''Bijou'' is an 1972 American gay pornographic film directed and edited by
Wakefield Poole
Walter Wakefield Poole III (February 24, 1936 – October 27, 2021) was an American dancer, choreographer, theatrical director, and pioneering film director in the gay pornography industry during the 1970s and 1980s.
and starring Bill Harrison as a construction worker who witnesses a car accident and discovers an invitation to a club called Bijou in the purse of the victim.
Production
Using some of the proceeds from his debut film ''
Boys in the Sand
''Boys in the Sand'' is a landmark American gay pornographic film, released early in the Golden Age of Porn. The 1971 film was directed by Wakefield Poole and stars Casey Donovan.Beaulieu
16 mm
16 mm film is a historically popular and economical gauge of film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about inch); other common film gauges include 8 and 35 mm. It is generally used for non-theatrical (e.g., industrial, edu ...
camera for $10,000. Poole recorded
screen test
A screen test is a method of determining the suitability of an actor or actress for performing on film or in a particular role. The performer is generally given a scene, or selected lines and actions, and instructed to perform in front of a came ...
s of each actor he wanted to use, and had each of them "seduce the camera", undress, and masturbate to climax.
Poole shot the film over four days at his apartment. The interiors of the Bijou club were filmed in his living room; the crew covered the walls and floors with black felt and built a platform in the center of the room that was covered with black velvet. Poole edited the film over the summer of 1972.
Release
Poole first screened ''Bijou'' during a weekend in August 1972. The film opened in October, with a 24-week run at the
55th Street Playhouse
The 55th Street Playhouse—periodically referred to as the 55th Street Cinema and Europa Theatre—was a 253-seat movie house at 154 West 55th Street, Midtown Manhattan, New York City, that opened on May 20, 1927. Many classic art and foreign ...
.
Critical reception
A contemporary review in ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' called the film "part ersatz
Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...
, part raunchy
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
".
Al Goldstein
Alvin "Al" Goldstein (January 10, 1936December 19, 2013) was an American pornographer. He is known for helping normalize hardcore pornography in the United States.
Background
Goldstein was born in Williamsburg, Brooklyn to a Jewish family. He ...
, editor of ''
Screw
A screw and a bolt (see '' Differentiation between bolt and screw'' below) are similar types of fastener typically made of metal and characterized by a helical ridge, called a ''male thread'' (external thread). Screws and bolts are used to fa ...
'', praised the film's "sophisticated direction, magnificent photography and editing". ''Bijou'' was named "Best Picture of 1972" by ''Screw'', though it shared the honor with the film '' Deep Throat''. According to Poole, Goldstein considered ''Bijou'' to be superior to ''Deep Throat'', but did not want to "honor faggotry over heterosexuality".
When asked by ''
Women's Wear Daily
''Women's Wear Daily'' (also known as ''WWD'') is a fashion-industry trade journal often referred to as the "Bible of fashion".Horyn, Cathy"Breaking Fashion News With a Provocative Edge" ''The New York Times''. (August 20, 1999). It provides infor ...
'' what his favorite thing he did on his visit to New York was, French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent answered, "Seeing ''Bijou''".
Home media
In May 2014, the film was released on
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...
by
Vinegar Syndrome
Cellulose acetate film, or safety film, is used in photography as a base material for photographic emulsions. It was introduced in the early 20th century by film manufacturers and intended as a safe film base replacement for unstable and highly ...