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Friday, July 30, 2004

SOMETHING WILD

"Tell me Glenn, just how liberal are you?"

directed by: Robert Walters (1984)

Starring: Glen Armstrong, Scott Avery, Greg Girard, Bud Adams, Gavin Burke, Eliot Higgins, Wade Davis, Brian Michaels (aka Bobby Madison), Ron Collier, Phil Shannon, and Randy Page.

A simple story of two "boys" going camping who stumble upon a cabin with two guys having sex inside. Shocked and amazed, they watch the whole scene through a window, then late that night after setting up camp, discuss other incidents where they have witnessed such confusing, yet seemingly pleasurable, activity. While the dialogue will often make you laugh out loud, it avoids the cliche'-ridden "gee, no girls around, I guess I'll try this" nonsense that was so prevalent around this time. Here there is no mention of girls, or straight sex, but merely the wonderment of young men who discover their own (and more importantly, other men's) bodies.

I can't tell you a lot about director Robert Walters, often he's not credited on retailer's websites (but thanks to GAY EROTIC VIDEO INDEX, I found him), but his style is sort of a latter Tom DeSimone + William Higgins hybrid (DeSimone's quick short-hand plot devices, Higgins's (sometimes too-close) camera work). And while the film does have a cheesey (and annoyingly catchy - "I feel a change, a new lifestyle, we're getting ready for Something Wild" - written and performed by Garth Evans) theme song (like many mid 80's Falcons did) I have to say the music for this scene is just perfect - revved up jazzy how-can-I-help-but-want-gay-sex sounds - ya know?

Alas, this is yet another film that is usually only available in a chopped-up, shortened version by such retailers as HIS Video and MIDNIGHT MEN - their version of this video is missing over 30 minutes! Fortunately, I recently snagged one on eBay in the original old NOVA Films/L.A Video box - but not too worry, my pals at BIJOU VIDEO carry the complete, 116 minute uncut version.