it is through his eyes most of the story is told. The sub-plot of Hachim's affair with youngest brother Olivier was well done, but late in the film and inadequately explored. The final scene of the film of Olivier meeting the flying instructor and going into the cabin left me mystified; I'm not sure what it meant (???) I would like to rate this one higher, but I feel a bit generous giving it 4 stars out of a possible 10...
The production team clearly had higher ambitions than an eye-candy film (and the homo-erotic visuals aren't bad) but the subject matter is largely depressing and the story itself poorly developed; i was never drawn into the brother's plight, their individual stories, or a sense of what their lives hold for them in the future. Despite the failures, there is one bright spot in Salim Kericouche, who is excellent, His character plays a friend of the family(Hachim) and it is through his eyes most of the story is told. The sub-plot of Hachim's affair with youngest brother Olivier was well done, but late in the film and inadequately explored. The final scene of the film of Olivier meeting the flying instructor and going into the cabin left me mystified; I'm not sure what it meant (???) I would like to rate this one higher, but I feel a bit generous giving it 4 stars out of a possible 10...
Mr. Smith Gets a Hustler
(2002)
Do you like to suffer while you watch your movies???
28 July 2005
This is truly inferior merchandise. One wonders how something this awful remains in the distribution channel even now. Surely it was just as evident during production that this little puppy was a sure-fire bomb. Maybe it was backed by some really dumb money, because who ever was financing it should have stopped mid production to drown this this little mutation for the disaster it was (and saved a couple acting careers and many hours of movie goer's time.) A complete waste of production time, talent and money under any circumstance.
One wonders if this writer is still working? How? I also wonder if anyone would dare to put this train-wreck of a film on their Hollywood resume?; I doubt it. Saying you had anything to do with this film would be a sure ticket to never working in film town again.
You can't help but agree with other reviewer's comments about the dialog: absolutely atrocious. Even more offensive was the acting and line delivery of Benjamin Hendrickson (the bar owner / pimp Mr. Lett): horrible. And yes, the writer could clearly have done more homework on his subject matter; could the bar scenes have been more unbelievable?
If there were a way to give a film a negative star rating on the IMDb rating system, this one would get the lowest rating. As it is, zero stars is too good. Save your time and money and pass this one by. As the movie police says after you stumble onto the scene of a particularly gruesome murder - "Nothing here to see folks, move along."
One wonders if this writer is still working? How? I also wonder if anyone would dare to put this train-wreck of a film on their Hollywood resume?; I doubt it. Saying you had anything to do with this film would be a sure ticket to never working in film town again.
You can't help but agree with other reviewer's comments about the dialog: absolutely atrocious. Even more offensive was the acting and line delivery of Benjamin Hendrickson (the bar owner / pimp Mr. Lett): horrible. And yes, the writer could clearly have done more homework on his subject matter; could the bar scenes have been more unbelievable?
If there were a way to give a film a negative star rating on the IMDb rating system, this one would get the lowest rating. As it is, zero stars is too good. Save your time and money and pass this one by. As the movie police says after you stumble onto the scene of a particularly gruesome murder - "Nothing here to see folks, move along."
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