Boys On Film 1 Hard Love [DVD]

An excellent collection of nine short films (longer than the usual fare; the running time is 147 minutes) from Peccadillo pictures. A diverse grouping of humour, poignancy and eroticism. The films comprise:-

* Summer (UK, 9 mins): Two late-teen males, good friends, are in a London park. They find themselves talking about blow-jobs, and one of the friends is nervously trying to pluck up the courage to speak his mind...
Perhaps the weakest short of the collection: while a valiant attempt to portray unrequited feelings for a best friend, the stage-school dialogue, and the fact that the characters are far too old to be engaged in such nervous revelations, undermine the authenticity of this usually engaging theme. (3 out of 5)

* Gay Zombie (US, 20 minutes): An superb, original short film. A West Hollywood zombie, Miles, is convinced by his therapist ('How's the flesh-eating coming along, Miles?') to try to resolve his uncertain desires. He visits a gay bar, and is treated as a freak by the patrons. He does meet two nice guys, who try to give him a make-over. But will his blood-hunger prove too much of an obstacle to forming a relationship? Excellent, bitingly satirical, portrayal of a 'gay community' which desires conformism more than anything. (4/5)

* Serene Hunter (France, 13 mins): Set in Paris, the 'hunter' of the title is a 30-something gay male who has a string of one-night stands. Content being free and unfettered by relationships, he happily moves from encounter to encounter. He then surprises himself by becoming involved in a more substantial relationship...but can the hunter within him be tamed? An honest portrayal, with some explicit action. (4/5)

* Le Weekend (UK, 14 mins): A 22-year-old French film student, Terry, visits London to make a film for his class. He meets a handsome male in Soho; the language barrier proves problematic, but the two end up sightseeing and hitting the bars. When Terry needs somewhere to stay for the night his new friend offers to share his bed with him. Only one dilemma - Terry identifies as straight, but if he discloses this, will he loose the offered roof? A strong film, shot primarily through hand-held camera, with an understated poignancy. (4/5)

* Cowboy Forever (Brazil, 27 minutes): set in the stunning landscape of Brazil; beautifully shot with a background of water, open plains and sunsets. The narrator, Govinda, is a ruggedly-handsome 20-something 'campiro' (cattle-herder), who has an empathy with the natural world. He narrates this quasi-documentary of the change wrought in his life by the arrival of a new cattle-hand, Jones. After a night in town together, Govinda begins to wrestle with his unexpected desire for his new friend - but the latter seems only interested in females. Moreover, how can Govinda reconcile the machismo of his outdoor life with his feelings for Jones? A compelling, well-produced short film, with original characters and great performances. (4/5)

* Scarred (UK, 10 mins): Another unusual short. An early 20s male has a significant scar on his face from a knife wound - and is fed up of the unwanted attention that it attracts. Will he find someone who can see past the scar? The answer may lie with an older, middle-aged architect, who seems to be the one person to whom the scar is invisible. But what is the architect's real interest...? Atmospheric and original. (4/5)

* Packed Lunch (Australia, 24 mins): A fairly explicit documentary on the affinity between gay-identified males and the Speedo. Interviews with the first maker of Speedos, collectors, swimmers, and DNA magazine. Plenty of 'packed lunches' on view...a must-see for those with the Speedo fetish...or just for an eyeful of handsome males and, in some cases, what lies beneath that nylon. (3/5)

* Mirror Mirror (Australia, 11 mins): An intense short film; simple in execution, highly moving in its message. An ageing, overweight male sits in front of his mirror, trying to say goodbye to his alter-ego, a once-glamorous drag queen. As he reluctantly throws out the wigs and make-up, she appears in the mirror and argues against her banishment ('You're nothing without me'). Simple but poignant, filled with loss and the ephemerality of youth.

* VGL-Hung! (UK, 20 mins): Terry, an unattractive 30-something male, feels out of place and unloved among the muscled, topless denizens of London gay clubs. Searching for a guy to hook-up with online, his 'fairy godmother' appears on his screen, giving him the opportunity to transform his looks. Terry adopts various physiques (courtesy of some Eurocreme models), and meets up with different guys...but will he now find what he's looking for? A very entertaining short, with a decent amount of pathos mixed in with the humour, although a rather predictable finish. (3/5)

Viewers may have seen some of these before in other collections ('Summer' appeared in Boy Crush [DVD]; 'Serene Hunter' and 'Scarred' are both in S Is for Sexy [DVD], and Cowboy Forever was featured in Not Gay [DVD]); nevertheless, there are a few here not previously released on DVD. Overall: a highly-diverse collection of mostly strong films, and a great addition to any collection. Recommended.

I absolutely loved the shorts on this compilation. Favourites were Summer, Gay Zombie, Mirror Mirror and Cowboy Forever. Some of the shorts weren't as strong as the others, but with a whopping NINE to choose from (coming in at 2 and a half hours in length) there's more than enough here for everyone. I dont think there are any other gay compilations with this many shorts on them. I've shopped around in the past and this is the best yet. Can't wait for the next one.

I found this an unusual and interesting collection of mini -stories with a gay twist. Entertaining, intriguiging, fun, and for me perfectly watchable as art and a montage of film makers forays into film making. Some were poingnant, others cynical...some plain daft but all worthy of inclusion for different reasons. I will watch it again.