Films: Little Joe
Little Joe
USA, 2009, 87 Minute Running Time
Genre/Subjects: Arts & Literature, Biography / History, Bisexual, Documentary
Programs: '60s/'70s Underground & Queer Cinema, Documentary
Language: English
DIRECTOR: Nicole Haeusser
Andy Warhol made him an underground superstar. Lou Reed immortalized him in “Walk on the Wild Side.” The Rolling Stones put a photo of his bulging crotch on the cover of Sticky Fingers and The Smiths used his image on their debut album. John Waters said he “forever changed male sexuality in cinema.”
Little Joe is a fascinating documentary starring iconic actor and famed sex symbol Joe Dallesandro. The film spans his forty-year career, beginning with the films of Warhol protégé Paul Morrissey in underground classics such as Flesh, Trash and Heat trilogy. Dallesandro continued with roles in mainstream films such as The Cotton Club and Cry-Baby. What makes this doc truly unique is its singular focus on Dallesandro — interviewed extensively and openly — rather than a collection of interviews with famous friends and associates.
Dallesandro’s chiseled face, muscular bod and sexually uninhibited attitude made him an object of lust for men and women alike. The actor’s portrayal of a teenage street hustler in Flesh established his provocative image and was immortalized in Reed’s lyrics, “Little Joe never once gave it away. Everybody had to pay and pay.” But Dallesandro says that described the film character, not him. He also never appreciated having his open sexuality defined by others.
Now sixty, Dallesandro speaks frankly to the camera, discussing his career, three marriages, and his long working relationship with Warhol and the Factory. The film also includes animation, plus cult-classic film clips and photos with plenty of nudity. — CHRISTOPHER KEECH
Text Voting Code: D323
Sponsor:
Yahoo! Inc.
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