The Adonis Factor kicks off day 9 at 11:30 at the Dryden Theater.This documentary hopes to bring to the open gay men's obsession with physical beauty. Discuss.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Program 35: The Adonis Factor
The Adonis Factor kicks off day 9 at 11:30 at the Dryden Theater.This documentary hopes to bring to the open gay men's obsession with physical beauty. Discuss.
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30 comments:
This documentary pushed a lot of buttons for me, especially the first third, which seemed to be especially designed to make everyone in the room feel inferior about their bodies. I could not believe that the people on screen kept referring to this muscle bar and circuit scene as 'the gay community'. Closer to Lord of the Flies, methinks.
Basing your happiness and self worth on appearance and appeal to fickle followers is bound to end badly. Old age, sickness, and death will come to us all. These people seem so sad to me, and I hope a future generation of young men will grow up in more enlightened and self accepting times.
Production wise, this was a slick documentary, the music was a little too loud I though, but nice, tight story arc without too much repetition.
This documentary reminded me of last year's "Butch Factor," which I enjoyed so much that I purchased it. Both deal with very similar issues, but this one seemed to not ramble on as much as "Butch Factor".
Now, I will say that this documentary did touch me in particular. All of my life I have struggled with my weight and my body image, aspiring to be the Adonis that I'll never be. I have had friends, family members, coaches, and lovers say that I am fat in various different ways. My two favorite are when my ex said, "You'll always be my fat porker," and it wasn't in endearing context, and when my coach said, "There's just too much Ryan in the pool - work on that." So when I hear these extremely attractive men say that they still see their ugly past, which almost all of them said they were picked on in their youth, it pulls on my heart strings.
Yes, it was a bunch of hot dudes on the screen that may have "better" bodies than most of us. Yes, it was one very publicized portion of the gay community. Yes, it was clubby. However, if we see the real message underneath, to love ourselves no matter how we look, then we can see the gold in this piece.
I disliked this one almost as much as I disliked the Butch Factor from last year. More "super hot" guys whining about how fat and insecure they feel... Cry me a river.
Just once I'd like to see a documentary about masculinity that actually talks about being masculine. Not about being a jock, or a muscle head, or whining about not feeling hot because one has 1% body fat. But living life as a real masculine person, who isn't super hot, that maybe is part of their community.
I also was somewhat sickened by the constant referral to this vein sub-segment of men as "the gay community". Most of the men in this film were not part of their community. They were party boys, that did little outside of work, home, gym, and the club. That's not being part of a community any more than sitting home alone and watching a Glee marathon is.
Sadly, this film just portrayed the same "circuit club as community" scene that's been falsely depicted way too often. Re-enforcing the mantra that everyone expects gay men to be muscly gym rats, and hotter than hot.
ImageOut is a community. GAGV is a community. COAP is a community. RGMC/RWCC is a community. MOCHA is a community. The Rams are a community. In a real community you talk to people, make real and lasting friendships, accomplish real and lasting things together, and authentically care about how all of your community members are doing.
A circuit party is NOT a community. A bar is NOT a community. Bars come and go, and parties are fleeting. Defining yourself based on such things is really sad. Sadder still is when you define yourself by them, and then feel you haven't live up to that sad definition. (And then make a movie where you whine about it...)
Overall I liked this doc, but I do wish they could have interviewed more men with "not perfect" bodies to get more of another perspective.
Also I agree with what Woody said.
I remember one time someone asked me what kind of guys I like and I replied "I like guys who are compassionate and sincere."
(Other guy) "No I mean in terms of body."
Well actually for me, knowing a guy has compassion and sincerity is much more important for me than the qualities of his body.
From the ballots:
Oh so true!
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Excellent! I appreciate how "lookism" impacts how we see ourselves and others. Thanks!
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I like how it was well-balanced.
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Excellent balance of the depth of beauty and mind -- what do we want?
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Informative, fair and balanced. Plus it was entertaining!
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Excellent. Nice range of interviews.
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Really showed a 360 degree viewpoint of looks and how they impact image and idea of self.
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Very good but could have focused more on inner beauty.
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Excellent.
I am aware, after 40 years of being gay, that beauty is fleeting. Thank God!
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Good.
Better than expected but not earth shattering.
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Interesting but good.
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Good but nothing the community didn't know already.
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Not a lot that I didn't know but that was reinforced.
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A bit obvious but fun.
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Very interesting. I liked.
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Well told story about us!
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Much better than I thought it would be [smiley face]
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Hubble and Ingle auditoriums are a bad idea unless you guys arrange special parking for us.
Michael's response:
Parking options where specified in the website and programs, i thought. I didn't really have any parking issues. Did you really have a hard time parking? Where did you end up parking?
From the ballots:
Good but very repetitive. Very repetitive.
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Reminds me of the quote: "Under the thin veneer is more thin veneer."
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Very valid perspectives. Movie explored some very real situations to the gay community.
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Brings up SO many issues that need to be brought up.
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Sad.
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Almost as bad as the masculine movie from last year. "Pity me because I'm so alone from being beautiful."
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Didn't have anything new to say but good cross section of interviewees.
From the ballots:
A film about 10% of the gay community. But good eye candy nonetheless.
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