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Hugh hefner's after dark: speaking out in america

Posted by beach cruiser on March 25, 2019 at 18:22:06:
This is a very good documentary, as good as they come,

but distribution is only in film festivals or special screenings for now, so good luck. Keep an eye out for this one, if it comes to your area.

Hefer had two TV shows, in the late fifties and late sixties,. this documentary tells the story well. Very timely today, repression of thought is still as popular today as it was back then, when playboy was a controversial cultural touchstone., pushing for change, by example,in this case.

This movie is an out growth of a previous documentary about hugh hefner. When the team noticed the response of young people to the musical clips in the hefner documentary they decided to capitalize on that response, and document the televised playboy variety shows.

This film is the successful culmination of that idea.

The first shows, featuring folk and jazz performances, failed. It was syndicated, expensive, and no southern stations bought the show, creating financial problems early. It had races mixing and performing together. Instead of the usual desk and couch interview show, this was set as a party, where the famous people who happened to be there performed , or had a conversation, among high style friends, beautiful people at play.

Personally I enjoyed lambert hendrciks and ross singing, later joined by joe willams with basie on the piano, followed by comments by annie ross, in a typical documentary format but hardly a typical entertainment.

I say typical in that it has modern day interviews explaining what was in the old clips, but not typical, in that the people in the clips do the explaining of the history.

The film starts with a glimpse of another time ,the late fifties, illustrated with musical performances from the show, using highlights selected from years of work on the footage, with great sound.

Because of the age, one would expect kinescope video and that kind of mess, but the television show was all shot on 35 mm film in black and white. I couldn't ask for more.

The second show is in color and takes up the majority of the documentary. Still focused on jazz, rock and folk, rock is more central in the hippie days.

it again places the show in context , what it was among a time of great social change. It was still expensive to get that kind of talent on film, and controversial , lasting just two seasons. Camera, sound and lighting are always very good in the selected clips.

What really makes the film outstanding is the time it takes with the scenes it sets, no quick cuts, scenes are considered and presented as worthwhile in explaining the show.

Hefner is featured often, but only in service to explain scenes or his thinking about the show and society in relation to the show. I kept expecting the show would swing more towards him, but it never did, a tribute to the craft of how interesting the show was, while staying on the central theme.

If you like live music, you will like this show. It is not a string of video clips, rather highlights long enough to get the point of the performance across, in service only of the documentary. It uses the music, dance , interviews and comedy performances to entertain, while also illustrating the central theme, and how it played in the context of the times.

It ends with the clara ward singers, cut in a box, as the credits roll beside them ,just tearing the place up with the sprit, when a big gal in a sparkly blue church dress, suddenly lets go with an incredible joy dance while singing with the group. How she managed that expression in fashionably thin sixties style high heels, the lord must have helped. It capped off the show well, a singing and dancing gospel finale , singular in its art, typical of the fine show and film about it.