It Is Not the Homosexual Who Is Perverse, But the Society in Which He Lives
| It Is Not the Homosexual Who Is Perverse, But the Society in Which He Lives | |
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Film poster
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| Directed by | Rosa von Praunheim |
| Produced by | Werner Kließ |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Robert van Ackeren |
| Edited by | Jean-Claude Piroué |
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Production
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Bavaria Atelier
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Release date
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Running time
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67 minutes |
| Country | Germany |
| Language | German |
It Is Not the Homosexual Who Is Perverse, But the Society in Which He Lives (German: Nicht der Homosexuelle ist pervers, sondern die Situation, in der er lebt) is a 1971 German camp film directed by Rosa von Praunheim. The plot follows the adventures of a young gay man from the province who arrives in Berlin. He gradually leaves behind his innocence led by his increasing appetite for excitement in the big-city gay scene. He moves from one gay milieu to another caught in his addiction for fashion and sexual experiences.
Scenes from Daniel's life and the various milieus he frequents are accompanied by voice-overs that are sometimes commentaries about the different gay life’s styles and sometimes represent dialogue or narrations. There is no synch sound. The voice over and dialogue recorded do not match what is on the screen.
The reception of the film was controversial. Many viewed the harsh view of gay men culture depicted as such attack that it prompted the videotaping of a short, Audience Response to Its not the Homosexual…, shot during a screening and discussion interview with von Praunheim in 1973 at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, and currently precedes many of the film’s screenings.
Daniel, a young man from the provinces come to the city and moves from one gay subculture to the next. His adventures begin on the streets of Berlin, where the shy brunette Daniel meets the blonde Clemens, who invites him home for coffee and offers him a place to stay. Soon Daniel is living with Clemens and believes he has found the love of his life. The two try to imitate a bourgeois marriage and its lifestyle.
At a party, Daniel’s rich lover, attracted to a singer, leaves him away at the mercy of his old friends. Progressively disenchanted, Daniel realizes that he has been used as a plaything. Disgusted, Daniel moves out. He finds a modest place to live independently and begins to work in a gay café. Now surrounded by young gay men of his own age, he learns to dress fashionably with ostentatious outfits.
Daniel spends his free time at a sun terrace where young men entice each other with their good looks. Being attractive and in good shape becomes the most important thing. Meeting points for homosexual are Vanity fairs. They show themselves off hoping to be attracting the attentions of others. Daniel befriends Wolfgan, a young man from a better social background who he tries to emulate. They go to the beach together and shared their experiences.
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Wikipedia