Monday, April 2, 2012
Rent Boys
Rent Boys is a documentary directed Rosa Van Praunheim and a particularly complicated film to digest. It introduces its viewers to the often dark lives of "Rent Boys" boys that hustle or sell their bodies. The film begins with the "Zoo" and other rent boy spots around West Berlin, but then makes its way into Romania attempting to explore the complex relationship that seems to exist between the sex trade immigrant poverty. There is no doubt that this film keeps with Van Praunheim's theme of gay rights, especially AIDS awareness, but it also falls in some ways into doubt as a form of exploitation. The work of activists is featured, but to a degree it can be said that he pursues the drama of individual characters as well as presents shocking scenes that could very well alienate a large portion of the viewer demographic. This feature is counter intuitive to the idea of documentary for awareness. However towards the end of the film the stories told, work create a extensive view of that life is like and exactly what elements are at work that keep "hustling" alive in todays society.
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Contrary to what you are saying here, I saw Rent Boys as extremely depoliticized. It isn't really about stopping prostitution--Van Praunheim doesn't even characterize it as a bad practice, necessarily. Arguably it is legitimized as a way for Romani men and boys to earn money in Berlin. While sexual abuse of minors is obviously never a good thing, many of the men portrayed in this film do not have inherently bad outlooks on hustling--in fact, many seem to see it as an inevitable way of earning a decent living. I think the aim of the film was more to illustrate this part of life in Berlin rather than take a stand against hustling.
ReplyDeleteI can see where both you are coming from. Neil, when you say shocking scenes that could alienate, which are you referring to? Perhaps the section with that masked German and his bizarre photographs is one. I agree that that may have been a little shocking. However, whereas you say that alienating viewers is counter intuitive to the awareness raising purpose of documentaries, I'm inclined to suggest that shock value and awareness go hand in hand. Even if viewers react negatively to something on screen, they are still reacting, still absorbing. While they may be at first upset with what they see, I'm willing to wager that these scenes make a lasting impression on viewers, In that manner, when they ponder these scenes later on, they will be led to deeper ruminations on the entire subject of the documentary.
ReplyDeleteBasically, what I'm trying to say is that, regardless of what you're referring to here, the shock value of scenes can be used as a tool to jolt people out of their inert state. As for my thoughts on the entire documentary, I thought it helped illustrate the socio-economic, as well as individual motives behind prostitution in Berlin quite well, while giving an additional historical frame through which to view its rise. The personal stories used as a window into the hustling lifestyle, mixed with the larger issues of immigration, abuse, disease, and poverty was also effective.
I thought this film was very effective in creating awareness. I, personally, was unaware (perhaps I'm naive) of the hustling scene in Berlin. I agree with Daphne that those scenes were not alienating, but shocking enough to create awareness. However, I saw, like Kuznair did in "Nicht der Homosexuelle", one aspect of alienation. I felt that the portrayal of homosexuality in the film is quite strange. Homosexuality is only portrayed as an act of financial desperation (as for the immigrant population), or a lavish, over-the-top desire for passionate love of younger men(as it is for the obese man). I don't believe the film is at all responsible for the portrayal of "normal" or "healthy" love relationships between men; however, we do see two examples of "normal" relationships between a man and a woman. Why is it that the film fails to discuss the other, more common side of homosexuality - the existence of romantic relationships between men that do NOT involve payment. I did not necessarily feel alienated as an audience member, but I do feel the movie alienated certain aspects of homosexuality that could have easily been addressed.
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