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One of the most aesthetically influential movies of the ‘80s, Paul Schrader’s American Gigolo sets a template for much of what we’re going to discuss this season: it’s about sex as a conduit for wealth, masks and double lives, and the role of danger in desire. Today we’ll talk about the sexual persona of Gigolo star Richard Gere in the early 1980s; the ways in which Gigolo and other films from 1980 (Dressed to Kill, Cruising) grapple with straight male anxiety over gay male visibility; and the tension between the promotion of sex-positivity for women and the anti-feminist backlash.
Richard Gere in American Gigolo 1980
SHOW NOTES:
Sources:
Film Reviews: American Gigolo, Variety, Jan 30, 1980
American Gigolo, Films in Review, March 1980, Vol 31 Iss 3
American Gigolo Review, by Arthur Knight, The Hollywood Reporter, 1980
Schrader Deep In 'Gigolo', Variety; Vol. 298, Iss. 4, Feb 27, 1980
Screen: 'American Gigolo,' a Southern California Melodrama: Gauging the Glitter By Vincent Canby, The New York Times, Feb 1, 1980
WET Magazine – Vol. 4, No. 4, Issue 22, Jan/Feb 1980
“The Male Idols” Newsweek, May 23,1983
GQ Magazine September 1979
Playgirl, June 1985
"Richard Gere: Stripped Down and Sexy" Rolling Stone, March 6, 1980
Schrader by Schrader & Other Writings, edited by Kevin Jackson
Easy Riders Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-And Rock 'N Roll Generation by Peter Biskind
The Rise of Richard Gere by Hollis Alpert. American Film, October 1979
On the Make with American Gigolo by Steven M. Silverman. American Film October 1979
As Hollywood Gigolo or Broadway Gay, Richard Gere Slouches Toward Stardom, People Magazine, April 7, 1980
Playboy Viewpoint: The New Puritans, Playboy, November 1980
Playboy Isn’t Playing: An Interview with Judith Bat-Ada
Travolta to leave the starring role of 'American Gigolo', The Hollywood Reporter, Vol. 255, Iss. 5, Jan 23, 1979
Stateside: All for the good of 'Gigolo' by Tony Crawly, Screen International Iss. 209, Sep 29, 1979
The Rise Of Richard Gere by Hollis Alpert, American Film Vol. 5, Iss. 1, Oct 1, 1979
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Production still on set of American Gigolo 1980) with Paul Schrader and Richard Gere | Photo Courtesy of The University of Texas at Austin
Music:
The music used in this episode, with the exception of the intro, was sourced from royalty-free music libraries and licensed music collections. The intro includes a clip from the film Casablanca.
Excerpts from the following songs were used throughout the episode:
"Rumoi Night" - Kokura Station
"Pxl Htra" - The Fence
"Even Dreams of Beaches" - Resolute
"The Killjoy Brothers" - Kittyhawk
"Pxl Eventuat" - The Fence
"Four Cluster" - Fornax
"Vik Fence Haflak" - The Fence
"Vengeful" - Warmbody
"Tower of Mirrors" - TinyTiny Trio
"Pxl Cray" - The Fence
"Ion Cruiser" - Kokura Station
"Pxl Deter" - The Fence
"Readers Do You Read" - Chris Zabriskie
Credits:
This episode was written, narrated, and produced by Karina Longworth.
Our editor this season is Evan Viola.
Research and production assistant: Lindsey D. Schoenholtz.
Social media assistant: Brendan Whalen.
Logo design: Teddy Blanks.