LE BEAU MEC has been restored by INDIECOLLECT and will be screening April 28th at Anthology Film Archive. The film was a popular audience favorite in the gay underground of France in the late 70's and 1980's. This gem of erotica was rescued from the director's brother Tommy Potts home garage in Alabama where it was stored with love. Director Wallace Potts made this 1979 film about a Frenchman, highly in-demand, Karl Forest playing a version of himself named Jean-Paul, his sexual encounters, fantasies and hustle. Through interviews with Jean-Paul, Potts was able to vividly realize Jean-Paul's fantasies in wild pornographic scenes shot by French cinematographer François About (EQUATION TO AN UNKNOWN) and Oscar-winning Spanish-Cuban cinematographer Néstor Almendros (DAYS OF HEAVEN).
- Néstor Almendros shot the gorgeous sex scenes in the Bois de Boulogne.
- Rudolf Nureyev choreographed the strip-tease scenes in the nightclub.
Nearly all the men who loved each other and worked to make LE BEAU MEC so special were struck down by AIDS. Almendros died of AIDS in 1992, Nureyev in 1993, and Potts in 2006.
An exert from Indie Collect President Sandra Schulberg's newsletter went on to discuss the restoration challenges:
Given that the elements had sat in an Alabama garage for so many years, the negative was in fairly good condition. Color correction and balancing were a challenge especially in the dark opening sequence in the nightclub, but our 5K Kinetta scanner and team of colorists were up to the task.
This screening will be presented by special guests. The Anthology Film Archives is located at 32 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10003.