It seems inhumane to describe someone as a work of art but in the Warhol
Art Sphere there seems little other way to describe Joe Dallesandro in
"Flesh". His body is displayed constantly in the nude, more consistently
naked than any other actor I can think of in American film history.
Warhol/Morrissey (the authorship of the movie remains contentious though
Morrisey is the credited director, the film rides under the "Andy
Warhol's" banner) objectify and expose every part of Dallesandro's
hustler in the film. He was truly the first sex symbol of the 70s. It
was only in "Flesh" he was so un-self-conscious and innocent though
always with survivalist and self-serving cunning. Joe (the character) is
an interesting kafka-esque (unable to control the world around oneself,
prone to the ebb and flow of circumstance and external control) figure
in the midst of a collage of underground culture figures of the 60s from
drag artistes to quivering tricks. Its a high camp affair at times but
Morrissey has a loving camera when it comes to Joe. Joe's beauty is
vividly captured and the fly-on-the-wall style story of a day in his
life remains engaging a
