Pink Narcissus

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Pink Narcissus is a 1971 film by James Bidgood visualizing the erotic fantasies of a gay man.

Between visits from his clients, a handsome male prostitute (Bobby Kendall), alone in his apartment, masturbates fantasizing about worlds where he is the central character. For example, he pictures himself as a matador, a Roman slave boy and Narcissus, the boy from Greek mythology that was so attractive that even nature itself (in the form of nymphs) fell in love with him.

The movie is mostly shot on 8 mm film with bright, otherworldly lighting. It was produced in its entirety (including outdoor scenes) in Bidgood's small New York apartment over a seven year (from 1963 to 1970) period and ultimately released without the director's consent who therefore had himself credited as Anonymous.

It was not widely known who had created the movie, rumors went around that behind the film was Andy Warhol , until 1999, when a book by Taschen was published about Bidgood's body of photographic and filmic work.

Bidgood's unmistakable kitschy style has later been imitated and refined by artists such as Pierre et Gilles.