Luster (film)
Encyclopedia
Luster also known as Muse (DVD edition) is a 2002
gay-themed drama film
written and directed by Everett Lewis
. The film is about a weekend in the lives of a group of friends in the Los Angeles queer punk
scene. Lewis sought to "infuse queerness" into the film as much as he could, so he cast a number of non-heterosexual actors and used music by a number of queer punk bands. Critical response to Luster was deeply divided.
and heads to his job at his friend Sam's alternative record store. At the store he gets a call from Sonny Spike. On his way out the door, Jackson runs into customer Derek, who professes his love at first sight
.
Jackson meets Sonny at his hotel and Sonny asks him to write the lyrics for Sonny's next album. Stoked, Jackson stops back at his house where he finds his cousin Jed in the shower, which immediately inspires thoughts of incest
. Jackson and Jed head back to the store, just in time to head out to a book signing by Kurt Domain with Sam (who, sadly, leaves friend Alyssa behind).
At the book signing, Jackson runs into Billy, who he'd met at last night's orgy. Jackson professes his love at first sight for Billy, who agrees to have coffee but flatly informs Jackson he won't have sex with him. The author spots Jed, and, taking him as his muse
, writes a piece on Jed's body.
Leaving Billy to sleep, Jackson gives his poems to Sonny, who thinks they're great but changes the sex of the subjects to female. Jed returns to Jackson's place and crawls into bed next to Billy. Jackson goes back to work, where Derek is waiting for him. Derek again professes his love. Jackson explains he doesn't feel the same but they kiss anyway. Jackson drives Derek home.
Alyssa takes her photos of Jed to a gallery and lands a showing in New York City
.
Billy wakes up next to Jed and engages in some sexual torture of his own. Sonny decides he must meet Jackson's inspiration and sends a private investigator
to get him. The P.I. finds Billy and brings him to Sonny. It was Sonny who had tortured Billy previously. Billy tells Sonny that he tortured someone that morning and realized that he hated it and that he wants to enslave
himself to Sonny.
Sam visits his mother and surprises her with the news that he's paid off her mortgage.
Jackson returns home and finds Jed handcuffed in the shower.
, while calling the film "refreshing" for its presentation of "even slightly edgy images of gay life that have nothing to do with Will & Grace
or Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
" nonetheless criticized the film for being "overloaded with too many extraneous characters" and for the Billy/Sonny subplot, calling it "more disturbing than warranted." The New York Times dismissed the film as "relentlessly bright and superficial, even when the subject turns to self-destruction. It's as if the filmmaker, along with most of his characters, had taken too many self-esteem seminars at the local Learning Exchange." The Hollywood Reporter concurred, calling Luster "[r]oughly made and unevenly acted" with little in the way of storyline. "The lack of a meaningful story would be easier to take if the dialogue was wittier or the characterizations were deeper, but the proceedings are instead surprisingly bland considering the outrageousness of many of the situations."
Conversely, the Los Angeles Times
said that Luster "lives up to its title as a fresh, bittersweet look at the pursuit of love..." populated by "attractive, appealing people." The reviewer further states Luster has a "charming, skittish quality, and Lewis finds pathos and humor in his characters' often painful search for love. There are moments in which the actors seem a bit self-conscious, yet this low-budget picture is a calling card for pretty much everyone in front of the camera." Although less effusive than the Times, the Village Voice approved of Lewis' direction, saying he "nailed the milieu," and complimented the film as an "endearingly saccharine queer melodrama." Variety
echoed these sentiments, citing the film's sharp pace, "colorful yet realistic" design and good performances in declaring that Lewis "juggles a quite ambitious mix of tonal, character and narrative left-turns here, and it's much to his credit that the results -- while somewhat uneven -- really do pull together as Luster proceeds."
bands, most notably Pansy Division
. Lewis used the poetry of gay writer Dennis Cooper
(including the first poem Cooper ever wrote, about David Cassidy
) as Jackson's poetry. Jackson reads the final poem in voice-over over a solid blue screen, a reference and tribute to Derek Jarman
's final film, Blue
.
on December 9, 2003
. The DVD includes a commentary track by Lewis and producer Robert Shulevitz and a featurette interview with Lewis entitled "Lewis on Film".
