one of the biggest influences on me as a gay teenager was the murdered italian film maker pier paolo pasolini whose cinematic work spans a period from the late fifties until 1975 when he was savagely murdered in rome in what many believe was essentially a political assassination dressed up as a poofter bashing. pasolini was a kind of poet-communist, who spoke for the ordinary person but was not attached to the official party apparatus. this made him very outspoken at a time in italian history when the division between the left and right was often violent. always an intellectual, pasolini none the less possessed the common touch, and was one of the first truly out gay men who succeeded on his terms and, at the time of his murder, was considered italy's foremost film-maker and intellectual of the left. at the time of his death pasolini was planning on taking the entire italian government of the christian democrats (basically recycled fascists) to court for treason against the italian ppl. this many believe is what motivated his murder. the films that pasolini made in the 1970s were the ones that influenced me the most: the decameron, canterbury tales, arabian nights and his last, the very controversial film: salo. these were the first films i had ever seen in which homosexuality was presented with naturalism and without prejudice. they were also the first films i had ever seen in which male genitalia were openly displayed, and the odd erection as well, which for the day was incredibly daring. a film like the decameron could never be made in this current era of hollywood formulaeic films. nor would a film like salo ever be allowed.
I've heard about Pasolini and personally i'm quite fascinated by his persona. I'll look out for any of his films, i haven't had the chance to do it yet.
what a fag alright I'm done hating on gay people from this point on, scouts honor...... from now on I will just keep my mouth shut when i get the urge to yell at sexually confused males. well then.... have a very gay day.
