Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #236438 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-08-30
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English

Amazon.com
This 1968 production from Andy Warhol's Factory found director Paul Morrissey still defining his style and particularly open to Warhol's own process of shooting extended takes with minimal editing. Factory star Joe Dallesandro plays a hustler working to earn money for his wife's girlfriend's abortion. The long trail of transvestites, drugs, and debauchery doesn't just drag a viewer down but rather adds up to a kind of transcendent curiosity about itself. Intelligent, well-constructed, and at times lyrical, this is one of the best of the Morrissey-Warhol collaborations. The cast includes a couple of actors in Warhol's orbit who later broke into mainstream movies and television, including Patti D'Arbanville. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

A Day in the Life of Joe
Certainly not for everyone's taste (the first camera shot will establish that) but a great introduction to the JOE TRILOGY. Just for the record, Andy did NOT direct this or any other of the Joe films! These are all Paul Morrissey! The opening shot however was an homage to the early static films that Warhol was famous for, more specifically 'SLEEP'. At any rate the sound was edited 'in-camera' and there are even whole sequences without sound AT ALL!!!! So don't be surprised by the poor audio. The film was also edited likewise and there is an audible POP at each edit. Do not attempt to adjust your set or return the dvd, it;s all part of the experience!!! Oh... and Joe D'Alllesandro stars in it (sometimes with his clothes on).

CLASSIC !!
I've never seen any Joe Dallesandro film, but watching thisfilm made me into an instant fan! In my own opinion, this is a trueclassic. I can't wait till next payday so I could get the rest of the Warhol/Morrissey movies! The movie was just so real and so documentary-like -- I just love it!

Warhol Produced, Morrissey Directed
Some reviewers are clearly unaware of the backstory to this film. Andy Warhol only participated in this film and those produced after it has Producer. Warhol only was only involved with the stars who were close friends, such as Candy Darling. Of course it is very easy to understand why; this film was shot only weeks after Andy was nearly murdered by SCUM founder Valerie Solanas (Salonas only starred in one of the infamous Audition reels, and had a brief role in I, a Man so I don't think she's deserving of the title Star). The closest that Andy ever came to directing after the incident was fueling the tension between his three Beauty Queens in Women in Revolt over the phone.
But making Joe a Street Hustler was Andy's idea. Andy was greatly dissapointed that the film Midnight Cowboy became so successful, he felt that it stole its plot from his film My Hustler starring Paul America. Joes original profession in this film was a Boxer, but Andy remembered hearing Joe talk about his days working the streets and asked Morrissey to make the change.
The Plot Synopsis that Amazon has given is inaccurate, Joe and his Wife are not Junkies. The real reason he is trying to earn money that day is to pay for his Wifes lovers abortion. You following me?
Flesh is best remembered for pushing the boundaries of male full-frontal nudity, but it has a great story to. The most obvious problem that I think people will encounter is the in-camera editing. This editing style gives a flash effect that does become a bit annoying, but it was done by Morrissey to reming the audience that they are only watching a film and probably to make them annoyed because you end up missing entire conversations. Also there are entire sequences done with no dialogue, and there is really no musical soundtrack to accompany the film.
My favorite part of the film is the characters who Joe encounters. This includes a hilarious artist with the habit of talking to himself, whom Joe models for, Joe's ex-girlfriend, a topless dancer, and her friends (one is a drag queen and the other is a pre-op in real life, but this isn't stated in the film), and Joe's friend, the dialogue hints a lover or regular customer, who was badly burned by a flamethrower.
In the end, I do believe that this film was made for a certain crowd. But it's not necessarily a "gay" film, and it's not just a nudity fest; there is a real and touching story to the film. For example, there is a very moving sequence where Joe is feeding his young daughter, it's moments like these that make the Warhol/Morrissey Films so great.