Him (lost gay pornographic Jesus film; 1974): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 22:29, 19 March 2016

DISCLAIMER:
THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN TAGGED AS NSFW DUE TO ITS PORNOGRAPHIC SUBJECT MATTER/VISUALS.

File:Gonwill.jpg

Gustav Von Will portraying Jesus in Him.

Status: Lost

Him is a 1974 movie that loosely references the life of Jesus Christ with homosexual pornographic content. The film's protagonist is a man with an erotic obsession with Christ.

It first received mainstream attention in 1980, when it was featured in the book The Golden Turkey Awards, for which it won "Most Unerotic Concept in Pornography". (The next page claimed one film written about didn't exist, leading many to believe that Him was a fictitious film. However, it was soon discovered that the fake film in the book was Dog of Norway.)

Several fragments relating to the movie have resurfaced, including a few advertisements and reviews from online newspaper archives. Additionally, the identity of the late actor portraying Jesus was uncovered as Gustav Von Will (aka "Tava") in a blog post,^[1] thanks to correspondence from his former partner, Vinny Parrillo.

It was screened at the 55th Street Playhouse in New York from 27 March to 23 May 1974, but no footage has resurfaced or been seen since. It was likely banned due to its sacrilegious concept.

Media Reception and Posters

HIMad1.jpg

Newspaper ad for Him 1/4.
HIMAd2.jpg

Newspaper ad for Him 2/4.
Himad3.jpg

Newspaper ad for Him 3/4.
HIMad4.jpg

Newspaper ad for Him 4/4.
Him review.jpg

Newspaper review for Him.

References

↑ Him page on obscurityandbeyond.blogspot.com, the blog that received correspondence from Vinny Parrillo. Retrieved 26 Feb '13.

[1] Him page on obscurityandbeyond.blogspot.com, the blog that received correspondence from Vinny Parrillo. Retrieved 26 Feb '13.

[1]

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 |}<br/>
-[[File:Gonwill.jpg|thumb|215px|Gustav Von Will (aka Tava) portraying Jesus in ''Him''.]]
+{{InfoboxLost
-'''''Him '''''is a 1974 movie loosely referencing the life of Jesus Christ that heavily features hardcore gay pornography. It was confirmed as being played at the 55th Street Playhouse, New York (a theatre specialising in hardcore gay films) from 27 March to 23 May 1974.
+|title=<center>Him (1974)</center>
+|image=Gonwill.jpg
+|imagecaption=Gustav Von Will portraying Jesus in ''Him''.
+|status=<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
+}}
-Despite the name and implication, the film's central character is not Christ himself, but rather a man that has an erotic obsession with Christ. It first received mainstream attention in 1980, when it was featured in the book ''The Golden Turkey Awards'', for which it won "Most Unerotic Concept in Pornography". On the very next page of the book was the quote "Over 425 actual films are described in this book, but one is a complete hoax. Can you find it?", leading many to believe that ''Him ''was a hoax, and in fact nonexistent. However, it was soon discovered that the fake film in the book was ''Dog of Norway'' (which featured a "screenshot" that was in fact a photo of one of the editor's pets), and not ''Him''.
+'''''Him '''''is a 1974 movie that loosely references the life of Jesus Christ with homosexual pornographic content. The film's protagonist is a man with an erotic obsession with Christ.
-Several fragments relating to the movie have been uncovered, such as a few advertisements and reviews, as found through online newspaper archives. Additionally, the identity of the late actor portraying Jesus was uncovered in a blog post,<ref>[http://obscurityandbeyond.blogspot.com/2010/02/lost-movie-detective-him-1974.html ''Him'' page on obscurityandbeyond.blogspot.com, the blog that received correspondence from Vinny Parrillo.] Retrieved 26 Feb '13.</ref> (thanks to correspondence from his former partner Vinny Parrillo), that being of New York muralist Gustav Von Will (aka Tava). A photo of Von Will dressed as Jesus for the film was also provided to the blogspot page by Parillo.
+It first received mainstream attention in 1980, when it was featured in the book ''The Golden Turkey Awards'', for which it won "Most Unerotic Concept in Pornography". (The next page claimed one film written about didn't exist, leading many to believe that ''Him'' was a fictitious film. However, it was soon discovered that the fake film in the book was ''Dog of Norway''.)
-Although the film's existence has been undeniably proven, no actual footage has ever been seen since 1974. It was possibly banned due to its sacreligous concept.
+Several fragments relating to the movie have resurfaced, including a few advertisements and reviews from online newspaper archives. Additionally, the identity of the late actor portraying Jesus was uncovered as Gustav Von Will (aka "Tava") in a blog post,<ref>[http://obscurityandbeyond.blogspot.com/2010/02/lost-movie-detective-him-1974.html ''Him'' page on obscurityandbeyond.blogspot.com, the blog that received correspondence from Vinny Parrillo.] Retrieved 26 Feb '13.</ref> thanks to correspondence from his former partner, Vinny Parrillo.
-==Advertisements and reviews==
+It was screened at the 55th Street Playhouse in New York from 27 March to 23 May 1974, but no footage has resurfaced or been seen since. It was likely banned due to its sacrilegious concept.
+==Media Reception and Posters==
 <gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
 File:HIMad1.jpg|Newspaper ad for ''Him'' 1/4.