Tuesday, December 03, 2019

'All Man: The International Male Movie' Is Coming Soon

UPDATE: May 11, 2023


"All Man: The International Male Story" will finally be available to watch at home on June 6 on the usual platforms! 


There's not a gay man of a certain age whose, um, blossoming wasn't fertilized by the International Male catalog, whose hunky models showcased clothes that were somehow even more revealing than they were ridiculous. (That's saying a lot when the company was selling macrame blouses for men.) If I wasn't locked in my childhood bathroom spending some alone time with Brian Buzzini, I was in my bedroom fueling my curly-blond fetish (blame Christopher Atkins -- or was it Johnny Davenport?) with Steve Lyon, to whom I later got THIS CLOSE..

And I can still remember the thrill of visiting the catalog's store on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, expecting one of my fantasies to come to life. But like all wonderful things from our youth, it couldn't last forever. International Male and its even sluttier little brother, Undergear, shut down their mesh factories in 2015, yet another victim of readily available porn on the internet. (I'm sure the generation before mine is still mourning the Ah Men catalog!)



Brian Buzzini 



Steve Lyon

Now comes word that the catalog that launched a thousand wet dreams is about to be celebrated with the documentary "All Man: The International Male Movie," co-directors Bryan Darling and Jesse Finley Reed's love letter to the sexiest and gayest catalog of all time!

With Carson Kressley, Jake Shears, David Knight, Robert Goold and THE Brian Buzzini and Steve Lyon, the story behind the iconic fashion catalog that transformed the "All-American Boy," changing fashion, masculinity and gay rights forever will finally be told.


"Extra" was on the case!


SYNOPSIS / DESCRIPTION: More than outrageous fashions, hunky models and scandalous undies, "All Man" is a journey across three decades of the International Male catalog's lasting impact on fashion, masculinity and gay rights.

With revenues at its peak of $120 million and circulation of over 3 million, the catalog successfully appealed to both gay and straight audiences. For gay men, the images of sensually dressed men were a gateway into a fantasy world providing an escape from the AIDS crisis and widespread
homophobia. For straight men and their female admirers, the catalog gave permission to take fashion risks and enjoy a more carefree expression of sexuality without threatening their masculinity and sexual appeal.

"All Man: The International Male Movie" is designed as a tribute to the catalog’s unique aesthetic and cultural relevance. The film mixes exclusive never-seen-before photographs and videos, interviews with super fans and celebrities, and creative re-enactments of the infamous photo shoots, and more!

Produced by Jesse Finley Reed and Bryan Darling


You can donate to the project HERE.

And get the latest updates on Facebook HERE and Instagram HERE.

P.S.


After I published this I remembered a story from my time in L.A. that always stuck with me. My then-friend Marc -- long before he became an insufferable Bernie Bro -- had a neighbor who was a model who did work for International Male. At some point a gay friend of Marc's asked if he could get an introduction, because this guy thought he too should pursue modeling. Marc's friend asked the model what advice he had for him to which Mr. Model replied: "Well, you need to get a body first."(!) It stung, but it's advice I wish my then 24-year-old self had taken to heart. As Karen's newly out nephew (Barry) discovered on the two-part "Fagmalion" episode of "Will & Grace" as Will and Jack tried to help him navigate life as a gay man: "All you guys care care about are handsome faces and hot bodies" to which Jack replied: "Just bodies." Truer words were never spoken -- and no, the "friend" is not me!!

12 comments:

Rix said...

The sales at the warehouse on Midway across from the big post office.

They were great and had clothes I could fit my then 28" waist into with out swimming.

Second jobs at Christmas taking orders. The party at the conclusion of the contract...

Jack said...

I used to LOVE IM and Undergear! i WILL BE FIRST IN LINE WHEN THE MOVIE COMES OUT.

1426ri said...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWR4orGjpEY

Kenneth M. Walsh said...

@1426ri: Thanks — just added!

Frank said...

Used to be "soft porn" back in the day.

Anonymous said...

Anyone remember Shemar Moore from here? I do.

jaragon said...

The magazine was very inspirational ;)

Male Call said...

Anyone remember Shemar Moore from here? I do.

AMFAN said...

Brian Buzzini is still around...

https://www.facebook.com/brian.buzzini

pickles said...

I knew a guy who styled underwear shoots in the 80s and 90s. He said, to dumb down any details of the peen, (this was before photoshop) a slice of white bread, with the crust removed was put between the fabric and the model's dong. I have one issue of IM where he definitely wasn't present with his evil, dick-disguising technique and all that beautiful detail was in full glory. I did not complain to managment.

Emma P. said...

San Diego representin'!! Loved that store, right behind Aaron Brothers' Art Mart!

Jack said...

I still have a few of their (more understated) shirts and a pair of suede jeans from IM in my closet that I can't bear to get rid of. I really need to do some clearing out.