411 on Gay Hustler Movie "Hard"

[+ Lucky]

Does anyone know more about this gay hustler/slasher film that came out a few years ago? I am looking for a nice movie to rent while my mom is visiting...she thought Brokeback was too sad.

 

FILM REVIEW; Daily Diversions of a Gay Serial Killer

 

 

By STEPHEN HOLDEN

Published: March 26, 1999

''Hard,'' a strident, grisly thriller about a gay serial killer in Los Angeles who plays fiendish cat-and-mouse games with a closeted gay cop assigned to his case, isn't exactly the Jeffrey Dahmer story, although there are some obvious similarities.

 

The killer, Jack (Malcolm Moorman), a handsome super-macho type who preys on young hustlers, drifters and hitchhikers, doesn't store his victims' body parts in a refrigerator in anticipation of tasty cannibalistic treats.

 

The few victims who aren't garroted and castrated after being tortured and sodomized are transported to the cavernous basement of an abandoned theater where they are bound, gagged and strung up like slabs of meat to await further torture and possible execution.

 

The movie, directed by John Huckert, might be described as a crude, independently produced corrective to ''Cruising,'' William Friedkin's ludicrous homosexual horror film of 1980. ''Hard'' isn't ludicrous, just unrelentingly grim and depressing. Almost as villainous as the serial killer in the world of ''Hard'' are the Los Angeles police officers the movie portrays as rabid homophobes.

 

The film's main character, Raymond (Noel Palomaria), is a freshman homicide detective who is deep in the closet when the story begins. While investigating the slaying and mutilation of a gay man, Raymond visits a bar patronized by the victim and encounters Jack, who, intuiting Raymond's homosexuality, aggressively pursues him, eventually breaking down his defenses. The two go home to Raymond's for sex. But when the detective awakens in the morning, he finds himself handcuffed to the bed. Instead of releasing Raymond, Jack makes off with his police badge and taunts him to come find him. When the detective's straight, hard-boiled police partner, Ellis (Charles Lanyer), shows up, Raymond's secret is out. Ellis is the only male officer to stand by Raymond, who is taunted and beaten up by two fellow cops.

 

A subplot follows Jack's seduction of a married man (Michael Waite). Moving into the man's house as a supposed guest, Jack menaces his host's young son and arranges for the boy's mother to catch him in flagrante with her husband.

 

''Hard'' is a nasty piece of work whose sadism and visual fixation on bluish, blood-stained corpses recalls David Fincher's ''Seven,'' although this washed-out-looking movie lacks the elegant visual style of that revolting film. The acting and screenplay are wildly uneven, several of the plot contrivances are problematic and the soundtrack is blurry. But Mr. Moorman's Jack is a chillingly convincing psychopath, one who is as skillful at seduction as he is at homicide.

 

HARD

Directed by John Huckert; written by Mr. Huckert and John Matkowsky; director of photography, Mr. Matkowsky; edited by Mr. Huckert; music by Phil Settle and Mr. Huckert; production designer, John M. Plume; produced by Mr. Matkowsky, Noel Palomaria and Mr. Huckert; released by M.P.H. Productions. At the Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street, Greenwich Village. Running time: 102 minutes. This film is not rated.

 

WITH: Malcolm Moorman (Jack), Noel Palomaria (Detective Raymond Vates), Charles Lanyer (Detective Tom Ellis), Michael Waite (Andy), Steve Andrews (Detective Hendrickson) and K. D. Jones (Detective Jenkins).

[+ deej]

IIRC, the most memorable thing about this film is you get to see the cop remove the condom after having sex with the killer. Seeing a condom peeled off a semi-hard cock is not something you'd normally see in a "theatrical" release.

 

(It showed up in a package of review screeners, I think.)

[Guest alanm]

I saw the film at a theater in WeHo, doubt that it played many other

places than NY and LA. The review makes "Hard" sound worse than it actually was. "Cruising" bothered me for a few days, I forgot "Hard" about five minutes after leaving the theater. You might want to rent another movie to give your mom a second choice perhaps "O Fantasma."

[+ Lucky]

LOL! O Fantasma I loved, but not for the movie itself!

[Rod Hagen]

If you want to see a gay slasher movie, Hellbent is much much much better. I presume, by now (october theatrical release) it's on DVD. Enjoy.

 

http://www.RodHagen.com

310.360.9890

Fun, Fit, Friendly Fucker in West Hollywood.

-Rod Hagen

[Rod Hagen]

And your Mom will love the costumes. In all seriousness, I wonder if semi-tolerant Parents o' Gays who see and enjoy Brokeback will now browse through the Gay section in Video stores. That would be fine if they bring home Beautiful Thing, but they may not be ready for Hedwig and The Angry Inch!

 

 

http://www.RodHagen.com

310.360.9890

Fun, Fit, Friendly Fucker in West Hollywood.

-Rod Hagen

[Okliehomo]

Hellbent isn't out on dvd yet and TLA doesn't list a release date for it. I thought "Hard" was very sexy, but also a little graphic, at least, for my Mom.

 

I also thought "Bad Education" and "Mysterious Skin" were very good films, and my all time queer crime film is "Burnt Money"...

 

Not sure that Mom would like those, either, though.

 

Okie

[+ Lucky]

As I recall "Hellbent," it would be a fairly family friendly production, wouldn't it?

[bigguyinpasadena]

Whaaaaa?Which Family did you have in mind?The Addams Family?

I-will have to poke you next time we see a film together so that you stay awake;-)