Homoerotic Archaeology: May 2022

Friday, May 27, 2022

Hot Male Review (May 1986), Part Two

In an interview for this May 1986 issue of Hot Male Review (which has been broken into two parts), adult performer Lance discusses the abuse of his alcoholic father, the joy he receives from his fans’ attention, and the fickle nature of the porn industry: “I feel [my looks] are fading. I don’t look like I used to. Guys like young guys. I have a couple of good years left, probably.” In the second half (see the first half here) a review of the film Hot Mechanics is accompanied by photospreads of models David Cannon and Christopher George, a Dick Darling cartoon, and the artwork of Richard White.

Friday, May 20, 2022

Hot Male Review (May 1986), Part One

In an interview for this May 1986 issue of Hot Male Review (which has been broken into two parts), adult performer Lance discusses the abuse of his alcoholic father, the joy he receives from his fans’ attention, and the fickle nature of the porn industry: “I feel [my looks] are fading. I don’t look like I used to. Guys like young guys. I have a couple of good years left, probably.” Accompanying Lance’s interview is a photospread of model Robert Russel and stills from the films Arcade, Lifeguard, Santa Monica Boulevard, and Therapy.

Friday, May 13, 2022

Uncut (May 1987), Part Two

In 1968, Shan Sayles purchased the rights to the homoerotic novel Song of the Loon with the endeavor to launch a series of softcore films and hired Scott Hanson as director and Joe Tiffenbach as cinematographer. Hanson and Tiffenbach, who had worked together on the short film The Closet, found the sensationalized romanticism of Song of the Loon excessive and aimed to masculinize the production; however, filming was wrought with problems and it shut down after only three weeks, with a haphazardly edited version released in 1970 to surprisingly rave reviews. Despite the fiasco, Tiffenbach remained an influential force in the gay community, founding the anti-circumcision group the Uncut Society of America with Bud Berkeley, publishing Foreskin with Berkeley in 1984, and contributing photos to homoerotic magazines like Drummer and Uncut. This May 1987 issue of Uncut (which has been broken into two parts) features one of Tiffenbach’s models, Terry Long. In the second half (see the first half here), there are spreads of Ken Duncan, Enrique, Frankie Larson, Russ Wade, and Zane Wilde, along with art by Rex.

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

What is Homoerotic Archaeology?

In 2016, I discovered several discarded boxes at an estate sale. Under their flimsy flaps were hundreds of well-worn issues of homoerotic magazines from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. I purchased them out of mild intrigue and, as I perused their pages, I was startled to realize that something commonly disregarded as pornographic smut earnestly chronicled the evolution of gay culture: the social and sexual liberation of the 1970s, the crushing devastation from AIDS during the 1980s, and the gradual strengthening of the community in the 1990s. As a gay man, I was touched by the subtle narrative these publications told. As a historian, I was motivated to digitally preserve their content. And, as an educator, I was driven to create a platform to share that information freely with others interested in the progression of gay society. Homoerotic Archaeology is that venue. Here you will find the advertisements, articles, short stories, and (of course) pictures found in these magazines lovingly preserved and presented for future generations of gay men to enjoy and study.

Why Preserve Homoerotica?

As early as the 1970s, scholars such as June Rook have stressed the need to preserve homosexual history in an effort to combat repression and establish a cultural background for future generations. Much of the preservation process admirably focuses on the substantial works of homosexual artists and thinkers; however, it sadly ignores other elements quintessential to the community’s history, particularly homoerotica. Although frequently labeled obscene filth, homoerotica has, just like the significant creations of artists and thinkers, been a prevalent part of the group’s culture and has played an integral role in shaping identities and perceptions (consider how influential Tom of Finland’s hypermasculinity has been in molding the body ideals of modern gay men). Due to this factor, the conservation of homoerotica is just as essential as the preservation of major artistic and theoretical homosexual works.