Him (1974 film)

Him
Directed byEd D. Louie
StarringGustav "Tava" Von Will
Release date
  • 27 March 1974 (1974-03-27)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Him is a 1974 American gay pornographic feature film.[1] It was directed by Ed D. Louie (found to be the multidisciplinary artist Ed Lui)[2] and featured gay mural artist Gustav "Tava" Von Will in the role of Jesus.[3]

Background

The film focuses on a young gay man who develops an erotic fixation on Jesus Christ.[4] The film initially premiered on 27 March 1974 at the 55th Street Playhouse at 154 West 55th Street in New York City.[5] This run lasted until 23 May 1974. It returned to the Playhouse on 6 December 1974,[6] and January 1976.[7] The film also played at the Bijou Theater in Chicago,[8] the Nob Hill Theatre in San Francisco,[9] the Sansom Cinema in Philadelphia,[10] Gay Paree Theatre in Atlanta,[11] Wood Six Theatre in Highland Park,[12] the David Theatre in New York City,[13] and the Penthouse Theatre in Pittsburgh.[14]

In 1980, Harry and Michael Medved cited it in their book The Golden Turkey Awards as the "Most Unerotic Concept in Pornography".[15]

Lost film status

As of 2021, no extant copies of Him have been located.[2] The online magazine Film Threat already cited it among the most sought-after lost films in 2007.[16]

Some online commentary attempted to debunk Him as a hoax, owing to the Medveds' admission in The Golden Turkey Awards that their book included a non-existent film which they challenged readers to identify.[17][18] However, the hoax entry was Dog of Norway, a fictitious film illustrated with a photograph of the Medveds' pet dog.[3] In the 21st century, Him has been suggested as an origin for the gay Jesus film hoax, although Snopes found this "hard to imagine" given the film's obscurity.[19]

Reviews of Him from Screw magazine, Variety,[4] and The Village Voice [20] have also been uncovered;[3][21] along with a number of newspaper advertisements for its New York theatrical run.[3][22] The film also received a passing mention in Time magazine.[23]

More information on "Ed D. Louie" has been uncovered, finding that he was actually Ed Lui, a multidisciplinary artist and a nephew of the 55th Street Playhouse owner Frank Lee.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ Hall, Phil (2016). In search of lost films. Albany, Georgia: BearManor Media. ISBN 978-1-59393-938-0.
  2. ^ a b c Hall, Jake (14 December 2021). "The Amateur Detectives Obsessed With Finding 'Him,' the Lost Gay Jesus Porn Film". MEL Magazine. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d "Lost Movie Detective: Him". To Obscurity and Beyond... 11 February 2010. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2010.
  4. ^ a b "'Him' (Meaning Jesus Christ) Is Pornopic Deriding of Holy Screed". Daily Variety. 17 April 1974. p. 7. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  5. ^ "World Premiere Now: Him". The Village Voice. 28 March 1974. p. 86 – via Google News Archive.
  6. ^ "Ed D. Louie's Him". The Village Voice. 2 December 1974. p. 86. Archived from the original on 13 July 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  7. ^ "Special Limited Engagement: Him". The Village Voice. 12 January 1976. Archived from the original on 13 July 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  8. ^ "Midwest Premiere: Him". Chicago Tribune. 31 January 1975. p. S3-4 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Adult Theatres". San Francisco Examiner. 9 February 1975. p. 224 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Sansom Cinema". Philadelphia Daily News. 17 February 1975. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Premiere Showing: Him". Atlanta Constitution. 17 March 1975. p. 7B – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Wood Six Theater". Detroit Free Press. 16 April 1975. p. 8D – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Extended N.Y. Premiere: Him". Village Voice. 28 April 1975. p. 86. Archived from the original on 13 July 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  14. ^ "Penthouse Burlesque Theatres". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 21 May 1975. p. 26. Archived from the original on 13 July 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Medved, Harry; Medved, Michael (1980). The Golden Turkey Awards: Nominees and Winners, The Worst Achievements in Hollywood History. NY: Perigee Books. p. 122. ISBN 9780399504631.
  16. ^ Hall, Phil (1 March 2007). "Film Threat's Top 10 Lost Films, Part 4". Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  17. ^ Malone, Peter (2012). Screen Jesus: Portrayals of Christ in Television and Film. Lanham: Scarecrow Press, Inc. pp. 288–289. ISBN 978-0-8108-8389-5.
  18. ^ Holden, Cathy. "Gay Jesus Movie". Truth Miners. Archived from the original on 5 October 2003. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  19. ^ Mikkelson, Barbara (21 April 2000). "Will Jesus Be Portrayed as Homosexual in an Upcoming Film?". Snopes. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  20. ^ "Cleanliness is not next to Christliness". The Village Voice. 17 April 1974. p. 88. Archived from the original on 13 July 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  21. ^ Anderson, Billy A. (16 December 2005). "HIM, Reviewed by Al Goldstein". Mesmerize. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2010. quoting Goldstein, Al (29 April 1974). "Dirty Diversions: Queen of the Jews: Christ's Second Coming". Screw. 21.
  22. ^ "Essay on the film's alleged urban legend status". Archived from the original on 13 September 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2008.
  23. ^ "Show Business: Lust's Labor Lost". Time. 13 May 1974. Archived from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
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