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Sunday, January 21, 2024
Happy Birthday today January 22nd
Memorable Movie Moments: Trick
'The misadventures of two young gay men, trying to find a place to be alone, one night in Manhattan.'
In many ways, my introduction to gay cinema occurred in the 1990's. Sure, I'd seen gay characters in films before, but there were two significant things that happened in the 90's. The first, was a Blockbuster opened in my city. There were small video stores before that, but when the 1990's began, I had to rent on my father's card, so wasn't about to rent anything that might open that closet door.
By the end of the 1990's however, I had my own Blockbuster card, and although still in the closet, was able to sneak in a gay themed movie under Die Hard, Indiana Jones, or some other movie I deemed straight and safe. Movies like The Birdcage, and The Talented Mr. Ripley and The Crying Game were on the same shelves as the new releases, and were rented by almost everyone.
Others movies took a little more risk. Although some starred well known actors, at the time, it was still scary. I look back at how silly it really was, my fear, but it was very real at the time. The movies I rented that caused me stress included movies including; Wilde. My Own Private Idaho, Longtime Companion, Jeffrey, Love! Honor! Compassion!, Kiss Me Guido, Velvet Goldmine, Lilies and Edge of Seventeen.
The second big change in the 1990's was finally having the Internet in our family home. I have fond memories of listening to that dial up amp up, and being able to search for gay themed images, sites and movies. I was always careful to delete the trash, but look back and realize I left so many easily found traces and clues. One of the movies I learned about on the net was 1999's Trick. There's wasn't really much, (any) nudity in Trick, but there was a hot scene with actor John Paul Pitoc in a g-string. Check out the scene on the NEXT PAGE HERE:
Trick Director Jim Fall with Pitoc
One to Watch: Harrison Cone
I was initially going to title this post 'favorite face' of the day. I often do that when I'm introduced to an actor and am struck by his beautiful face. Problem was, I didn't really see the full face of actor Harrison Cone when I first saw him, he was wearing a face mask. I did however see, a set of beautiful eyes, and his fit body in a tight grey shirt.
I was introduced to Harrison during is time playing hot greeter Bax on an episode of Superstore. I love Superstore, and still miss it. I think it had at least three of four more seasons in it and wish Netflix would give it another season. I discovered the show late, and started watching it when it was in it's final season on NBC, just before it was cancelled. I wrote about the show, and the male cast members, in a post back in 2020. (HERE:)
Although I binged the first five seasons, I didn't finish watching the sixth and final season. Cone's guest appearance was on what I think was the show's second to last episode, Perfect Store. His appearance was brief, but when I recently watched the episode, I had to check out what else the actor has done.
In addition to his turn on Superstore, (below) Cone has appeared on American Horror Stories, Stage Fright, The Shoplifting Pact and the recent Cole Sprouse film, I Wish You All The Best. Cone is also a singer/songwriter and musician, and got his first stage role playing Baby John in a production of West Side Story.
Sudden Impact: Alexander & Cooper by Images Male
Given that FH has been up for awhile, I accept that not every image, nor every post can be memorable to everyone. Not every visual or story, can leave an impact. That doesn't mean though, that it's not my goal, each and every time I choose a subject, or set of images to spotlight. This story, includes several artists whose work previously made an impact on me.
Some of you might recognize Alexander and Cooper, the two models who this past Christmas, helped deck the halls, and trim the tree, for photographer Gordon Nebeker. (HERE:) I featured many duo shoots over the years, but I believe this was the first time I featured a married couple together. Although I like to tell a story with each post, at Christmas, I usually keep the text light, and focus mostly on the holiday and the specifics of how the shoot came together. For the Elf piece, I only asked Cooper and Alexander for a brief comment about the shoot.
Within their answers however, there were a few things they shared, that I really wanted to further explore. My curiosity and interested was magnified after seeing additional images on Cooper's Instagram of the couple taken by photographer David E. (Images Male) David's work always evokes a sudden impact when I see it, and this was certainly the case when I saw his work with Alexander and Cooper.
I was first introduced to David's work back in 2017 by Mark from MW Photo MD. In addition to creating, David also spends time teaching, sharing his knowledge and experience with new photographers. Mark was a huge fan of David's style, and sought him out when he was first starting to shoot. That shoot, which remains one of my favorites, also happened to feature two models, one of whom was Alexander. (HERE: & HERE:)
I don't actually often feature couple shoots as so many for me, seem prioritize the sexual elements over the artistic. There are already fundamental erotic and sensual components in most visuals of two nude men together. The art comes when the photographer and the models bring them out naturally through pose, lighting and setting a mood. Rare do this as well as David E.
I remember in the first piece that I did featuring his work, David summed up his artistic goals. With each shoot, and each image, he strived to maintain the viewers attention for an extended period of time, and to pull them back to view it again and again. Given the 'quick scroll' by world we're in, especially on social media, this can be a difficult task, but David beautifully succeeds. Ever since being introduced to his work, I often find myself returning to some of my favorite shots, and at the same time, hoping to discover new ones. That's exactly what happened when I saw David's work with Alexander and Cooper.
The same dynamic visuals I remembered were beautifully evident in his work with Cooper and Alexander. Images highlighted with unique poses and a focus geometry and architecture. Unique lines and curves with two bodies physically and emotionally connected. David creates a powerfully erotic mood. David uses the male form in it's entirety, not relying on just specific body parts to create sensuality and connection. Some of my favorite shots of Cooper and Alexander include images in in which the electricity is created through pose. body proximity, and a brief moment of touch.
David was one of the first photographers that Alexander connected with on Model Mayhem. David and Alexander's work together also made on impact on Cooper, who shares some of his favorite images of Alexander stem from his collaborations with David. So much so, that Cooper reached out to the Virginia based photographer about having one of the shots he took of put on canvas as Christmas gift for Alexander.
Not long after, Alexander agreed to participate in a shoot that David was doing, once again, the shoot was also going to be part of training a new photographers. David was excited to work with Alexander again, and was more than fine with Cooper tagging along. As you can clearly see, Cooper did much more than just tag along, but joined in to create this stunning set of visuals.
As dynamic as David's shots are of Cooper and Alexander are, the real couple becomes a visual throuple, (at least artistically), when a third model joins them for part of the shoot. Check out those images, as well as more of Alexander and Cooper's modeling, and personal journey together, on the NEXT PAGE HERE:
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