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Monday, October 10, 2022
Horror Hunks: Michel in Hostel Part II
'Hands on your pencils boys!'
Although I still love a great 'slasher' film, my taste for torture flicks has certainly diminished over the years. That being said, it's rare to find full frontal male nudity in a main stream horror film, even if it's just for a few fleeting seconds.
In 2007's Hostel: Part II, three American college students studying abroad are lured to a Slovakian hostel and discover the grim reality behind it. Near the beginning of the film, before they're lured into that hostel, they all take an art life drawing class. Although the nude models are mostly female, the scene begins with the lovely Michel modeling for the group.
Director Eli Roth gave us just a few seconds of Michel, so few seconds in fact, the actor doesn't appear in the films credits, or on it's IMDB page. Given the character actually had a name, I'm guessing he or the film wanted to leave the role unidentified in the credits. I'm sort of guessing his credit may have been slid into the stuntman credits, but that's just a guess.
Eastern Exposure: John by RMark Photography
'The light in the morning was so striking. we had to take advantage of it.'
When Roger from RMark Photography sent on images from this shoot, I was initially struck by John's tall, beautiful body and the classic, statuesque poses he created he created with it. I also noticed John's handsome face and expressive eyes, but it was his beauty and strength with pose and stance that really drew me in. The poses reminded me of many of the images I'd seen and loved from classic physique. photography.
When I looked a little closer, beyond the model and man in focus, my eyes were drawn to the sunlight streaming across the hardwood floors. I don't currently own a cat, but I kept thinking back to the cats I did own, and how much they loved bathing in the morning sun as it streamed through the windows and down to the floors.
I remember lying down on those floor next to my cat, and the unique feeling and heat from that stream of sunlight. There was such an euphoric feeling of calm and bliss when that Eastern sun hit your face and skin. I could almost sense that John was feeling the same way, especially in the last image, with his eyes closed, and face towards the window and the light. That Eastern exposure that Roger captured came from a recent trip to New York.
The Savannah based photographer was visiting the big apple, and a photographer friend graciously allowed him to photograph John at his beautiful top floor apartment. Roger enjoyed collaborating with John and found him incredibly pleasant and friendly to work with. Although John stated he wasn't that great at posing, Roger shares he was excellent with taking direction and I love what they created together. Although many come to modeling to utilize their good looks or hard work at the gym for art or to make money, John was motivated by more personal reasons.
'I was initially drawn to modeling because I wanted to desensitize myself to my own body dysmorphia by being photographed; I am also interested in documenting my own aging process through modeling and photography. '
Did you always plan on modeling nude?
If I like the artist’s work, I will always be happy to pose nude.
Was it a difficult decision to make?
Initially I had trepidations about posing nude ( re: my body dysmorphia) but that has faded over time. The most important factor is working with an artist who I respect, and who respects my boundaries.
What have been your favorite experiences modeling so far?
I enjoy all the different artists’ visions and methods. The creative process is fascinating to me.
Have you had any negative experiences?
There have been a couple of photographers who were less than respectful of personal boundaries; I think they might have been less interested in creating unique images and more interested in having a nude model in close proximity. They have, by far, been in the minority.
What are your boundaries or limits for modeling?
My golden rule is clear communication in advance. I like to understand what the artist is hoping to accomplish up front to determine if I’m a good fit for their vision.
What was your shoot with Roger like?
Roger was great. He was very professional and efficient - we covered a lot of ground and were able to work through a number of set ups in a relatively short period of time.
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