Pink Narcissus
- Director: James Bidgood
- Writer: James Bidgood
- Producer: James Bidgood
CGiii Comment
It may have been something way back in the 70s - boasting a genuine ejaculation - but, it floundered throughout the 80s & 90s...as 'explicity' became the new pornographic norm.
In reality, it is an artsy-fartsy piece of lavish and lewd creativity...to be admired. Many have and will proclaim it to incomprehensible pornographic junk...those that do are those that weren't even born when this was made...or, old enough to appreciate it when it became available to them!
On the other hand - it is a ground-breaking piece that changed the world of gay cinema...forever.
It remains [and, possibly always will] a talking point - which screams of its importance...when pornography was in its [creative] infancy as opposed to the present 'OnlyFans' culture that the younger generation have created.
Has the digital revolution killed art?
Trailer...
You can watch the full film here
The(ir) Blurb...
A young hustler (Bobby Kendall) escapes from the harsh realities of street life and into a series of lushly erotic dream worlds while waiting for his next client in James Bidgood’s legendary underground classic. Hand-constructed and shot in Bidgood’s New York apartment over the span of seven years, Pink Narcissus was famously taken from its creators hands and finished by a team of editors hired by his financial backers. Unhappy with the results, he demanded that his name be taken off of the final film, which was released without much fanfare in 1971.
Despite never being “completed” to Bidgood’s satisfaction, the film nonetheless has become a cornerstone of queer visual aesthetic whose influence can be seen in the work of Pierre et Gilles and thousands of gay Tumblrs. Having first resurfaced at Frameline9 in 1985, Pink Narcissus’s years-in-the-works (and Frameline co-funded) 4K restoration at last brings Bidgood’s stunningly beautiful erotic dreamscapes to life as they never have before. And if this is your first time experiencing it: prepare yourself. Elizabeth Purchell
Cast & Characters
Don Brooks as Angel;
Bobby Kendall as Pan;
Charles Ludlam as Salesman / Bar owner / Blind man / Pizza maker / Hindu dancer