Him is a 1974 American gay pornographic feature film produced for gay audiences.[1] It was directed by Ed D. Louie (found to be the multidisciplinary artist Ed Lui)[2] and featured gay mural artist Gustav "Tava" Von Will in the role of Jesus.[3]
| Him | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Ed D. Louie |
| Starring | Gustav "Tava" Von Will |
Release date |
|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Background
The film focuses on a young gay man who develops an erotic fixation with the life of Jesus Christ. The film initially premiered on 27 March 1974 at the 55th Street Playhouse at 154 West 55th Street in New York City.[4] This run lasted until 23 May 1974. It returned to the Playhouse on 6 December 1974,[5] and January 1976.[6] The film also played at the Bijou Theater in Chicago,[7] the Nob Hill Theatre in San Francisco,[8] the Sansom Cinema in Philadelphia,[9] Gay Paree Theatre in Atlanta,[10] Wood Six Theatre in Highland Park,[11] the David Theatre in New York City,[12] and the Penthouse Theatre in Pittsburgh.[13]
In 1980 Harry and Michael Medved cited it in their book The Golden Turkey Awards as the "Most Unerotic Concept in Pornography".[14]
Lost film status
As of 2024[update], no extant copies of Him have been located. The online magazine Film Threat cited it among the most sought-after lost films.[15]
Some online commentary attempted to debunk Him as a hoax, owing to the Medveds' admission in The Golden Turkey Awards that their book included a non-existent film which they challenged readers to identify.[16][17] However, the hoax entry was Dog of Norway, a fictitious film illustrated with a photograph of the Medveds' pet dog.[3] In the 21st century, the film is mostly known as a purported origin for the gay Jesus film hoax, although Snopes concluded in their investigation that this is not the case.[18]
Reviews of Him from Screw magazine, Variety, and The Village Voice [19] have also been uncovered;[3][20] along with a number of newspaper advertisements for its New York theatrical run.[3][21] The film also received a passing mention in Time magazine.[22]
More information on "Ed D. Louie" has been uncovered, finding that he was actually Ed Lui, a multidisciplinary artist and a nephew of the 55th Street Playhouse owner Frank Lee.[2]