2002 in film
The year 2002 in film involved some significant events. The first significant releases of sequels took place between The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Men in Black II, Analyze That, Spy Kids 2: The Island of...
gay-themed drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
written and directed by Everett Lewis
Everett Lewis
Everett Lewis is an American director, screenwriter and producer. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from North Carolina State University and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Southern California...
. The film is about a weekend in the lives of a group of friends in the Los Angeles queer punk
Queercore
Queercore is a cultural and social movement that began in the mid-1980s as an offshoot of punk. It is distinguished by being discontent with society in general and its rejection of the disapproval of the gay, bisexual, and lesbian communities and their "oppressive agenda"...
scene. Lewis sought to "infuse queerness" into the film as much as he could, so he cast a number of non-heterosexual actors and used music by a number of queer punk bands. Critical response to Luster was deeply divided.
Cast
- Justin HerwickJustin HerwickJustin Herwick is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Jackson in Everett Lewis' 2002 film Luster.-Filmography:*1994: Cityscrapes: Los Angeles as Ben*1997: C-16: FBI as Orange Kid...
as Jackson: a frustrated punkPunk subcultureThe punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.-History:...
poet and zineZineA zine is most commonly a small circulation publication of original or appropriated texts and images. More broadly, the term encompasses any self-published work of minority interest usually reproduced via photocopier....
writer - Shane PowersShane PowersShane Powers is an American film and television actor and reality television personality. After finishing high school, Powers moved to Los Angeles. He appeared in a number of television series and videos. He also worked as a club promoter and restaurant manager...
as Sam: Owner of an alternative record store and Jackson's boss and friend - B. WyattB. WyattBarry "B." Wyatt is an American actor. He is known for his collaborative relationship with independent film writer, director, and producer Everett Lewis. Together the two have made three films: The Natural History of Parking Lots, Skin & Bone, and Luster.-External links:* at Internet Movie Database...
as Jed: Jackson's cousin from IowaIowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New... - Pamela GidleyPamela GidleyPamela Catherine Gidley is an American actress and model.-Early life:Gidley was born in Methuen, Massachusetts but was raised in Nashua, New Hampshire and the youngest of the family with four older brothers...
as Alyssa: a lesbianLesbianLesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
photographer who is inspired by Jed - Susannah MelvoinSusannah MelvoinSusannah Melvoin is an American vocalist and songwriter, best known for her association with Prince in the mid-1980s. Coming from a musical family, Melvoin is the twin sister of musician Wendy Melvoin, sister to the late Jonathan Melvoin , and daughter of jazz pianist Michael...
as Sandra: Alyssa's girlfriend - Willie GarsonWillie GarsonWillie Garson is an American character actor. He has appeared in over 50 movies, usually playing minor roles...
as Sonny Spike: a closetedClosetedCloseted and in the closet are metaphors used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and intersex people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity and aspects thereof, including sexual identity and sexual behavior.-Background:In late 20th...
gay rock star - Jonah BlechmanJonah BlechmanJonah Ethan Blechman is an American actor. He has appeared in This Boy's Life with Leonardo DiCaprio and stars in Another Gay Movie alongside Johathan Chase and Michael Carbonaro and the sequel Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild!.-Television:*Empty Cradle as Patrick*The Commish as Mikey...
as Billy: a young man who becomes infatuated with Sonny - Sean ThibodeauSean Thibodeauis an actor, writer , director, producer, blogger and entrepreneur .-Filmography:*1997: Allyson Is Watching as Peter*2000: An Unkindness of Ravens as Simon Reese*2000: Big Momma's House as Jud*2000: The Ladies Man as Hugh Hefner...
as Derek: a mainstream gay man who falls for Jackson - Henriette MantelHenriette MantelHenriette Mantel is an Emmy Award-winning American writer, actress, producer, director, and stand-up comic from Vermont.She was born and raised in Newfane, Vermont on her family's farm....
as Sam's Mom - Norman ReedusNorman ReedusNorman Mark Reedus is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal as Murphy MacManus in the 1999 film The Boondock Saints as well as its 2009 sequel The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day and for the character of Daryl Dixon in the AMC television series The Walking Dead...
