Passing Strangers (1974)


Directed by Arthur J. Bressan, Jr.
*****

 Incredible. Bressan's debut feature is a remarkable work of erotic cinema that feels unlike anything else I've seen. It's less interested in fucking than it is about romantic connection, bridging the gap between experience and coming out and the yearning to be with someone. The first half is a beautiful but quietly devastating portrait of loneliness, the black-and-white cinematography just making their sadness more stark. Yet, there are moments of light and passion. The sex is hot and the artistic flourishes Bressan uses are delightful. A dreamy bubble sequence is full of intense close-ups and joy.

 In the film's second half our two lovers meet and the world bursts into gorgeous colour. What struck me most about this wasn't that it was some fantasia. That beach date and subsequent sex are rooted in reality. Flying a kite together is stupid and silly but it's also so so sweet. It kinda reminded me of my first date with my boyfriend.

 Note to self, don't watch incredibly romantic and sexy gay cinema while you can't see your boyfriend. The two mens first kiss brought me to tears, a moment of utter happiness and perfect connection. The sex afterwards is great too, but it's that moment of peace that struck a chord with me. Pairing it with Erik Satie's Gymnopedie No. 1 provides an even deeper emotional pull. It's the third film I've seen this year, after My Dinner With Andre and The Fire Within, to use that track and they're all masterpieces.

 You can tell this isn't a typical porn film from Bressan's sense of play and focus on romantic connection over sex. But just in case you were a little confused, he ends not with an orgy or even a fuck. He ends the film at a Pride Parade. Finally, our two lovers can be together and who they are for all the world to see. Liberation has never been so... liberating.
Huge thanks to Vinegar Syndrome and the Bressan Project for restoring this beautiful film and to PinkLabel.tv for hosting it. Hugely excited for Forbidden Letters coming to the platform in August.

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