The estate of William Rotsler, San Francisco’s Center For Sex And Culture, and Digital Parchment Services are proud to announce a very special three week series of events (May 23 – June 6) celebrating the launch of a new, enhanced edition of the legendary writer-director’s controversial look at the 1960’s birth of the adult film: The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema (1959-1972). The dates are Saturday, May 23 (special book launch party); Saturday, May 30; and Saturday, June 6 (doors open at 6PM, show beginning at 7PM and concluding at 10PM).
Back in print for the first time in 40 years, The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema is William Rotsler’s view of the rise and flowering of adult filmmaking in the 1960s, beginning with the films of Russ Meyer, through to the phenomenal success of Deep Throat – the movie that put adult films on the map – to Behind the Green Door, and so many others. The republication of The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema is a major event and this is why Digital Parchment Services and The Center For Sex And Culture are planning the special three-week-long event to celebrate.
I spoke with M. Christian, author, anthologist, editor and one of the officers of Digital Parchment about acclaimed sculptor, filmmaker, photographer, reporter, novelist, illustrator, cartoonist, and visionary erotic filmmaker, William Rotsler and this must-attend event (get your ass to San Francisco!) I also learned exactly what Digital Parchment is getting into…and it’s not just naughty book publishing!
So, as the title of William Rotseler’s book states…did a golden age of erotic cinema exist in those 12 or so years?
Well, it’s always a matter of opinion, but I do think there was a wonderful window of adult films around that time: before then, films were of pretty poor quality and afterwards the quality went up but also the limitations of censorship pretty much vanished … which meant that any kind of focus on story and eroticism was gone. I’m not saying that censorship is good-far from it-but during this window a lot of filmmakers, like Rotsler, had to focus on character and atmosphere and work around what they could and couldn’t show. True, a lot of these films fit into the category of sexploitation but a lot of them were pretty daring and imaginative for their time.
And you are reissuing it through Digital Parchment Services, which is also sponsoring the big weekend; can you tell us a little about the company. You are a certainly a unique publishing house.
Unique is a pretty good way of putting it. Even though we’re made up of people with about 30 years of cumulative experience in editing and publishing, DPS is a very special endeavor: we’re reaching out to authors and estates we feel did truly excellent work but who didn’t get their well-deserved shot at popularity.
How does one acquire an older out-of-print book and release it. Can you take us through a little of the process?
It can be a bit tricky, that’s for sure. Luckily, often books revert back to the author or, if they’ve passed away, their families. So you need to track them down–which can involve a bit of detective work–and then approach them with the idea of getting these books back out into the world. We are truly fortunate that pretty much each and every author and estate we’ve approached hasn’t just been willing but actually shared our excitement in bringing back these treasures.
Tell us about The Center for Sex And Culture where the event is taking place.
We are tremendously fortunate to be working with the Center for our Rotsler celebration. Founded by Dr. Carol Queen and Dr. Robert Morgan Lawrence, the Center for Sex and Culture (to quote their site) “provides judgment-free education, cultural events, a library/media archive, and other resources to audiences across the sexual and gender spectrum; and to research and disseminate factual information, framing and informing issues of public policy and public health.” I really can’t rave enough about the Center For Sex And Culture. They are a noble and important organization who needs and deserves attention and support. Donate if you can and, if you’re in the Bay Area, swing by and check out their other fun events.
What other things does D.P. have planned?
We have lots of great things coming actually. We just released Locus Award author Ernest Hogan’s Cortez On Jupiter and am going to be publishing his High Aztech and other novels very soon; we put out Nebula Award nominee Arthur Byron Cover’s Autumn Angles and will be putting out his East Wind Coming and the rest of his great books in a few months, we are going to be re-publishing Jody Scott’s Passing For Human and her I, Vampire and other brilliant books from her estate very soon … plus more collections of stories from Fate Magazine and Amazing Stories. In addition to publishing William Rotsler’s Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema we just released his novels Patron Of The Arts (a Hugo and Nebula finalist) and Far Frontier and am going to be putting out his other SF novels plus collections of his stories and other treats.
So lots more than just an expose’ of early adult films.
Yes, lots more. We are also working on some great other properties … so stay tuned at our DPS site and blog for updates.
And come out to the event this weekend.
Oh yes, definitely! We want everybody in on this big celebration of a great artist and wonderful book
To Pre-Order Tickets for the event, go here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1565296
Read 5 Time Hugo Winner William Rotsler's Patron Of The Arts ($2.99 - Free on Amazon Unlimited) and The Far Frontier ($2.99)
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