as Sextools Delivery Boy - Chris FreemanChris Freeman (musician)Chris Freeman is an American bassist. He is best known as a member of the band Pansy Division, which was founded by Freeman and Jon Ginoli in 1991. Pansy Division is known as one of the founding examples of the queercore genre of punk rock...
as Kurt Domain
Friday
Jackson wakes up in the aftermath of an orgyOrgy
In modern usage, an orgy is a sex party where guests engage in promiscuous or multifarious sexual activity or group sex. An orgy is similar to debauchery, which refers to excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures....
and heads to his job at his friend Sam's alternative record store. At the store he gets a call from Sonny Spike. On his way out the door, Jackson runs into customer Derek, who professes his love at first sight
Love at first sight
Love at first sight is a common trope in Western literature, in which a person, character, or speaker feels romantic attraction for a stranger on the first sight of them...
.
Jackson meets Sonny at his hotel and Sonny asks him to write the lyrics for Sonny's next album. Stoked, Jackson stops back at his house where he finds his cousin Jed in the shower, which immediately inspires thoughts of incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
. Jackson and Jed head back to the store, just in time to head out to a book signing by Kurt Domain with Sam (who, sadly, leaves friend Alyssa behind).
At the book signing, Jackson runs into Billy, who he'd met at last night's orgy. Jackson professes his love at first sight for Billy, who agrees to have coffee but flatly informs Jackson he won't have sex with him. The author spots Jed, and, taking him as his muse
Muse
The Muses in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture, that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths...
, writes a piece on Jed's body.
Saturday morning
Jackson, inspired by Jed, writes several poems. Meanwhile, Jed is in the desert, serving as muse to yet a third artist, Alyssa. A bloodied Billy calls Jackson at the record store. Jackson picks him up and takes him home. Billy explains that his ex-lover sexually tortured him.Leaving Billy to sleep, Jackson gives his poems to Sonny, who thinks they're great but changes the sex of the subjects to female. Jed returns to Jackson's place and crawls into bed next to Billy. Jackson goes back to work, where Derek is waiting for him. Derek again professes his love. Jackson explains he doesn't feel the same but they kiss anyway. Jackson drives Derek home.
Alyssa takes her photos of Jed to a gallery and lands a showing in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Billy wakes up next to Jed and engages in some sexual torture of his own. Sonny decides he must meet Jackson's inspiration and sends a private investigator
Private investigator
A private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
to get him. The P.I. finds Billy and brings him to Sonny. It was Sonny who had tortured Billy previously. Billy tells Sonny that he tortured someone that morning and realized that he hated it and that he wants to enslave
Master/slave (BDSM)
In BDSM, Master/slave or M/s is a relationship in which one individual gives to another ultimate authority over them. It is a form of dominance and submission or total power exchange. The participants may be of any gender or sexual orientation...
himself to Sonny.
Sam visits his mother and surprises her with the news that he's paid off her mortgage.
Jackson returns home and finds Jed handcuffed in the shower.
Saturday night
Sam, Jackson and Jed go on a bar crawl through the city. Jackson runs into Sonny and Billy in the restroom of one bar and beats Billy up for what he did to Jed. Sonny gets turned on by it. When Jackson leaves the bar, Sam and Jed are arguing over Sam's unrequited love for someone. Sam drops Jackson and Jed off at Jackson's and gives Jed a videotape to give to Jackson. Jed goes inside and he and Jackson make love.Sunday morning
Jackson takes Jed to the airport for his flight back to Iowa. Jed tells him about the tape. Jackson returns home to find Alyssa and her girlfriend Sandra, who tell him that Sam has killed himself. On the tape, Sam says he's in love with Jackson. He knows he'll never be able to be with Jackson the way he wants to and that he has a lot of pain because of that. Distraught, Jackson runs all the way to Derek's place before the tape even ends. He has Derek reassure him that Derek loves him. Jackson strips naked and tells Derek "I'm all yours." Jackson says he doesn't know if he loves Derek but he does think Derek's pretty special, and special is "pretty fuckin' good."Critical response
Critical reaction to Luster was sharply divided. TV GuideTV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
, while calling the film "refreshing" for its presentation of "even slightly edgy images of gay life that have nothing to do with Will & Grace
Will & Grace
Will & Grace was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 21, 1998 to May 18, 2006 for a total of eight seasons. Will & Grace remains the most successful television series with gay principal characters...
or Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
Queer Eye
Queer Eye is an American reality television series that premiered on the Bravo cable television network in July 2003. The program's name was changed from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy after the third season to broaden the scope of its content...
