简介： ItIsNottheHomosexualWhoIsPerverse,ButtheSocietyinWhichHeLives(NichtderHomosexuelleistpervers,sonderndieSituation,indererlebt)istheearnesttitleofRosavonPraunheim’s1971PG-chastefirstfeature,whichhasagedlikegoodcheesefromascandaloussensation(apoliticalwakeupcalltogays)intoatextbookexampleofclassiccamp—andadelightfultimewarptripthroughqueercliché.Theverycolorfulcolorfilm(shotMOS)openswithvonPraunheim’scameratrailingtwofags—oneblonde,onebrunette—,theshybrunette,isnewtothebigcityandblondeClemensisgenerouslyofferinghimaplacetostay.(WeknowthisbytheheavilyGerman-accentedEnglish,dubbedandspokenina“Sprockets”cadence.)“It’ssohardtofindsomeonewho’ssincere,”Clemens’voicesaysastheycuddleonhisbedbackattheapartment.“Ireallydigyou.”Then,fromoutofnowhere,agrave,German-accented,Moses-likevoiceoverexplainsthat“faggotslongforlovingrelationships”,but“liveinadreamworldofglossymagazinesandHollywoodmovies.”NownakedinbedwithDaniel,Clemensproclaims,“I’dliketothrowthewindowopenandshowthewholeworldhowwonderfulitiswhentwomenareinlove!”’heartsickTeutonicvoicenarratestheirnewfounddomesticbliss.“EveryhourandminuteIspentalonewastortureforme.”Luckily,thelovebirdsspendplentyoftimedoingthingslike“watchingtelevisiontofurtheroureducation”.“DearMother,”Daniel’,asClemensstaresintoacabinetchockfullofknickknacks,thatdamnnaggingMosesvoiceoverreturns.“Faggotstrytoimitatemiddleclassmarriage,”hehisses,holdingforthonthesubjectofmentaughttobeincompetitionwithoneanother,tobeself-involved—,Daniel’ssadvoicesighs,“Fourmonthshavepassed.I’vedecidedtoleaveClemens.”Thenajaunty,genialGermannarratorintones,“Danielwasoftencruisedbyawell-to-doman.”Andthere’sgirlfriendstrollingalongwiththetight-panted“benefactorathiscountryestate!”Astheystopforaglassofchampagnebesideastatue,Mosesabruptlythundersaboutthemyththatthehomosexual’s“interestintheartsisawaytomakelifemorebearable,”wheninreality“theartsareatoolfortherichandpowerful,”foritmakesit“mucheasiertogetthemintobed.”Cuttoapianoandawild-eyedfagsingingaboutDeutschland!Nearby,thebenefactorplayswithhisascot,,“Youthandgoodlooksaretremendouslyimportanttooldfags.”LikeHitchcock’sbirds,theelderlyMarysaresuddenlyswarmingoverpoorDaniel—’sofftoanoutdoorcafé—withabigsignreading“MobyDick’s.”ThegenialGermannarratorinformsthatDaniel’sfoundanewjobworkingata“meetingplaceforhomosexuals”where“conversationsaboutfilm,fashionandphysicalculturegivehimideasabouthowtofillhisleisuretime.”Mosesbuttsintoaddthatfaggots“gathertolistentoNinaSimone,JudyGarlandandBarbraStreisand”and“gatheratFireIslandandSanFrancisco.”Heintones,“Fashionhastobelikeasecondskinthatsuggeststhesizeofthecock.”,“Theyoungfagmustgiveuphisinterestsformorehomosexualinterests.”Andthere’sDanielsunninghimselfwithhisfellowhomosexuals!Mosessnipes,“Hewasentrancedbyhisstrongbodyandbutchstyle”asatorso,hairychestandtightbluejeans,,“Danielcouldsitforhoursandenjoybeingcruised.”Then:“WolfganghadalotincommonwithDaniel”asthetwomop-haired,—isbecomingaddicted!And,yup,there’sDaniel,,“It’seasyforfaggotstofindoneanotherbecausetheyofferthemselvesonstreetcornerslikewhores.”Cuttoaqueenhavingahissyfitinfrontofthebarasanothertriestocalmherdown,allwhileMosesholdsforthonsadfags,howtheydon’tknowhowtousetheirsexualfreedomforhappiness,howtheir“greatestenemyistheconspicuousqueen.”Twofairiesinshortshortsappearintheframe,,“Danielnowhasnootherinterestthanbeingafag.”Cuttoamotorcyclegang,’szippers,chains,andstuds—aclothedgropefestasMosesteachesthat,otherthan“trans-westites,[who]longforwomen’sorgans,leatherfreaksarethefagswiththemosthang-ups.”Infact,“Theleatherqueersarereallynice,politepeoplewhosufferfromtheirownweakness.”Andthat’swhenDaniel,“boredwithtalking,”fatefullyleavesthebarscenefortheparkwherehe“slowlymadehiswaythroughthetensechoreographyofmen.”(SosayethMoses.)Cuttooutsideapublicrestroom(a“well-knownmeetingplace”).Menwhocruiserestrooms“despisetearoomtrade,”—“usuallyrunawaysfrombrokenhomes”whoare“oftennotqueer”—frequentthesespots.(Assortedhustlersandfagsmillaboutasapieceofroughtradestandslikeasentinelinfrontofthedoor.)(duh!):adragqueensinginginamixedhomobar—’sDaniel!He’s“drowninghimselfinalcoholandcigarettes”whileotherfagstryto“forgetthemselvesinafranticatmosphere”—i.e.,ablackguyandawhiteguydoingachickendanceto“RockAroundTheClock”,,’swherevonPraunheim’sfilmfinallyreachesitsclimax—apsychotherapysessionwithagroupofnakedfags!Sittinginacircle,theyberateDanielintheirdubbedvoices.“You’vebecomearealfulltimefaggot!”“You’rebecomingneurotic,awhorewhodoesn’tevengetpaid!”TheTeutonicaccentsstartcallingforagayprideawakening,aconsciousness-raising“We’rehere,we’requeer!”movement.“Queensandbutcheshavetostopopposingandfighttogethersidebyside!”“Comeoutofthecloset!Taketothestreets!”“Eroticallyfree!Sociallyinvolved!”Thecommentarycontinuesevenasthecreditsrolloverapinkbackground—evenasIcan’tstoplaughingoverthe“trans-westites,”leatherfreaks,andglorioustearoomtrade.
