Pat Rocco

Mondo Rocco is a collection of short films weaved together as it was seen in the Park Theater in Los Angeles in 1969/1970. Charming in their innocence, Rocco's films captured important moments in gay history and are an invaluable resource.

ONE Adventure was filmed in 1972, only three years after the Stonewall riots. The trip was organized by One, Inc., whose members wanted a record of the trip to show audiences at home. The film chronicles a trip across Europe with Pat Rocco, Rev. Troy Perry, and six others.

This entertaining and enlightening documentary sheds a light on a pioneering moment in film history and the gay rights movement, as it revisits the break-through 1960s gay films of Pat Rocco. Rocco was responsible for the very first gay films that were shown openly to the paying public in the late 1960s. Situated before hardcore porn became the norm, and in marked contrast to the somewhat darker gay porn that was coming out of New York at the time. Pat Rocco’s film were more sun-dappled, featuring tanned and happy-looking naked men on sail boats and on beaches, celebrating their identities and the beauty of the male body. The filmmakers got to talk to the generous, rather humble and open-minded Rocco just before his death. It took a team of dedicated Canadian filmmakers to capture a fairly obscure moment of indie film history that deserves to be remembered.

A look at the Gay Pride Celebrations in San Francisco and L.A. in the US bicentennial year of 1976.

Compilation of loops produced by C.R. Productions, a company created by Chuck Robinson, a protégé of Pat Rocco’s who starred in several of his loops as Brian Reynolds. Compilation of loops.

In January 1970, filmmaker and activist Pat Rocco went to a gay nightclub on W. El Segundo Blvd. in the Gardena neighborhood of Los Angeles called Meat Market. They were advertising a nude dancing performance, which had become the focus of some controversy and led to arrests of the dancers and the manager. In the short documentary, Rocco arrives just as one of the arrests is taking place, capturing footage of the police leading the dancers, Michael Craig and Bob Philpot, out of the nightclub. His intention was to film the dance as evidence for a court case involving the dancer Bob Philpot—regarded as the first male nude go-go dancer—who had been previously arrested on obscenity charges. Rocco speaks with Walter Culpepper, a Los Angeles lawyer who represents the dancers charged and explains the nature of the charges. Patrons of Meat Market are interviewed and describe the dance performance as more artistic than sexual in nature.

Mondo Rocco is a collection of short films weaved together as it was seen in the Park Theater in Los Angeles in 1969/1970. Charming in their innocence, Rocco's films captured important moments in gay history and are an invaluable resource.

A southern California college jock spends a day at the beach with his best buddy. It turns from fraternal to romantic and sexual. Is it just a fantasy, though? If so, is it about to come true?

A handsome male model is involved with a young lady, but begins to question his sexual orientation.

A handsome male model is involved with a young lady, but begins to question his sexual orientation.

A bisexual hustler tries to find a niche in the disparate worlds of straights and gays. He begins exploring relationships with members of both worlds, but his affairs do not go well.

A bisexual hustler tries to find a niche in the disparate worlds of straights and gays. He begins exploring relationships with members of both worlds, but his affairs do not go well.

ONE Adventure was filmed in 1972, only three years after the Stonewall riots. The trip was organized by One, Inc., whose members wanted a record of the trip to show audiences at home. The film chronicles a trip across Europe with Pat Rocco, Rev. Troy Perry, and six others.

A look at the Gay Pride Celebrations in San Francisco and L.A. in the US bicentennial year of 1976.

Short film by Pat Rocco starring Joe Adair.

Directed by pioneering gay documentary and erotica filmmaker Pat Rocco, Changes is a profile of Jennifer Michaels, a trans person living in Los Angeles.

Compilation of loops produced by C.R. Productions, a company created by Chuck Robinson, a protégé of Pat Rocco’s who starred in several of his loops as Brian Reynolds. Compilation of loops.

Jones strips off clothes while pantomiming walking down Sunset Boulevard. Overlaid with film elements of the Sunset Strip signs in Hollywood, California.

A nude solo ballet performed in the streets of LA in the early morning hours.

Nude sunbathing.

Marco Antonio and his friends Francisco and Bruno take you on a perosnal tour of Rio, the Carnival, the Beach and his friends, as well as a secluded look into his bedroom activities.

Marco Antonio and his friends Francisco and Bruno take you on a perosnal tour of Rio, the Carnival, the Beach and his friends, as well as a secluded look into his bedroom activities.

Marco Antonio and his friends Francisco and Bruno take you on a perosnal tour of Rio, the Carnival, the Beach and his friends, as well as a secluded look into his bedroom activities.

"In his first venture into serious ballet, Pat Rocco presents Brian Reynolds in a soul-searching story of birth, life, and love. With exceptionally beautiful choreography by Lynn MacMurrey, we see Brian "being born" in an array of multi-colored patterns, finally bursting forth into life by discovering himself alone on top of a mountain. Upon seeing himself for the first time in a clear mountain pool, he becomes keenly aware of his loneliness and ventures forth in search of love. Dancing nude up and down streets, he finally comes upon Erik Carlson. Immediately the scene changes to an all black background as the two perform a pas de deux of love and lovemaking that must be seen to be truly appreciated. This is the first known nude ballet performed by two males that has ever been presented on the screen - and it promises to be one of the most successful films to ever come from Pat Rocco's Bizarre Productions."

"In his first venture into serious ballet, Pat Rocco presents Brian Reynolds in a soul-searching story of birth, life, and love. With exceptionally beautiful choreography by Lynn MacMurrey, we see Brian "being born" in an array of multi-colored patterns, finally bursting forth into life by discovering himself alone on top of a mountain. Upon seeing himself for the first time in a clear mountain pool, he becomes keenly aware of his loneliness and ventures forth in search of love. Dancing nude up and down streets, he finally comes upon Erik Carlson. Immediately the scene changes to an all black background as the two perform a pas de deux of love and lovemaking that must be seen to be truly appreciated. This is the first known nude ballet performed by two males that has ever been presented on the screen - and it promises to be one of the most successful films to ever come from Pat Rocco's Bizarre Productions."

A collection of short films by Pat Rocco.

A collection of short films by Pat Rocco.

Pioneering LGBTQ activist and local Los Angeles filmmaker Pat Rocco (1934-2018) is singularly legendary for using his camera not just to joyfully portray gay love, but also as a tool of direct action in documenting the gay revolution of the late 1960s. Among his myriad community efforts includes the founding of S.P.R.E.E., or Society of Pat Rocco Enlightened Enthusiasts, which grew into a major hub and support system for entertainment artists of various stripes. This 30-minute documentary highlights S.P.R.E.E.’s various activities, beginning with a charitable Christmas party and culminating with five kaleidoscopic, orgy-filled minutes of the S.P.R.E.E. drama workshop’s original production of “Myra Breckinb*tch.”

Two young men meet and fall in love in Disneyland.

This short documentary focuses on protests surrounding a homophobic sign that hung behind the bar of Barney's Beanery in West Hollywood for many years.