Episode 18: Fred Halsted's L.A. PLAYS ITSELF (1972)
Cruising the Movies · Ask Any Buddy
Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (traffic.libsyn.com) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.
Show Notes
This week on the podcast, we're finally taking a look at the film that set the gay world on fire: Fred Halsted's L.A. PLAYS ITSELF. Described by its creator as a sort of 'confessional yin-and-yang,' the film's highly controversial emphasis on sadomasochism and ambivalent tone drew as much condemnation as it did applause, making Halsted a legitimate gay icon virtually overnight.
Over the course of our discussion we'll dive into Halsted's backstory, the role that astrology had in the film's production, and its incendiary New York premiere.