Him (film)

Him is a 1974 American gay pornographic feature film produced for gay audiences.[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]

This article is about the 1974 pornographic film. For the Luis Buñuel film, see Él (film).

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

Background

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

The film was virtually forgotten until 1980, when Harry and Michael Medved cited it in their book The Golden Turkey Awards as the "Most Unerotic Concept in Pornography".[14]

Lost film status

As of 2023, no copy of Him has been located. It was cited among the most sought-after lost films by the online magazine Film Threat.[15]

Many Internet sites have 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.[16][17] The real hoax, however, was Dog of Norway, a fictitious movie illustrated with a photograph of the Medveds' pet dog.[3]

Reviews of Him from Screw magazine, Variety, and The Village Voice [18] have also been uncovered;[3][19] along with a number of newspaper advertisements for its New York theatrical run.[3][20] The film also received a passing mention in Time magazine.[21]

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. Hall, Jake (14 December 2021). "The Amateur Detectives Obsessed With Finding 'Him,' the Lost Gay Jesus Porn Film". MEL Magazine. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  3. "Lost Movie Detective: Him". To Obscurity and Beyond... 11 February 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2010.
  4. "World Premiere Now: Him". The Village Voice. 28 March 1974. p. 86 – via Google News Archive.
  5. "Ed D. Louie's Him". The Village Voice. 2 December 1974. p. 86 – via Google News Archive.
  6. "Special Limited Engagement: Him". The Village Voice. 12 January 1976 – via Google News Archive.
  7. "Midwest Premiere: Him". Chicago Tribune. 31 January 1975. p. S3-4 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Adult Theatres". San Francisco Examiner. 9 February 1975. p. 224 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Sansom Cinema". Philadelphia Daily News. 17 February 1975. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Premiere Showing: Him". Atlanta Constitution. 17 March 1975. p. 7B – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Wood Six Theater". Detroit Free Press. 16 April 1975. p. 8D – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Extended N.Y. Premiere: Him". Village Voice. 28 April 1975. p. 86 – via Google News Archive.
  13. "Penthouse Burlesque Theatres". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 21 May 1975. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. Medved, Harry; Michael Medved (1980). The Golden Turkey Awards: Nominees and Winners, The Worst Achievements in Hollywood History. NY: Perigee Books. p. 122. ISBN 9780399504631.
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. Holden, Cathy. "Gay Jesus Movie". Truth Miners. Archived from the original on 5 October 2003. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  18. Tipmore, David (18 April 1974). "Cleanliness is not next to Christliness". The Village Voice. p. 88 – via Google News Archive.
  19. 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.
  20. Essay on the film's alleged urban legend status
  21. "Show Business: Lust's Labor Lost". Time. 13 May 1974.
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