Burlesk King
dir. Mel Chionglo
Opens Fri Feb 9 at the Egyptian.
Judging from Burlesk King, a fleshy new Filipino melodrama written by Ricky Lee and directed by Mel Chionglo, gay film in the 21st-century Philippines rests on the same musty chaise lounge as American gay films in the late 1960s. Appearing in a veritable void, these films were denied the luxury of a unified artistic vision and instead were required to be all things to all queers: entertainment, public service announcement, erotica. Invariably these overburdened works failed on nearly every front, but culture-starved gays gobbled them up. Burlesk King continues this tradition by dishing up its combination psychodrama/murder mystery/love story topped with a Rocky-esque feel-good finale and wrapped in acres of young, firm Filipino flesh.
Rodel Velayo stars as Harry, a sexy young man haunted by memories of his brutal American father, who beat Harry’s Filipino mother into her grave. Before long, Harry’s sexy hustler friend stabs someone to death, and the sexy, sexy pair escapes to Manila, where the friend hides from the law, Harry searches vengefully for his father, and both find themselves in countless situations where they simply must take off the majority of their clothes.
Hardly a moment passes in Burlesk King without the presence of glistening male flesh. It helps that most of the film is set in a strip club, but even those scenes in mundane settings meet the necessary quota of skin. Necessary exposition is tossed off at urinals; major plot revelations–Dad has AIDS! Mom’s alive and she’s a whore!–are skimmed over while nekkid dance numbers play out in real time; and, in my favorite fleshy imposition, a love scene between lesbians is inexplicably overseen by a shirtless male beauty. And of course, the whole shebang closes out with the Burlesk King naked dance competition. (Guess who wins?)
And while I wish I could report that Burlesk King triumphs as a sort of gay Filipino Showgirls, the movie’s neither that bad nor that good. There are some enjoyably terrible elements–most notably, the hilariously lame stage combat–but on the whole, Burlesk King is the cinematic equivalent of dating a beautiful but stupid person. Expect nothing; enjoy what’s there; and get out quick.
