Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3086 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-03-09
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 140 minutes

Video Description
This long awaited compilation showcases ten incredible short films and documentaries that deal with all aspects of modern gay life, created by some of the hippest directors and hottest actors around.
Amongst all the gorgeous eye candy and hot encounters, these imaginative and challenging shorts tackle a wide range of contemporary topics - the pitfalls of online cruising, falling in love with your straight best friend, long distance lovers, growing old and gay gracefully - not to mention a fantastic mix of gay rodeos, sexually frustrated zombies and hunky Australian men in Speedos!
With over 2 hours worth of content and featuring some shorts which have never been shown in the UK before, `Boys on Film' is essential viewing and more importantly, contains something for everyone of every persuasion!

Synopsis
This collection of titillating short films includes SUMMER, GAY ZOMBIE, SERENE HUNTER, LE WEEKEND, COWBOY FOREVER, SCARRED,PACKLUNCH, MIRROR MIRROR and VGL HUNG.

Customer Reviews

Diverse collection of gay-themed shorts
An excellent collection of nine short films (longer than the usual fare; the running time is 147 minutes) from Peccadillo pictures. A diverse grouping of humour, poignancy and eroticism. The films comprise:-

* Summer (UK, 9 mins): Two late-teen males, good friends, are in a London park. They find themselves talking about blow-jobs, and one of the friends is nervously trying to pluck up the courage to speak his mind...
Perhaps the weakest short of the collection: while a valiant attempt to portray unrequited feelings for a best friend, the stage-school dialogue, and the fact that the characters are far too old to be engaged in such nervous revelations, undermine the authenticity of this usually engaging theme. (3 out of 5)

* Gay Zombie (US, 20 minutes): An superb, original short film. A West Hollywood zombie, Miles, is convinced by his therapist ('How's the flesh-eating coming along, Miles?') to try to resolve his uncertain desires. He visits a gay bar, and is treated as a freak by the patrons. He does meet two nice guys, who try to give him a make-over. But will his blood-hunger prove too much of an obstacle to forming a relationship? Excellent, bitingly satirical, portrayal of a 'gay community' which desires conformism more than anything. (4/5)

* Serene Hunter (France, 13 mins): Set in Paris, the 'hunter' of the title is a 30-something gay male who has a string of one-night stands. Content being free and unfettered by relationships, he happily moves from encounter to encounter. He then surprises himself by becoming involved in a more substantial relationship...but can the hunter within him be tamed? An honest portrayal, with some explicit action. (4/5)

* Le Weekend (UK, 14 mins): A 22-year-old French film student, Terry, visits London to make a film for his class. He meets a handsome male in Soho; the language barrier proves problematic, but the two end up sightseeing and hitting the bars. When Terry needs somewhere to stay for the night his new friend offers to share his bed with him. Only one dilemma - Terry identifies as straight, but if he discloses this, will he loose the offered roof? A strong film, shot primarily through hand-held camera, with an understated poignancy. (4/5)

* Cowboy Forever (Brazil, 27 minutes): set in the stunning landscape of Brazil; beautifully shot with a background of water, open plains and sunsets. The narrator, Govinda, is a ruggedly-handsome 20-something 'campiro' (cattle-herder), who has an empathy with the natural world. He narrates this quasi-documentary of the change wrought in his life by the arrival of a new cattle-hand, Jones. After a night in town together, Govinda begins to wrestle with his unexpected desire for his new friend - but the latter seems only interested in females. Moreover, how can Govinda reconcile the machismo of his outdoor life with his feelings for Jones? A compelling, well-produced short film, with original characters and great performances. (4/5)

* Scarred (UK, 10 mins): Another unusual short. An early 20s male has a significant scar on his face from a knife wound - and is fed up of the unwanted attention that it attracts. Will he find someone who can see past the scar? The answer may lie with an older, middle-aged architect, who seems to be the one person to whom the scar is invisible. But what is the architect's real interest...? Atmospheric and original. (4/5)

* Packed Lunch (Australia, 24 mins): A fairly explicit documentary on the affinity between gay-identified males and the Speedo. Interviews with the first maker of Speedos, collectors, swimmers, and DNA magazine. Plenty of 'packed lunches' on view...a must-see for those with the Speedo fetish...or just for an eyeful of handsome males and, in some cases, what lies beneath that nylon. (3/5)

* Mirror Mirror (Australia, 11 mins): An intense short film; simple in execution, highly moving in its message. An ageing, overweight male sits in front of his mirror, trying to say goodbye to his alter-ego, a once-glamorous drag queen. As he reluctantly throws out the wigs and make-up, she appears in the mirror and argues against her banishment ('You're nothing without me'). Simple but poignant, filled with loss and the ephemerality of youth.

