ICA Cinematheque: Pink Narcissus

Pink Narcissus is a breathtaking and outrageous erotic poem focussing on the daydreams of a beautiful boy prostitute who, from the seclusion of his ultra-kitsch apartment, conceives a series of interlinked narcissistic fantasies populated by matadors, dancing boys, slaves and leather-clad bikers.

The film was shrouded in mystery following its 1971 release, its creator credited only as 'Anonymous' and falsely attributed to filmmakers including Kenneth Anger and Andy Warhol, before being rediscovered and revealed as the work of artist and photographer James Bidgood. It was shot in a haphazard, piecemeal fashion between 1964 and 1970 on 8mm, mainly in Bidgood's small apartment. Its cult status endures - as does adoration for its star - the gorgeous and enigmatic Bobby Kendall.