Collection search - Beefcake

Record information – Brief

1

Beefcake

Item number (ISN):

372349

Hierarchical level:

Item (Accession level)

Date:

1998

Item number (ISN):

372349

Type of material:

Moving images

Found in:

Archives / Film, Video and Sound

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Record information – Details

Fonds/collection:

CHI CHI FILMS LTD.

Accession:

2005-0097

Media:

Video

Part:

1 of 1

Production date:

1998

Release date:

1998

Production company:

Alliance Atlantis Motion Picture Group

Production credit:

director/producer/script, Thom Fitzgerald; producer, Shandi Mitchell; executive producer, Barbara Badessi; Marc Betsworth; Dreux Ellis; James Nicholson; photography, Thomas R. Harding; editing, Susan Shanks; Michael Wier; animation, Dominique Parizeau; sound, Jamie Fortier; Christopher Spencer-Lowe; sound editing, Alastair Grey; Clive Turner; music, John Roby; Michaelo Diabo; John Wesley Chisholm; narrator, Daniel MacIvor; F. Valentine Hooven, III

Cast credit:

Daniel MacIvor, Carroll Godsman, J. Griffin Mazeika, Jonathan Torrens, Josh Peace, Jack Lalanne, Joe Dallesandro, Jim Lassiter, Ken Bishop, Russ Warner, Thomas Cawood, Jamie Robertson, Dick Sircon, Thom Fitzgerald, Orest E. Ulan, Glen Deveau, Andrew Miller, Marla McLean, Daniel McLaren, Bernard Robichaud, Marc St. Onge, Steve MacLaughlin, Andy Smith, James MacSwain, Michael Weir, Marc Leblanc, Timothy Phillips, Jonathan Langlous-Sadubin, Lucy Decoutere, Renée Penney, Joe Dacey, Megan Richards, Liz Anderson, Sarah Dunsworth, Katy Pedersen, Mark Burt, Brian Breau, Mitchell Landzaat

Country of production:

cn

Current distributor:

Alliance Atlantis

Description:

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This feature length docudrama focuses on the male physique magazines of the 1950s mixes footage of interviews with key photographers from this era, including Russ Warner, as well as fans and models of the magazines with archival films and photos of modeling men and the fantastically filmed scenarios. The dramatic portion of the feature reenacts the story of Bob Mizer, alias of Robert Henry Miller. Mizer went from running a modeling agency for men with great physiques to starting his own magazine called PHYSIQUE PICTORIAL, one of the first of it's kind. We also follow a young man from a small town as he heads to California to make a mark, and we meet the many young men staying at Mizer's place while they got themselves set in L.A. We also witness to Mizers odd and flamboyant 'Sunday Film Festivals' where the films he created where shown, but also singing, drinking and even heroin use occurs, as our young character Joe falls with the more dangerous house mate David. Mizer tries to crack down on the drug use in his little home-studio-come-residence, Athletics Model Guild (AMG), and kicks David out. David is let back in and all seems well, but eventually the police arrive to arrest Mizer on charges of conducting a prostitution network. The base of the case for the court is centered around a young man who is taken in by a pimp. He testifies against several of the key 'photographers' involved in the 'physique' photography business. As the details of the case are discussed, Mizer's real sexual behaviors are revealed. The LAPD believed he ran a prostitution ring, based on a series of symbols he had devised to describe the preferences and details about the models, but many of the interviewees have diverse perspectives on the role the 'hustle' played in the AMG studios. The film also includes interviews with figures such as Jack LaLanne as he discusses his gym and his posing for several of the most popular physique magazines, as well as Joe Dallesandro who was in AMG films, but also one of Andy Warhols films. The film grappleswith queer and male sexual politics in the 1950s as the mix of sexual preferences of the models, as well as their diverse perspectives on their roles as models (Mr. America or homo-erotic icon), creates an interesting picture of queer identity in this era. <1hr 35mn>

Language:

English

Notes:

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1. Produced with the participation of Telefilm Canada and the Nova Scotia Film Development Corporation, and with the assistance of the Nova Scotia Film Industry Tax Credit and the Canadian Film or Video Tax Credit.~2. Inspired by the book by F. Valentine Hooven, III.~3. Presented in association with Channel Four Television; La Sept Arte; Mikado Films and Odeon Films.
Ordering and viewing options

Conditions of access:

Open

Restrictions on consultation:

No Restrictions / Pas de restrictions

Donor restrictions:

No donor restrictions.

Copyright status:

Under Copyright.

Copyright owner:

Copyright owner: Chi Chi Film Ltd. 1998.

Reproduction access:

With written permission of Copyright Owner / Avec la permission écrite du détenteur des droits d'auteur

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Date modified:: 2024-07-04