PODCAST: Radley Metzger

81-year-old filmmaker and distributor Radley Metzger has never been an artist who chased cheap thrills. Until the sea change of the '70s, when theatrically-released erotica was rejected in favor of hardcore pornography like Deep Throat, Metzger gained international acclaim for directing sophisticated, literate and lavishly stylized erotic films like The Lickerish Quartet, Camille 2000 and Therese and Isabelle. This week, Metzger's 1972 milestone Score, a film that Interview once said "hilariously hits the bull's-eye of bisexual chic," has been made available and uncut for the first on DVD/Blu-ray from Cult Epics:

SCORE is based on a 1971 hit Off-Broadway play that follows the erotic exploits of a happily married swinging couple (Claire Wilbur and Gerald Grant) who make a bet that they can seduce a couple of naïve young newlyweds during a weekend get-together at their luxury Riviera Villa. The young couple is played by Lynn Lowry, who starred in the horror classics THE CRAZIES and I DRINK YOUR BLOOD, and Cal Culver, who became an early gay icon thanks to his standout performance in BOYS IN THE SAND.

Though he rarely does interviews, Metzger agreed to meet me over a two-egg brunch on the Upper East Side, where we talked about "nudging the envelope," Sylvester Stallone, transplanting the stage play from a Queens apartment to a hamlet in Croatia, and why he hates me (but not really).

To listen to the podcast, click here. (20:06)

Podcast Music
INTRO: Unknown artist: "Where is the Girl?" (from Score)
OUTRO: Piero Piccioni: "Easy Lovers" (from Camille 2000)

Posted by ahillis at October 14, 2010 10:20 PM