* VGL-Hung! (UK, 20 mins): Terry, an unattractive 30-something male, feels out of place and unloved among the muscled, topless denizens of London gay clubs. Searching for a guy to hook-up with online, his 'fairy godmother' appears on his screen, giving him the opportunity to transform his looks. Terry adopts various physiques (courtesy of some Eurocreme models), and meets up with different guys...but will he now find what he's looking for? A very entertaining short, with a decent amount of pathos mixed in with the humour, although a rather predictable finish. (3/5)

Viewers may have seen some of these before in other collections ('Summer' appeared in Boy Crush [DVD]; 'Serene Hunter' and 'Scarred' are both in S Is for Sexy [DVD], and Cowboy Forever was featured in Not Gay [DVD]); nevertheless, there are a few here not previously released on DVD. Overall: a highly-diverse collection of mostly strong films, and a great addition to any collection. Recommended.

A Must Have Collection!
I had already pre-ordered the DVD before I heard about the launch event for BOYS ON FILM at the ICA in London, but decided to go anyway. In fact I didn't get time to watch the DVD before the screening so it was good to see a couple of films from this and the second volume on the big screen. They only screened two films from Volume One, SUMMER and VGL HUNG, the directors and cast members were also at the screening and answered questions afterwards and both films were great in very different ways;

Summer is about first love and that awkward moment when you try to tell someone that you love them for the first, although the kid in the film has an odd way of going about it. And VGL HUNG is all about the joys and pitfalls of internet "dating"! Two great films, both highly recommended.

But there are seven more films in this volume, which runs to 147 minutes in total and at less than ten quid here on Amazon is a real bargain. The images on the cover of the DVD are from the film COWBOY FOREVER, which is all about a gay cowboy in Brazil and the man that he loves, it's worth noting that in France you can buy COWBOY FOREVER just by itself for 19.99 while in Germany the film (again just by itself) is 9.99. It's also on a rather dull American compilation, but BOYS ON FILM is by far the best deal because its full of good films and not just a couple of good titles surrounded by fillers.

The remaining films on the comp are covered in other reviews here, so I don't need to add to the praise, but at the ICA they played two films from Volume Two and I can't wait to get them on DVD! An insane American comedy called Kali Ma and the deliciously chilling COWBOY (yes another Cowboy film) from Germany - this won the IRIS PRIZE in Cardiff last year and is better than almost every feature film that I've seen this year. I've no idea what other films are going to be on BOYS ON FILM Volume Two, but I'd buy it just for the two that I saw at that screening.

this is going to be a great collection of shorts
I have seen Cowboy Forever, Summer, Le Weekend, Scarred and Gay Zombie in various film festivals and totally enjoyed every one of them. If I am not mistaken, this is going to be UK's first gay short films collection on DVD. I am really looking forward to get it on release date to view the rest. Cowboy Forever, Summer and Gay Zombie alone are worth 5 stars. I am sure the rest will be equally fantastic.
Summer is about a teenager coming out to his best mate, confused and wanting to give him a kiss at the same time.
Gay Zombie, well the title says it all. A gay zombie was kicked out by other zombie because of his sexuality but a 'normal' gay couple took him in, gave him refuge and what a gay zombie regularly needs.
Cowboy Forever, not just cowboys but Brazilian latino cowboys. If I remember correctly it was the guy on the DVD cover, with the belt buckle, who wants to get closer to his best friend - something more than just riding and swimming during their spare time. At night, all alone in bed, his imagination starts to run wild with desire - it was pretty hot.
I have a feeling this first volume and subsequent ones to follow are going to be great.