Program Note
The legitimation of hardcore pornography, along with the advent Deep Throat (1972), brought a significant shift in public attitudes towards screen sex, ushering in the so-called Porno Chic era. Pornography, previously stigmatized as obscene and plagued by illegal screenings and tax evasion, now became a legitimate form of popular cultural consumption. In this context, Andy Milligan's Fleshpot on 42nd Street tells the story of people living day-to-day by their bodies in New York City's Times Square, a haven for prostitution, free love, and exploitation cinema. After breaking up with her boyfriend, Dusty moves in with her friend, Cherry the drag queen, and turns to sex work to make ends meet. She meets Bob at a bar, feels a connection, and they start dating. Torn between her underground life and the possibility of a stable relationship with Bob, what choice will she make? While it might seem like an X-rated version of Pretty Woman (1990), the film showcases a unique blend of 70s American independent film aesthetics and sexploitation through cinéma vérité style and detailed character studies heavily influenced by Andy Warhol. (Jin PARK)