Nude Girl Filming Bags 11 On a Bare Island Off Staten
June 22, 2019 12:37 PM Subscribe
August 3rd, 1965 saw the brief collision of a handful of people. A local photographer, a hopeful actress, a budding filmmaker, and a failing businessman. They came together, made a sex film, got arrested, and never saw each other again. If life is the sum of one’s choices, their lives were shaped by what happened that summer’s day.
The Sexploitation Film Made on a Desert Island in New York City [NSFW]
I was hooked at ". ...soulless prison of a loveless relationship."
posted by HuronBob at 1:43 PM on June 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by HuronBob at 1:43 PM on June 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
There are a million stories in the naked city.
And this is one of the nakedest of them.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 2:08 PM on June 22, 2019 [7 favorites]
And this is one of the nakedest of them.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 2:08 PM on June 22, 2019 [7 favorites]
It had me at "made his money in the wheel-alignment business with Gaetano ‘Corky’ Vastola"
posted by verstegan at 2:40 PM on June 22, 2019 [7 favorites]
posted by verstegan at 2:40 PM on June 22, 2019 [7 favorites]
Lovely Rita. I felt terrible for her.
Barry Mahon, who has a cameo in this article, also made cheap kids’ movies with unsettling production values. Rifftrax has made hay with his Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny and Wonderful Land of Oz.
posted by Countess Elena at 2:55 PM on June 22, 2019 [5 favorites]
Barry Mahon, who has a cameo in this article, also made cheap kids’ movies with unsettling production values. Rifftrax has made hay with his Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny and Wonderful Land of Oz.
posted by Countess Elena at 2:55 PM on June 22, 2019 [5 favorites]
Rita's story is so sad!
The other thing this makes me think about is how the production and distribution of adult films and printed materials has changed over the years. I'd be interested to see more history of that, if anyone has suggestions for reading or viewing material. I wonder if the rise of indie and amateur porn and erotica sites, films, and zines and graphic novels, along with court victories won over outdated obscenity laws, has done anything to diminish the underworld connections behind this. It seems bizarre to learn that you still can't sell "obscene devices" in three states, for instance. Whatever sex-positive bubble I'm living in, I definitely prefer living there!
posted by limeonaire at 3:13 PM on June 22, 2019 [5 favorites]
The other thing this makes me think about is how the production and distribution of adult films and printed materials has changed over the years. I'd be interested to see more history of that, if anyone has suggestions for reading or viewing material. I wonder if the rise of indie and amateur porn and erotica sites, films, and zines and graphic novels, along with court victories won over outdated obscenity laws, has done anything to diminish the underworld connections behind this. It seems bizarre to learn that you still can't sell "obscene devices" in three states, for instance. Whatever sex-positive bubble I'm living in, I definitely prefer living there!
posted by limeonaire at 3:13 PM on June 22, 2019 [5 favorites]
I wanted a different ending for Rita.
posted by Dip Flash at 3:14 PM on June 22, 2019 [10 favorites]
posted by Dip Flash at 3:14 PM on June 22, 2019 [10 favorites]
I’ve worked for Leon Gast a couple of times. Brilliant director, great guy!
posted by Ideefixe at 3:34 PM on June 22, 2019 [8 favorites]
posted by Ideefixe at 3:34 PM on June 22, 2019 [8 favorites]
The other thing this makes me think about is how the production and distribution of adult films and printed materials has changed over the years. I'd be interested to see more history of that
This is pretty much exactly the subject of The Deuce, which is quite excellent (and on Fanfare).
posted by oulipian at 3:49 PM on June 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
This is pretty much exactly the subject of The Deuce, which is quite excellent (and on Fanfare).
posted by oulipian at 3:49 PM on June 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
What a fantastic article, and what interesting, well-told stories. The contrast between Leon and Rita’s later lives was gripping, even without the extra colour provided by Ted’s mob connections and success in the porn business. And the cameos! JFK, Muhammad Ali, Martin Scorsese, Quentin Crisp, the mob...
I could see this working really well as a film.
posted by chappell, ambrose at 4:23 PM on June 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
I could see this working really well as a film.
posted by chappell, ambrose at 4:23 PM on June 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
Very sad about Rita's fate. It's probably best I don't ask what happened to Buck.
posted by gtrwolf at 7:49 PM on June 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by gtrwolf at 7:49 PM on June 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
This was great— thanks, chavenet, for bringing this to the blue.
I especially like this line:
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:52 PM on June 22, 2019 [5 favorites]
I especially like this line:
The man insisted he was just an irrelevant guy from Brooklyn who had no idea what was going on.If I lived in New York, you know what my username would be.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:52 PM on June 22, 2019 [5 favorites]
The people behind Rialto Report, Ashley West and April Hall, have been paid consultants on The Deuce. (Links on that page to NSFW articles elsewhere on the same site.)
As for behind-the-scenes stories working as a film, West and Hall have sold the screen rights to their article on Centurions of Rome . (Links on that page to NSFW articles elsewhere on the same site.)
I've been reading their work for a few years now, and for a while I was listening to their podcast. The pieces are sympathetic to their subjects - mostly they are profiling the talent in front of the camera.
West has appeared on two other podcasts. First on Supporting Characters, he talked about running the Rialto Report. Later on The Projection Booth, he was on a panel discussing the movie Roommates. (NSFW subjects.)
And for a few of the 70s and 80s performers they've interviewed who've needed assistance, they have organized fundraisers. (NSFW pictures on those pages.)
While I don't go looking for contrarian views of the people involved, 70's porn director Shaun Costello seems mildly peeved that The Deuce is paying West and Hall as consultants when the people who actually lived the experience are not. Costello also claims on that page that West and Hall have been unscrupulous in their dealings with the people they've interviewed. (Page uses 'Nazi'in reference to 'revisionist history'. Personal weblog may have NSFW content elsewhere on it.)
posted by Mutant Lobsters from Riverhead at 10:14 PM on June 22, 2019 [9 favorites]
As for behind-the-scenes stories working as a film, West and Hall have sold the screen rights to their article on Centurions of Rome . (Links on that page to NSFW articles elsewhere on the same site.)
I've been reading their work for a few years now, and for a while I was listening to their podcast. The pieces are sympathetic to their subjects - mostly they are profiling the talent in front of the camera.
West has appeared on two other podcasts. First on Supporting Characters, he talked about running the Rialto Report. Later on The Projection Booth, he was on a panel discussing the movie Roommates. (NSFW subjects.)
And for a few of the 70s and 80s performers they've interviewed who've needed assistance, they have organized fundraisers. (NSFW pictures on those pages.)
While I don't go looking for contrarian views of the people involved, 70's porn director Shaun Costello seems mildly peeved that The Deuce is paying West and Hall as consultants when the people who actually lived the experience are not. Costello also claims on that page that West and Hall have been unscrupulous in their dealings with the people they've interviewed. (Page uses 'Nazi'in reference to 'revisionist history'. Personal weblog may have NSFW content elsewhere on it.)
posted by Mutant Lobsters from Riverhead at 10:14 PM on June 22, 2019 [9 favorites]
Limeonaire, you should look into the work of Rutgers professor Whit Strub. He's got several books and articles about this history of pornography and censorship
posted by Maaik at 8:40 AM on June 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Maaik at 8:40 AM on June 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
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posted by The Underpants Monster at 1:35 PM on June 22, 2019 [4 favorites]