nycruise-1 This is the epitome of the "experimental" genre.Very often, films like this are simply created at the whim of the director and producer - neither of whom really know what the outcome will be.These kinds of films usually are exercises in self-indulgence."Flesh" is no different. It's just that a lot of Andy and Paul do with Joe (and I'm sure that many of the scenes were realized fantasies of Andy's about Joe).Is this is a good movie? a bad movie? The answer is neither - it exists to be viewed by the people who are familiar with this genre.

raymond-15 Snap, crackle, pop! The jarring sound of every change in camera angle. And that's not to mention the white flashes and the clipped endings to almost every spoken sentence. What on earth were they up to in the editing room? Or could it be that this approach was intentional? Surely not. What purpose could it serve? Despite all its technical short-comings, this is an interesting film depicting a day in the life of Joe, a hustler, determined to earn $200 for his wife's pregnant girl friend. Joe Dallesandro is outstanding as the easy-going, passive, laid-back young man who is willing to let the other person do most of the talking while he listens with a faraway look in his eyes.The story is meagre and sketchy, documenting the uncertain life led by a man who relies on casual street sex to support his young wife and baby. One thing is certain, Joe is uninhibited when it comes to disrobing for sex or posing for an artist. Understandably so, for he has a handsome face and and equally handsome body.There is a scene in the film that is remarkably effective. There is no sound, no dialogue. Joe stark naked is crouching on the floor feeding crumbs of cake to his little baby. There is a beautiful serenity and tenderness captured in these quiet moments.Another scene of amusing interest is the one in which Joe desperately seeks a loan of $100 from a gym friend, coming to the point of asking in a very circuitous approach.Joe tries to look interested but is hesitant in his conversation when an artist gives him a non-stop resume of Greek and Roman art. It's a preliminary to another occasion when Joe divests himself of his clothes and poses as the discus thrower in true classical style.At the end of the film we gain the impression that we have got to know Joe pretty well. After all he has uncovered more than his soul.

Mattydee74 It seems inhumane to describe someone as a work of art but in the WarholArt Sphere there seems little other way to describe Joe Dallesandro in"Flesh". His body is displayed constantly in the nude, more consistentlynaked than any other actor I can think of in American film history.Warhol/Morrissey (the authorship of the movie remains contentious thoughMorrisey is the credited director, the film rides under the "AndyWarhol's" banner) objectify and expose every part of Dallesandro'shustler in the film. He was truly the first sex symbol of the 70s. Itwas only in "Flesh" he was so un-self-conscious and innocent thoughalways with survivalist and self-serving cunning. Joe (the character) is an interesting kafka-esque (unable to control the world around oneself,prone to the ebb and flow of circumstance and external control) figurein the midst of a collage of underground culture figures of the 60s fromdrag artistes to quivering tricks. Its a high camp affair at times butMorrissey has a loving camera when it comes to Joe. Joe's beauty isvividly captured and the fly-on-the-wall style story of a day in hislife remains engaging a

JAGUAR-5 Although there is very little plot and whatever exists is just all improvisational, still it was a good start from a new director with no previous financial back up and also a smart move from Andy Warhol to make his cimematic productions more marketable and viewer-friendly. In any case this story of a street hustler relies too much on showing Joe buck naked (almost all the time!). And the creative use of a flashy editing really wears off after the hundredth time and the cutting off the dialog thing gets really annoying half-way. This would have been a much more entertaining or even dramatic if they made a documentary of the daily of an actual male prostitute or hustler, instead of letting the actors make up some nonesensical plot and dialog of their own.