The film opens with a warning, not about the explicit nature of some of the sequences that are included (you already knew this was NSFW), but about the nature of the narrative: “For your enjoyment, do not try to understand this film, there is nothing to understand.
As part of BFI Flare at Home, gay adult movie aficionados, academics and horndogs alike in the UK can view the film in the self-isolated comfort of their own homes via BFI Player until Monday April 6th. Ask Any Buddy was due to have its European premiere at BFI Flare London LGBTIQ Film Festival this moth, but following its cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the BFI’s online streaming service came to the rescue. So our interest was aroused when we learnt that the curator of these treasures, Evan Purchell, had created a feature length cumpilation, sorry, montage movie of the same name using scenes from 126 gay erotic theatrical releases from 1968 to 1986.
One of our favourite queer Instagram accounts delights in the rich history of how gay porn movies of the golden age of the 70s and 80s were advertised in print the promotional stills, screening listings and cover stars.