" nonetheless criticized the film for being "overloaded with too many extraneous characters" and for the Billy/Sonny subplot, calling it "more disturbing than warranted." The New York Times dismissed the film as "relentlessly bright and superficial, even when the subject turns to self-destruction. It's as if the filmmaker, along with most of his characters, had taken too many self-esteem seminars at the local Learning Exchange." The Hollywood Reporter concurred, calling Luster "[r]oughly made and unevenly acted" with little in the way of storyline. "The lack of a meaningful story would be easier to take if the dialogue was wittier or the characterizations were deeper, but the proceedings are instead surprisingly bland considering the outrageousness of many of the situations."
Conversely, the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
said that Luster "lives up to its title as a fresh, bittersweet look at the pursuit of love..." populated by "attractive, appealing people." The reviewer further states Luster has a "charming, skittish quality, and Lewis finds pathos and humor in his characters' often painful search for love. There are moments in which the actors seem a bit self-conscious, yet this low-budget picture is a calling card for pretty much everyone in front of the camera." Although less effusive than the Times, the Village Voice approved of Lewis' direction, saying he "nailed the milieu," and complimented the film as an "endearingly saccharine queer melodrama." Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
echoed these sentiments, citing the film's sharp pace, "colorful yet realistic" design and good performances in declaring that Lewis "juggles a quite ambitious mix of tonal, character and narrative left-turns here, and it's much to his credit that the results -- while somewhat uneven -- really do pull together as Luster proceeds."
Production and artistic intent
Director Everett Lewis wanted to "infuse queerness" as deeply as possible into Luster. To that end, he populated his cast with a number of LGBT actors and filled the soundtrack with music from LGBT punk and queercoreQueercore
Queercore is a cultural and social movement that began in the mid-1980s as an offshoot of punk. It is distinguished by being discontent with society in general and its rejection of the disapproval of the gay, bisexual, and lesbian communities and their "oppressive agenda"...
bands, most notably Pansy Division
Pansy Division
Pansy Division is an American punk rock band that formed in San Francisco, California in 1991. Featuring primarily gay musicians and focusing mostly on gay-related themes, Pansy Division is one of the more melodic-oriented bands to emerge from the "queercore" movement that began in the 1980s.-Early...
. Lewis used the poetry of gay writer Dennis Cooper
Dennis Cooper
Dennis Cooper is an American novelist, poet, critic, editor and performance artist.-Career:Cooper grew up the son of a wealthy businessman in Arcadia, California. His first forays into literature came early, focusing on imitations of Rimbaud, Verlaine, de Sade, and Baudelaire...
(including the first poem Cooper ever wrote, about David Cassidy
David Cassidy
David Bruce Cassidy is an American actor, singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his role as the character of Keith Partridge in the 1970s musical/sitcom The Partridge Family. He was one of pop culture's most celebrated teen idols, enjoying a successful pop career in the 1970s, and...
) as Jackson's poetry. Jackson reads the final poem in voice-over over a solid blue screen, a reference and tribute to Derek Jarman
Derek Jarman
Michael Derek Elworthy Jarman was an English film director, stage designer, diarist, artist, gardener and author.-Life:...
's final film, Blue
Blue (1993 film)
Blue is the twelfth and final feature film by director Derek Jarman, released four months before his death from AIDS-related complications...
.
DVD release
Luster was released on Region 1 DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
on December 9, 2003
2003 in home video
-Movie releases:The following movies were released on video on the following dates:-Movie releases:The following movies were released on video on the following dates:-Movie releases:...
. The DVD includes a commentary track by Lewis and producer Robert Shulevitz and a featurette interview with Lewis entitled "Lewis on Film".