The Erotic Films of Peter de Rome

[antnield]

The Erotic Films of Peter de Rome



Peter de Rome viewed eroticism as involving more than just sex. Sexual consummation is rarely the centrepiece of a de Rome film. He is far more interested in the full experience of intimacy - the longing, the pursuit, the passion, the afterglow, and in some cases, the aftermath.

The eight shorts in the series take the viewer on a lurid sexual expedition designed to do more than titillate. From humorous to sardonic, de Rome truly pushes the edge of filmmaking as his characters find themselves in surreal scenarios ranging from a wondrous garden setting to an underground subway. Almost 40 years later The Erotic Films of Peter de Rome remains one of the most highly regarded gay art films of its day - a classic example of the intersection of artistry and eroticism.

Extras:
- Fragments: The Incomplete Films of Peter de Rome (Ethan Reid, 2012, 43 minutes): revealing new documentary in which Peter de Rome discusses his many incomplete and unfinished films.
- Scopo (Peter de Rome, 1966, 6 minutes): when a young man arrives at an empty apartment, he is unaware that a stranger is watching him.
- The Fire Island Kids (Peter de Rome, 1970, 12 minutes): two men spend a lazy day in each other's company after one rescues the other from drowning
- Moulage (Peter de Rome, 1971, 13 minutes): humour and art collide in this study of erotic body casting.
- Brown Study (Peter de Rome, 1979, 9 minutes): an ethnographic study with a difference.
- Abracadaver! (Nathan Schiff, 2008, 10 minutes): a gruesome tale of magic and mutilation from producer David McGillivary, starring Peter de Rome.
- Fully illustrated booklet with new essays and extracts from de Rome's personal diary.

[antnield]

Passed uncut by the BBFC a couple of months back and now up for pre-order at Amazon and elsewhere.

Additional info courtesy of Play.com... (release date is 26th April, btw)

* Passed fully uncut and uncensored by the BBFC
* Extra short films by Peter de Rome (titles TBC)
* New transfers from original film elements [side note: the BFI acquired the original Super8 materials in 2007]
* Comes with fully illustrated book containing contextualising essays

Amateur filmmaker Peter De Rome first started shooting 8mm films in 1965 producing a set of painstakingly crafted, atmospheric sexual scenarios for the amusement of himself and his friends. Pioneering producer Jack Deveau saw one of these at a festival and convinced him to collect eight of the shorts, blow them up to 16mm, and release them commercially as The Erotic Films of Peter De Rome.

The eight short films in the cycle take the viewer on a charged sexual expedition which exists at the intersection of artistry and eroticism. Here, de Rome explores the full experience of intimacy - the longing, the pursuit, the passion, the afterglow, and in some cases, the aftermath. From humorous to sardonic, de Rome truly pushes the boundaries of filmmaking as his characters find themselves in surreal scenarios ranging from a wondrous garden to an underground subway. The Erotic Films of Peter de Rome showcase some of the most highly regarded gay art films ever made.

[Matt]

Good to hear that this is transferred from the original 8mm elements. The compiled films have been available on DVD in the US for a while from...a decidedly different kind of distributor. I'll be happy to support the BFI's efforts to collect, preserve, and distribute this kind of film.

[GaryC]

I'll ask a question again, without having seen these films...if they contain "strong real sex" (as per the BBFC) and were - from the description - originally intended as "sex works" then why has this DVD been given an 18 rather than a R18 certificate?

Okay, maybe context is the deciding factor, though it wasn't with a film like The Good Old Naughty Days - that entire film is made up of intended sex works, but the assemblage of the short films is not intended as wank material but as a divertissement for broad-minded arthouse viewers. And that got a R18.

[RossyG]

I think context must be a factor. Godard's Histoire(s) du Cinema contained a 'money shot' from a vintage porno, repeated a couple of times IIRC, and got an 18-certificate.

[colinr0380]

Here's an old article relating to the slight edits made to The Pornographer, by Bertrand Bonello, which inspired Tartan to release in the 18 rated version with directions to visit your local sex shop to buy the uncut R18 version!

