Paradisco

"Paradisco" is a welcome tonic to the "sex = death" neo-prudery that passes for gay sexuality today.

Francois (the handsome veteran French theater and film actor Jerome Pradon) has picked up a young stud, Nicolas (cute as a button newcomer Nicolas Larzul). The next morning, Francois' effeminate American friend (the almost unrecognizable Anthony Rapp ["Adventures in Babysitting," "Dazed and Confused," "Road Trip," "Cruise Control," "A Beautiful Mind"]) shows up and dishes over the delectable stud. "Skilled, long-lasting and eminently flexible" is the conclusion Francois draws.

But the stud is awake, and has overheard. Although not upset by the discussion of his sexual skills, Nicolas is dismissive of Francois' friend. He also notices that Francois is moving; Francois admits that it is time to move on. Although he's had some great disco parties in the house, it is time to let the past go. Nicolas chides Francois gently for his affection for disco music. But Francois tells Nicolas that the era of disco was special. Nicolas says that Francois is "old," but still looks wonderful despite his age. Francois tells Nicolas that back in the late 1970s, he looked even better... and back in time the two go, to New Year's Eve, 1979.

Francois' home is full of party-goers, dancing to disco music. But one by one, Francois points out all the friends who have died. It's sobering. Nicolas is appalled, and looks as if he is about to tell Francois that they should have known better. But Francois points out the people who have survived, too -- including the now-much-younger, handsome, sexy American who Nicolas had been so dismissive of a short time ago. As the dancers dance, they sing a song celebrating disco. It's a revolution, a way of expressing yourself, a way of being free, a way of finding yourself. New families are created on the dance floor, new ways of being and seeing and loving. Nicolas becomes enthralled.

Francois takes Nicolas to the bedroom, where they listen as Francois' best friend has sex behind the closed door. The song continues, with the dancers blissfully unaware of the epidemic of death and hatred that will cut most of them down in the next few years.

Finally, Nicolas asks to see this best friend. Francois gestures to the landing -- where we see that the best friend looks just like Nicolas. And then the dream ends. The startling similarity between the now-dead best friend and Nicolas has jerked Francois and Nicolas back to reality. His judgmentalism about sex, age, disco and free love washed away by the trip through time, Nicolas tells Francois that he very much wants to see him again. As Francois looks over his collection of disco memorabilia and memories, the film ends.

In some ways, "Paradisco" is probably one of the first post-AIDS films. It takes the "Austin Powers" approach to the era of free love: It was all about choices, baby. If we'd known what was coming, we'd have been more responsible; after all, it was all about choices.

That defense of the era of free love is not very convincing, for judgmental moralist would simply respond, "But I told you so." But in its way, "Paradisco" at least fumbles for a defense; many others have simply not tried, or actively condemned the era of free-love as being irresponsible, destructive and all about treating people as flesh-holes for sex rather than as individuals.

In regard to this final critique, "Paradisco" vociferously denies that the free-love era was in any way dehumanizing. To the contrary, it enabled people to find love, companionship and a sense of belonging without the constant cruising, tricking and hooking up that characterize the new millennium -- or which characterize the way Francois and Nicolas met. Indeed, the American's comments about Nicolas are more humiliating and regressive than anything which would ever have been uttered on the disco floor.

And that is perhaps the really terrific thing about "Paradisco": The film has so much to offer audiences, but it does so through song, performance, characterization, behavior and setting than it does through preachy dialogue. The film's effectiveness comes through only after you've thought and felt about it for a while, not because a character says so.

To me, that's the sign of good film-making.

As forty year old François reminisces to Nicolas, a 20 year old who's just stayed the night with him, about parties that he used to share with his friends, present and past magically emerge them back to a party at the turn of the 80's, they see his friends but they obviously don't see them. François remembers all their hopes and dreams at those times and he realises how many of these friends are no longer with him. The party is fun and energetic which gives him many nostalgic feelings about his lost friends, but he enjoys showing his past to his new young lover.

It may sound melancholic, but it is in fact quite humorous in places, very tender and optimistic. It's just 18 mins long but envelops many emotions into its short time frame. As the two lovers depart towards the end, that single kiss that they share leaves you with the feeling that François, has hopefully found in his lover a new chapter in his own life. The melodic tune, which is played throughout the short film is extremely memorable, and I'll bet you're humming along after you've watched the story!

The musical is very well acted and directed and a credit to French short film-making -it's also the first of it's kind on DVD, I believe. I'd now love to see a feature length film by Stephane Ly-Cuong. The DVD has the added advantage of coming with English sub-titles, so there is no need to understand the French Language to fully appreciate it. Many bonus features are also contained within the DVD, with some fabulous behind the scenes footage.

I saw Paradisco just once, last summer at the LGBT Film Festival in San Francisco. Three quick observations: First, it awakened in me a great nostalgia for the 1970s, of which I saw (or lived through) 5 years.

Second, it reflected on death and change in a way that was neither overly morose nor sugarcoated; what is fun in Paradicso is fun and joyous, and not judged in any way as being excessive, foolish, or dangerous. From that standpoint, there was a sense of innocence on the eve of the AIDS crisis, yet it was neither retrospectively judgmental nor naive. The feeling of moving on, both explicit and implied, was explored in a way that would make this film appropriate for some who are grieving or working through some other kind of loss.

Third, no matter the official intent, I read the two main characters, in their morning-after reminiscence, to be the same man, something of a before and after the party that was 20 years of one man's life.

Only the French can make something as dear as this little musical.

This is a gem of a mini movie musical. Despite its short running time of 18 minutes, Stéphane Ly-Cuong, has managed to pack the movie with more fun and emotion than many directors achieve in full length features.

Without giving away the plot (and there definitely is one), the story concerns two gay men, one young, one older. It's the morning after a one night stand. During their conversation the older man transports them both back to a New Year's Eve party in 1979, at the height of the Disco craze. This sets the scene for a frenetic Disco musical number which is the focal point of the movie.

The film is touching, joyous, poignant, exhilarating and an absolute delight to watch. It is beautifully acted and well directed with some excellent, stylistic editing during the Disco number.

I only hope that the film (currently only available on PAL DVD) will be released in North America in NTSC format so it can reach a wider audience. The DVD also includes Ly-Cuong's earlier short film, "La Jeune Fille et la Tortue," a charming fable.

Hopefully this film will ultimately lead to a feature length film for Ly-Cuong. We haven't had a good, original French movie musical for a very long time, and Ly-Cuong could be just the director to rectify that.