Moon Over Hong Kong

By: Amos Lassen

I have been reviewing films of interest to our community for quite some time now and I always like to do so before they are put on sale. When Toby Ross sent me a screener of his new film, "Moon Over Hong Kong", I immediately cleared my schedule and sat down to watch it and it put several new ideas into my head.
"Moon Over Hong Kong" differs from other films. Ross's actors are certainly eye candy with beautiful bodies and generous endowments (isn't that his trade mark?) but they have a certain machismo that I have found lacking in other actors of that genres. They look like the rest of men in the world who take pride in, but are not consumed by, the way they look. Vanity to Ross is obviously a big turn off.
The men in "Moon Over Hong Kong" share an attitude that is a bit different-somewhat "fuck buddish", possibly a bit closeted and very "whatever". The sleaze in Ross' film has an elegance about it, sleaze with a touch of class, if that's possible There is a certain something that the men share and once you see the film, you will feel that something as well. I did and it was a very guilty pleasure.
The film, like all of Ross's, takes place in Chicago, New York and Hong Kong and we see several men who are just that, men who lust after men. There are 3 erotic acts (outside of the personal encounters between the main characters) that are performed on the several stages in the Hong Kong clubs. In the first 30 minutes into the film there is one of the most attractive Japanese body builders I have ever seen dancing naked dripping hot wax on himself from giant candles. Then an Asian song and dance drag show (In Spanish?...) and last but not least a male/female love act where the female offers her dance partner's penis to the gay clientele in a night club called "Casino Love", which is also the "007 bond" song playing through this film. Men of color are also represented here. Africans Latinos etc, making for a very international feeling. They are sexual, well endowed and seem to share the same attitude. Obviously this is a very personal film for Toby Ross and he has every reason to be proud of it. Naturally those that view gay men as circuit party boys and ageless gym bunnies may find it not to their taste but I, and I have reviewed all of Ross's work, find it to be a realistic look at the way we live sans the outside trappings that many seem to prefer. There is even a scene in a gay bar in Hong Kong in which the men look like the average next-door neighbor; the kind of man that many would simply overlook, however Ross celebrates. "Moon Over Hong Kong" is NOT a movie about sexual escapades and nudity even though there is plenty of it in the film. In fact, sexual play begins almost immediately with the beginning of the film. The sex that is in the film is not there gratuitously-but as an integral part of the way we live and is part of the plot of the film. There is nothing offensive here unless the viewer finds life not to be realistic. Let me say that there is a lot of sex but without it, the movie would be missing something and for those of us familiar with Toby Ross, knew it in advance that sex would be there and extremely visible and controversial.
A major theme of the film seems to me to be in Toby Ross's willingness to share the way he looks at edges and fringes of the alternative life styles with us. In doing so, he provides a great service to those who are not members of the select elite of gay life. Like many of his films, Ross's works appeal to a different side of gay life, the "darker" side" which emphasizes a picture of life that many hear about but are not totally familiar with.
There is a fart scene about 15 minutes into the film and usually this kind of thing is not my cup of tea, but it was done so humorously and when it came it was so unexpected that it was almost a turn on. The wind storm from the special effect department of BDF/Hornbill must have been "blowing in full " since the draft that ensued swept the hair of the "sniffer" into a what appeared to be a 50's pompadour. It was fun and erotic in a very strange kind of way. Ahh, the famous Ross lines, as a secret agent is sent on a mission the commanding officer barks. "One day you might find yourself in Iran with your dick up some Mullah's ass, and next you'll be in north Korea sucking on Kim Jon IL's pole, are you ready for this job?"
I respect this film for what it is-a bit of a stroll on the wild side which opens our eyes to a side of the homosexual psyche that we do not often see depicted on film. I am sure that some will disagree with me so I can only challenge others to watch "Moon Over Hong Kong" and judge it objectively. Personally, I found it to be stimulating and thought provoking. Ross' fans will go nuts over it. He unapologetically puts himself in an area in which he is bound to get more members forming a somewhat of a different crowd. Sign me in.

By: Toby Ross

Moon over Hong Kong moves more like a comic strip than a real movie. It is light, cartoonish and is intended for intense escapism. That is the first point that TLA reviewer Scott Cranin has missed, it's not "Latter Days" or "Boy Culture", as a matter of fact it is light years away from these wonderful films and targets a different audience. What I personally love about Moon is the attitude among the men, there is a verboten somewhat condescending attitude that prevails, macho and a bit closeted (is that really bad?) that I find interesting. It makes for a good sexual heat. I am not trying to sway anyone's opinion but the crown achievement of Moon Over Hong Kong is the fact that it has a very strong sleazy atmosphere without showing any explicit sex...its all done psychologically, The title song "Casino Love" was a take on the Shirley Bassey/007 hits and was sung in a deep expressive voice. I wrote it and hopefully it will be enjoyed. I consider myself an erotic pop artist and my films are human paintings carrying a certain point of view that I want to share with a crowd, my fan base that unfortunately is invisible. In today's age of tolerance and alleged enlightenment there should be a place for everyone who wants to be free and express themselves, no one asked you to agree. Homosexuality is a sexual orientation not a political/social movement. The men in this film were chosen carefully for their hotness, beautiful bodies and sexy attitudes. None can be found in the hard core porn market. That is how I wanted it. Marlone Star the beautiful black muscled dude with the big dick, Peter Michaels with the best ass in the world, Johnny Carvajal with that sexy scruff and abusive attitude and Cory Flynt, the young assassin they all interplay and make this colorful montage of a "first" in an erotic film. First because this is a piece that sits right in that gray zone between Real movies and soft porn and is rewarding on both ends.