I think my favourite one of those distinctions in the article was that Romance was passed uncut because it was 'very French in the frank way it addresses sexual issues'! It seems like an absurd distinction, more so when you factor in films like 9 Songs, Intimacy or Destricted, which seem to have been passed because they are rather depressing works in addition to their explicitness. But on the other hand without that rather spurious distinction there would have been far more ammunition provided to various government ministers or newspaper reporters to pressure for greater legislation.

[GaryC]

I reviewed the 18-certificate version of The Pornographer for DVD Times way back when. It should have been passed uncut then, in my opinion. I'm sure it would be if it were resubmitted to the BBFC now as there is nothing illegal in it, or it wouldn't have had that uncut R18 certificate. I don't think The Pornographer is a great film by any means, but it's clearly not a "sex work" (primarily designed for sexual arousal) in any version, as there's only the one scene featuring real sex. Also, the cuts obscure a plot point.

I'd rather do without the R18 category to be quite honest. Go to your local HMV and you can find plenty of DVDs featuring real sex, and you can find "sex works" which carry ordinary 18 certificates because they're softcore. If we have to have the R18, I would allow mail order as it seems absurd not to when you can order this stuff from abroad easily enough. (And some R18-supplying companies are nominally based in Europe so they can post DVDs to you in the UK.) But as it's presently set up I don't see what purpose the R18 is serving, or who it's protecting, and while it prevents films of cult/arthouse interest such as The Good Old Naughty Days, Thundercrack! or The Opening of Misty Beethoven (to give three examples) being released on DVD in the UK, all of which are available from other countries via the Internet, then it's a restriction on trade.

[MichaelB]

The biggest problem with the R18 category is that it's pretty much impossible to make money on such releases unless you're in the business full time - let's just say there are certain connections that you need to have, and leave it discreetly at that.

That's why Tartan passed on The Good Old Naughty Days on DVD even though they'd opened it theatrically - the BBFC was happy to give it an uncut R18, but that would have made it all but unsellable. Ann Summers patrons wouldn't be especially interested in a collection of 1920s French silent black-and-white porn, and those who might be curious probably wouldn't be seen dead in any of the places where it could be legally sold.

[GaryC]

those who might be curious probably wouldn't be seen dead in any of the places where it could be legally sold.

That's one major reason why I'd be in favour of R18s (if we have to have the category) being available by mail order. I've no idea if an uncut copy of The Pornographer was available in any sex shop, but I somehow doubt it would attract many of the patrons, as there's only the one hardcore sex scene and it's around the half-hour mark in a film that runs an hour and three quarters.

Incidentally, did Arrow ever release The Opening of Misty Beethoven? They submitted the film to the BBFC in 2005 and were given an uncut R18 for it. (The same certificate was given to The Private Afternoons of Pamela Mann, but after 8:59 of cuts.)

[MichaelB]

Incidentally, did Arrow ever release The Opening of Misty Beethoven? They submitted the film to the BBFC in 2005 and were given an uncut R18 for it.

I'm not aware of it, but then I know very little about the R18 market. A shame, as I'd conceivably have proposed a capsule review in Sight & Sound, as I'm all for digging up and indeed bigging up stuff like that - I recently gave a glowing review to Antony Balch's bonkers Secrets of Sex.

[HarryLong]

- I recently gave a glowing review to Antony Balch's bonkers Secrets of Sex.

Is it online?
I'm genuinely curious to see what you (or anybody) found to appreciate in this.

[MichaelB]

No, the current print edition. Lots of other positive reviews online, though - try here, here and here.

[Duncan Hopper]

Incidentally, did Arrow ever release The Opening of Misty Beethoven? They submitted the film to the BBFC in 2005 and were given an uncut R18 for it.

I'm not aware of it, but then I know very little about the R18 market. A shame, as I'd conceivably have proposed a capsule review in Sight & Sound, as I'm all for digging up and indeed bigging up stuff like that - I recently gave a glowing review to Antony Balch's bonkers Secrets of Sex.

I'm not sure if it ever came out, I've never seen it. I doubt it did, as the UK is not the best place to release classic XXX films.

I tried to start a DVD label specialising in classic adult films a few years ago. The problem is, it's illegal to sell R18 DVDs by mail order or the internet in the UK. So licensed sex shops are the only option. However, outside of the major cities, one company seem to own nearly all the licensed sex shops, and they were only willing to pay something like £2 a DVD, which they would sell for something like £30.

