I was sure I must’ve posted pics, or a clip from Arch Brown‘s 1978 film, Pier Groups. But, alas, it appears I have not. So here is a preview/promo I stumbled upon while, of course, looking for something else.
Starring: Keith Anthoni, Alan Miles (Keith’s lover), Johnny Kovaks (Joe, the contractor), Rose Tattu; Pier Men – Victor Houston, Sven Jensen, Niles Long, Michael Penn, Ryder, Tone Stalione, Josef Tempesta
The cast list above is from the film itself, and the model “Niles Long” is NOT Myles Longue – some confusion happened some years back as the PM Productions packaging listed “Miles Long” – and at some point others thought they just misspelled Myles Longue (AKA Ed WIley) who was in fact in a Target film called Pier Pals which added to the confusion. You’ll see the same thing when you scroll down to the 2000’s VHS packaging as well.
My memory is that there is plenty of Pink Floyd, and some other late 70’s tunes (like Elton John) on the soundtrack. The tune for this preview is Cleanup Time, by Lewis Furey – not sure if that is also in the film.
Back when I sold a VHS copy in 2006, here is the beginning of my description: ” Keith Anthoni and his lover (Alan Miles) wake up and have morning sex. Meanwhile, Johnny Kovaks wakes up in bed with his wife, and gets a call from work – telling him to go to the West Side Piers to work up a demolition bid for the City. Anthoni has an unexpected day off – and passses neighbor Kovacs in the hall as he heads off to – those same notorious WEST SIDE PIERS! It’s fun to watch Kovacs work – measuring, jotting notes, non-chalantly moving past writhing bodies, in his construction outfit, as various clones eye him and realize he’s not there for sex like everyone else.” Of course, what I left out was that you might be disappointed with the ending – Johnny never engages with the other men, and in fact, each man arrives back at their apartment building at the same time, and Keith longingly looks at Johnny as he …. greets his wife! Arrrgggghhh!
previously: Pier Groups on BJland
6 replies on “Pier Groups”
Many years ago, I used to think that Arch Brown was a Joe Gage alias because films like “New York Men” reminded me of Joe Gage films. Also, I think on one of my first gay porn video store outings, one when I found my first treasure trove of awesome retro porn, I got HANDsome and New York Men in the same batch. What a great day that was.
I know better now, but I was just a newborn gay porn enthusiast back then.
I think I was further confused by the fact that Joe Gage did use an alias for a time.
OK, so that’s my story that has nothing to do with this post.
Great post though. Hot clip!
Wanted to leave a comment on this post because I just watched the film and had a few notes I jotted down, that I thought you would appreciate.
First of all this art site has an interesting post about the piers and some cuttings done to them before they were torn down by an artist, to allow light through at dawn and dusk. And a more recent temporary structure placed in the water where they stood. It even mentions the film by name:
https://artreview.com/the-invisible-histories-of-days-end-david-hammons-gordon-matta-clark/
Second is the music, I just watched this recently and was able to i.d. five of the songs. But there were some unknown ones I couldn’t figure out, possibly including Pink Floyd (who I’m working on a post about how many gay films stole their music) but anyway, you were right about an Elton John being in the soundtrack. And the song from the preview is heard too:
* the beach boys – only with you [13.40-16.00]
* procol harum – a salty dog [41.15-45.35]
* elton john – boogie pilgrim [45.45-52.30]
* lewis furey – cleanup time [53.00-55.33] (preview)
* procol harum – the milk of human kindness [56.12-59.38]
I don’t capitalize my notes, and the times are off by about 13 minutes from the actual film since the clip I found starts with a block of previews at the beginning. So subtract 13:05 from each of those times to match it up with when it starts, the Beach Boys song is right at the start.
Most of what I couldn’t figure out was instrumental (so maybe Pink Floyd here?) but a few had lyrics, like songs with possible titles like In a Little Room or Misty Morning Rain. Maybe if you or someone ever shazam this you’d be able to expand what I got started.
Finally there are a few reviews on that letterboxd site where some of your commenters have left their summaries, that link is here:
https://letterboxd.com/film/pier-groups/
It is too bad that Johnny Kovacs doesn’t do anything more than observe Keith taking on every dick he saw, but in a way it frames the movie by having Johnny as a silent and unavailable spectator. I may review this one someday but I’d have to find a clip on a better site, the one I watched is blacklisted by reddit so I wouldn’t be able to link to it. And I did find it on boyfriend-tv but it requires being logged in to view it.
Add into the list of known (or assumed) songs:
* pink floyd – one of these days [33.40-38.45]
yes! and so bizarre of a choice if you listen to the lyrics!
Like Careful With that Axe Eugene in the alley scene with Jack Wrangler and Richard Locke
oh, another post with clip with Pink Floyd’s Careful With that Axe Eugene – Shine On You Crazy Wrangler
I did a Pink Floyd post after all, link below. And already filled in a few previous gaps thanks to some of the comments, including where One Of These Days is heard in Pier Groups. Along with Gemini, two more porn movies with Careful With That Ax Eugene playing are The Destroying Angel (that’s what somebody just told me) and Four More Than Money, and likely more that we don’t know about yet. Plus no doubt plenty others by PF in more films but still I wanted to at least give a starting point all in one place.
https://www.reddit.com/r/VintageGayVids/comments/1jwdoe4/vintage_porn_movies_with_pink_floyd_music/
Also the Pier Groups clip I watched is from The French Connection, with the 13 minute preview block at the beginning. So maybe taken from the Bucky’s Triple XXX Rated… version listed on gevi. Do you have a copy of that one?