Man of the Year dvd movie.|
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List Price: $14.98 Features • Color • DVD-Video • NTSC In Theaters : 15 March, 1996 DVD Release : 23 February, 1999 |
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Man of the Year description This "mocumentary" by Dirk Shafer, an actor-model turned filmmaker, is a witty and articulate blend of fact and fiction surrounding his 1992 reign as Playgirl magazine's Centerfold of the Year. He amusingly blurs the line between fact and satire by mixing badly shot black-and-white scenes with more sleekly produced color interviews and documentary footage. Shafer smartly keeps the fluff to a manageable level by balancing all that facetious humor with a sweetly mysterious undertone. However, this is very much a vanity affair, so expect a high level of self-indulgence as Shafer tells us more about himself than we really care to know. --Rochelle O'Gorman |
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| ♥♥♥♥♥ | What a Film, What a Man |
| "MAN OF THE YEAR"
Quite a Film, Quite a Man Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride One of the more interesting documentaries to come out of gay filmmaking is "Man of the Year" which was released in 1995. It is a look at the "Playgirl" centerfold, Dirk Shafer, who was elected "Man of the Year" in 1992, who kept the fact that he is a gay man a secret from the magazine. He was the object of many interviews and had to have a woman in tow so as to appear to be whom "Playgirl" readers though the was. This caused a great deal of stress both on him and on his lover who lived with him and others pressured him to confess that he is indeed gay. The movie is a fascinating look at magazine publishing and the perils of living a double life. Shafer appeared on every talk show and when the news broke that he was gay, it sent ripples through the publishing world. His really was no big deal because as we well know, the majority of men who have posed nude for "Playgirl" are gay men and in many cases gay porn stars. When Shafer decided to make this documentary, he also decided that he would write and direct it and he has done a good job. In actuality it is not so much a documentary but a "mockumentary'---it resembles a true film but the cast is made up of actors hired to play parts. Therefore the film is basically fiction, albeit, based on fact. Shafer has a great sense of humor and the movie is humorous and gay men will find it exceptionally funny and cute. I was amused the entire time I watched it, especially when the issue of being "Man of the Year" is discussed. He is labeled as the "ideal man for every woman" while we know what we know about him. However, Shafer did not think it was funny and he finds himself living a double life he had never intended to have. He was forces to take extra care when appearing on talk shows because one slip up would have cost him his fame. At the same time, women and the gay community sense that he is gay and are determined to out him. There are times during the film that I felt I was watching not much more than a long interview but it was the best interview that I have ever seen. Shafer brought us his problems beautifully and even though he won a title dishonestly, I could not help but sympathize with him for making a bed that he was having trouble sleeping in. The part of the movie about exposure to AIDS and death is very moving and it really hit hard. It is good to see that someone is concerned about making a mistake that can cost a life. The film is an entertaining look inside a year in the life of Dirk Shafer. His angst of being a gay man wearing a straight title is sincere and you can feel the pain he feels for having to live a lie. This is not a deep movie that will make you think so if you are looking to have your mind provoked, this is not the movie for you. It is a movie to be enjoyed for what it is, with its subtle intelligent humor and sometimes touching interludes, it is just plain fun. |
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