I had to scrap my plans as it was just not financially viable. A shame, because I had been offered a couple of huge collections of classics for licensing in the UK.

[MichaelB]

I tried to start a DVD label specialising in classic adult films a few years ago. The problem is, it's illegal to sell R18 DVDs by mail order or the internet in the UK. So licensed sex shops are the only option. However, outside of the major cities, one company seem to own nearly all the licensed sex shops, and they were only willing to pay something like £2 a DVD, which they would sell for something like £30.

I had to scrap my plans as it was just not financially viable. A shame, because I had been offered a couple of huge collections of classics for licensing in the UK.

That was why Tartan didn't bother with The Good Old Naughty Days or Thundercrack! once the BBFC made it clear that it was either an uncut R18 or a cut 18. There's absolutely no point in cutting either film - in the case of The Good Old Naughty Days the hardcore filth is its entire raison d'être and the main source of its historical interest - but they couldn't work out how to make it financially viable either.

[colinr0380]

That's a shame since The Good Old Naughty Days, more than something like Destricted, was quite charming and erotic - at least until that scene where the dog joins in.

I remember a while ago the BBC screening that Paris Brothel documentary, which would have made an excellent companion piece providing fascinating context to the films that were presented in Good Old Naughty Days. I can only assume that this documentary was as close as they could get to showing such material.

[Duncan Hopper]

Any news on this?

My pre-order from HMV says 'this DVD has now been deleted'. It's completely gone from HMV and Amazon.

[Matt]

It's still on Amazon, but bumped to October 10.

[Matt]

And now Amazon has the release date as November 11, 2011.

[antnield]

Back on for March 19th 2012.

[knives]

Nice cover.

[antnield]

Some more info:

Amateur filmmaker Peter de Rome first started shooting 8mm films in 1965. Over the next decade he produced a collection of painstakingly crafted, atmospheric sexual scenarios which transcended their humble origins. Sexual consummation is rarely the subject of a de Rome film. Instead, the full experience of intimacy – the longing, the pursuit, the passion, the afterglow, and in some cases, the aftermath – occupies the frame.

The eight short films in the series take the viewer on an immersive sexual expedition designed to do more than simply titillate, producing one of the greatest cinematic examples of the intersection of artistry and eroticism.

Special Features:

- Fragments: The Incomplete Films of Peter de Rome (Ethan Reid, 2011): Revealing new documentary in which Peter de Rome discusses his many incomplete and unfinished films
- The Fire Island Kids (Peter de Rome, 1970, 12 mins): two men spend a lazy day in each other’s company after one rescues the other from drowning
- Moulage (Peter de Rome, 1971, 10 mins): humour and art collide in this short film about erotic body casts
- Brown Study (Peter de Rome, 1979, 8 mins): faux-ethnographic study in which a man pleasures himself
- Abracadaver! (Nathan Schiff, 2008, 20 mins): a gruesome tale of magic and mutilation from producer David McGillivary, starring Peter de Rome
- Fully illustrated booklet with new essays, film credits and original promotional materials

[mfunk9786]

Also looking forward to BFI's release of The Erotic Films of Peter North

[McCrutchy]

I think there's a strong argument to be made for every hardcore feature film (i.e. with a plot) produced say, prior to the VRA (1984 is pretty much the cut off date for these types of films, I believe) to be given an 18 certificate instead of an R18, or at least to be designated to be sold over the internet. It may seem laughable, but these films are a part of our heritage, and many of the people involved were often aiming for something beyond mindless sex (though obviously, many were not). There's a company over here, (Video-X-Pix) releasing the Radley Metzger 'Henry Paris' films uncut in deluxe DVD sets loaded with extras, for example, but even some of those relatively tame films (like the aforementioned Private Afternoons of Pamela Mann) have seen censorship at the R18 level.

If it were up to me, I'd just ban all the American internet porn crap they pump out today, most of which is far more worrysome and far less erotic than the content of these films is.

[MichaelB]

This seems by far the best place to highlight a recent court case whose outcome has far-reaching implications for the future of the Obscene Publications Act, or indeed whether it has one at all.

[knives]

If it does come to have no future would the implication toward the BBFC by the end of banning and maybe even reformation of the R18?