Customer Reviews

Idol Worship

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4 star:		(2)
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2 star:		(1)
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Michael Ferguson's "Matinee Idol," subtitled "A Shameless Celebration of Male Beauty in the Movies," makes a fitting companion to Daniel and Jackson's "Bent Lens," not becuase it's about gay film, or even gays in film--it is not--but because it rewrties Hollywood history from the point of view of a gay (male) voyeur. The journey is fascinating. Along the way, Ferguson offers tantalizing insights into the fantasy side of movies, as well as into the public and private lives of the actors who make them. His choices run the gamut of hunks from Valentino to Tyrone Power, and Jan-Michael Vincent to Gael Garcia Bernal, with occasional forays into such related subjects as musclemen and porn stars. There are extra-long articles on some of Ferguson's favorites, including Matt Dillon, Keanu Reeves, and Brad Pitt, but he also takes the time to pay homage to the occasional wannabe, such as Jack Beutel and Rodney Harvey. The text has a tendency to go on too long, and Ferguson may at times appear overly obsessed with the pubic trail that leads from an actor's belly button into his speedo, but that's a minor quibble, and the kind of thing that will inevitably appeal to some readers. Worse is the writer's frequent misplacement of his modifiers (as here on Bernie Schwarz's metamorphosis into Tony Curtis: "Like virtually every other Jew in town, a name change was mandated and he became Jimmy Curtis") and his problems with parallelism (as in this iconoclastic comment regarding "Some Like It Hot": "The film has been deified as one of the greatest screen comedies ever despite not being very funny and my opinion thankfully won't diminish the love audiences and critics have for it." In addition, as in "Bent Lens," there is no index; there is, however, an appendix of sorts, which offers a credit each for a near-exhaustive list of actors, including many not treated in the main text. One criminal, and puzzling, omission, is George Nader, who was doubly interesting in that he was actually gay, in addition to being a pal of Rock Hudson's and a '50s beefcake favorite. But everyone is bound to have his/her quibbles on the point of omissions, a fact that argues, in true Hollywood fashion, for a sequel to the text. I, for one, would buy it.

While at first glance this book may seem like it is only for the gay market, I have to tell you this is not so. As a hetro male who is into movies this book was everything I could hope for. Bravo to the author for the research done for this book, had to be a labor of love. Love old movies? Not me, until I read this book. Now I want to see Valentino's films. What sets this book apart from others is the authors's comments, always on target and usually funny. The author's own personal relanship with the actors and movies also makes this a great read - and every one will have someone they would rather have seen in this book - such is the joy of any list

I really liked this book. As a film historian and writer and as one who has worked as a researcher for many authors, I will say that it is the only - and I mean this - the ONLY book that gives a balanced and accurate view of the highly exaggerated sex lives of some of our stars of the classic era. Ferguson seems to have gone back to the beginning of some of these stories and attempted to verify them rather than just adding on more fabrications as many books have. It's not a book for gay people necessarily, it's not a gossipy book nor written in a gossipy fashion.

It's a fantastic read, a "Queer Eye view of the Movie Guys" for both guys and us gals! There are loads of interesting facts (obviously well researched), great tips on which movies your favorite guy will be found looking particularly sexy AND the book serves as a catalogue of new guys to try! If you love movie stars, gorgeous guys or an entertaining celebrity read that is actually literary, you've got to have this book. It will come in handy when you're trying to decide what video to rent next. It will be a reference book you'll want to keep next to the TV's remote in the bedroom!

I was very surprised and happy that I received my merchandise as quickly as I did despite the momentous snow storms we've had.

A walk through history with some of the hottest men ever to grace the silver screen from the silent era through to the present day. Author Michael Ferguson celebrates approximately 90 Hollywood Hunks. Its not meant to be a serious biography of each star represented, rather an irreverent overview of their appeal to gay men and straight women alike.
I loved every page of it and time and time again agreed with the observations and choices.
great bring on volume 2.

Great book! Lots of intimate details and little know facts about all of the beautiful male actors going back to the earliest films. A comprehensive review of the all the great actors across the decades.

I love gossipy (particularly gay) Hollywood trash. Perhaps if I had not read "Hollywood Babylon: It's Back" first, I might have enjoyed "Idol Worship" more, but I doubt it. It is written in a style that simply slows down my reading, frequently having to go back and figure out what phrase was modifying what or wondering who/what the author was talking about. The author is very opinionated, although he seldoms shows the basis of these opinions. Rabbit trails are everywhere. I am still trudging through the turgid prose, which probably would have benefitted from an editor's closer reading before it was published, but I wouldn't reccommend it to friends. Ferguson lost me when he spoke of the "enormity of [Montgomery Clift's] talent." Yes, Virginia, he was very talented, but was he really evil?

Just because something is about gay people and probably by a gay person, it still has to follow rules of grammar and content to be good.