Search - Boys Briefs 4 on DVD

Skip "Ricky" but don't miss these above-average short films.

Bob Lind | Phoenix, AZ United States | 12/14/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Picture This!" continues their practice of grouping gay shorts by subject, in this six film compilation about male hustlers and their customers. Similar to "Boys Briefs 3", viewers have the option of viewing each short separately, or seeing them all in sequence introduced by (in this case) "Sexy hustler host Ricky." (I'd pass on the latter.) DVD includes director commentary on five of the shorts, most of them made just for this DVD, a practice I hope they continue.

The shorts - rated individually - are:
"Into the Night" (Australia 2002) deals with the need for companionship, as a lonely older man hires a street boy mostly for company, and also portrays a much younger boy just entering street life. 4 stars out of 5.
"Boy" (New Zealand 2004) is about a young hustler who learns the truth about the death of a young woman in a small town, and has to fight for his life when the town wants him silenced. If you are partial to eclectic films with choppy short scenes (there were well over a hundred of them, averaging - according to the director - less than three seconds each, utilizing 47 credited actors, in a film that is only 15 minutes long!), you may like this more than I did. In the director commentary, he admits that the scenes are generally too short for people to realize what they just saw. Call me crazy, but I believe intentionally confusing the audience isn't a wise move. 1 star out of 5.
The "Gigolo" (German 2005) is a bisexual druggie hustler working the better addresses of the streets of Paris. Well done. 4 stars out of 5.
"Build" (Canada 2004) features a college student who quits his studies and turns to hustling to financially support himself and his alcoholic mother. Lead character is played by Writer/Director Greg Atkins. Gritty, well acted and touching. 4 stars out of 5.
When you hit "Rock Bottom" (2002), the only way to go is up. Socially backward man (played by co-author of the screenplay) is wary of picking up a teenage street hustler, while the young man is most concerned about keeping the man at a figurative distance. They find a common bond under unexpected circumstances. 4 stars out of 5.
"Gold" (Canada 2005) is the color of the hearts of both a young hustler and an aging blind artist who hires him as a caretaker and protégé. Very touching and realistic. 5 stars out of 5."

Fun collection of gay short films

Drake-by-the-Lake | State of Euphoria | 02/27/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sexy, sensuous vignettes of gay life, focusing primarily upon variations of the hustling scene (upscale, middle class, and street). The stories lean more towards moodiness and sensitivity rather than sordid unpleasantness. Previous gay hustling films (such as the "Pretty Boy") have made me wince, dwelling as the did on the 3 D's of prostitution (drugs, depression, & disease). This is more fun and fantasy, which is what we the audience want if we're going to watch a film on hustling. One of the short films stars Timothy De LaPriest, who is really hot stuff. It qualifies as soft core and is pause-worthy and slow-motion worthy.

The most obvious problem in the product is the narrator, who is miscast, trying to act like something he's not. He's a soft and technical guy trying to act like a macho piece of trade, and it doesn't work. But his bits are just a few minutes apiece between films. Mute him if it bugs you. I just went along with the trip. He's not as annoying as some narrators I've watched (an IMAX production comes to mind). Plus, he apparently has good abs.
"

Picture This Scores Again

Amos Lassen | Little Rock, Arkansas | 12/09/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

""BOYS BRIEFS 4: Six Short Films about Guys Who Hustle"

Picture This Entertainment Scores Again

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

Hot on the heels of the wonderful "Boys Briefs" is the new anthology "Boys Briefs 4" and it is all about hustling. Picture This Entertainment in continuing to bring us wonderful collections of gay short films has assembled a DVD that deals with those guys who sell their bodies and I really enjoyed it. In addition to the short films, the bonus section of the DVD is made up of interviews with the guys who directed the films which give an added dimension to the viewings. Each of the films is a gem and I learned to look at hustling in a completely different manner after having watched these films.
"Into the Night" is about a hustler who seems to be hard but in reality shows he has a heart of gold. While working his usual spot on the street, he meets a new addition to the "profession" and takes him under his wing. This is in stark contrast to the way he treats the customer we see him with and he shows the vulnerable side of those guys that we think have no feelings---except for money.
"Boy" was the most difficult to understand and it took several viewings to really get the entire story but now as I look back at it, it is probably the best f the bunch and certainly is the most original. It is basically a silent film about a young boy who discovers what really happened during a hit and run accident.
Do you remember Amanda Lear? She is one of the stars of "Gigolo". Here we have a young Arab boy, a male whore, who works the streets of Paris but only deals with the jet setters. This film is extremely realistic and hard hitting.
"Build" is simply wonderful but I had seen it somewhere before--I just can't remember where. A good looking, hunky architecture student has to drop out of school and start hustling in order to support his mother who is an alcoholic. While at work one night he becomes friendly with another hustler and....
We don't often think of the word "trust" when he think of hustlers but "Rock Bottom" is a beautiful little film about just that. A lonely writer and a teenaged hustler suddenly find that they have feelings for each other and what evolves is a tender look at a game of trust.
Finally there is "Gold" about a blind artist who has hired a young druggie to do his paintings for him. We see that both men are looking for some kind of salvation and they become co-dependent. This is not exactly a love story but it did leave me feeling fuzzy.
Here is another successful anthology--one toad to your collection of short films. Perhaps it is not exactly the topic we all talk about but it certainly gives a new look to the guys of the street.
"

These Hustlers Get A B-.

H. F. Corbin | ATLANTA, GA USA | 06/20/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"BOYS BRIEFS 4 consists of six short films that are all about hustlers. Each of them, some more successfully than others, attempts to delve into the psyches of these men; and for the subject matter they are remarkably free of much sex with the exception of the last film "Gold" which is directed by Armen Kazazian. The remaining five in the order presented are "Into The Night", directed by Tony Krawitz; "Boy" (Welby Ings), "Gigolo" (Bastian Schweitzer), "Build" (Greg Atkins), and "Rock Bottom" directed by Mary Feur.

As one would expect from such a collection, some of these films are better than others. "Boy" from New Zealand has some beautiful photography, for instance; some of the frames would be suitable for framing and are reminiscent of the less provative photography of Joel Peter Witkin. There are lots of sepia tones. On the other hand, this one is a silent film. I am willing to bet that you'll be hard put to know what you were supposed to take away from the film, once you have seen it. In accompanying commentary, the director, who is eminently likeable, says that the film got a couple of bad reviews at first but then went on to win awards. If I had world enough and time, I would watch it again. But I don't and I didn't. Then I would put "Gigolo" (French) and "Into the Night" (Australian) in the Gentleman's C Category, with the last three having the most going for them. (Perhaps, however, I was just warming up to the subject matter. That is a possibility.) "In the Canadian film "Build" a hustler living with and supporting an alcoholic mother moves in a hustler friend with some interesting complicatins. In "Rock Bottom" U. S.) an overweight man picks up a crack addict. The danger involved with such an arrangement is palpable. The ending may surprise you. Finally "Grace" (also American) is about a young hustler who takes care of a blind, older ex-hustler. Besides having the best money shot, the scenes between the two men are quite moving at times. These directors, all of them, should be encouraged to do feature films, if they haven't already done so.

Now to Ricky" who introduces each film and describes himself as a hustler as well. He adds nothing to the film; he is actually a distraction and appears to have wondered in from some bad porn movie. He should have continued doing whatever he was engaged in and have left well enough alone."