Little Joe

#Season: Little Joe Film Season at Triskel Christchurch Cinema, November 28th -30th

Triskel Christchurch Cinema to honour American actor Joe Dallesandro with the Little Joe Film Season, which will run from Monday November 28th to Wednesday 30th.

The three films being screened were directed by Paul Morrissey in the late 60s/early 70s and were instigators in his rise to fame: Flesh (1968), Trash (1970) and Heat (1972).

Dallesandro rose to fame through subculture roles in the late 60s and 70s before landing roles mainstream roles in subsequent decades. He was immortalised by Lou Reed, who referenced Little Joe in his iconic song, Walk on The Wild Side. Dallesandro also graced the cover of the first Smiths record.

New York Times film critic Vincent Canby wrote that “his physique is so magnificently shaped that men as well as women become disconnected at the sight of him.”

Chris O’Neill, who is Head of Cinema at Triskel, will introduce each screening. Commenting on the season O’Neill said:

Joe Dallesandro was a rebellious male sex symbol, icon of gay subculture, and underground movie star. Lou Reed referred to him as ‘Little Joe’ in the song Take a Walk on the Wild Side, a photo of his crouch in tight jeans was the cover of the Rolling Stones ‘Sticky Fingers’ record, while The Smiths used a film still of him for their debut album.

Dallesandro was catapulted to fame when filmmaker Paul Morrissey cast him in several movies in the late sixties and early seventies. Flesh, Trash and Heat are ground-breaking films due to not only their depiction of sexuality and drugs, but also for their naturalistic performances and dark humour. Triskel Christchurch, in association with Contemporary Films, will screen these films over three consecutive evenings.


Flesh – Monday, November 28th

Flesh

90 mins – United States 1968 – Dir: Paul Morrissey
Starring: Joe Dallesandro, Geraldine Smith and Candy Darling

Joe is an easy-going young man whose wife sends him out to sell his body so she can pay for her lesbian lover’s abortion. He interacts with a number of strange and colourful characters during this day in the life of a street hustler.


Trash – Tuesday, November 29th

Trash

110 mins – United States 1970 – Dir: Paul Morrissey
Starring: Joe Dallesandro, Holly Woodlawn and Jane Forth

This is the tragicomic tale of Holly Santiago (played by the late, great Holly Woodlawn) and her boyfriend, Joe, an impotent junkie, as they wrestle with making their relationship work while struggling to achieve their goal of getting on Welfare.


Heat – Wednesday, November 30th

Heat

101 mins – United States 1972 – Dir: Paul Morrissey
Starring: Joe Dallesandro, Sylvia Miles and Andrea Feldman

Inspired by Hollywood Boulevard, this film stars Sylvia Miles as the washed-up movie star Sally Todd, who tries to help out former child star Joey Davis, while fighting with her insane lesbian daughter and her agent for small TV game shows.