
Directing
Pat Rocco was born Pasquale Vincent Serrapica in 1934 to an Italian-American family in Brooklyn, New York. Moved to California at 11, and "came out" at 13. Had his own radio show, in which he featured as a singer, at 16, and recorded an album at 19. As a charismatic, openly gay youth, Rocco pursued a career in entertainment in Southern California, singing and appearing on televised talent shows. Appeared in some early TV shows in the late 40s and early 50s, and created the part of Mack the Knife in the West Coast premiere of "The Threepenny Opera". A job as a photographer of male nude studies turned into a successful mail-order business of his own 8mm and 16mm films. Shown publicly for the first time in 1968 in L.A.’s Park Theatre, Rocco’s films were widely embraced by the gay community and favorably reviewed by mainstream press. The films were ecstatic affirmations of gay love and identity, groundbreaking at a time when homosexual activity remained illegal. “They were the first really overt gay films with nudity in a public theater […] they had something to say that was positive,” said Rocco in a 1983 interview. The significance of the films was deeply felt: “I’ve had a number of people tell me that ‘I came out because of your films.’ I can’t tell you, the letters, the phone calls, the things like that. ‘They made me feel like I was not alone.’ ‘They gave me a real positive feeling about myself because I could relate to the people on the screen.’” What was once a clandestine, black-market activity became a celebratory event.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

During a 48-hour pass, a cute young navy recruit gets more than he bargains for when he stays at a cheap hotel.

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

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?

Mike is discovered alone on a lonely beach. His mood is quiet and pensive as he is surprised and disturbed by a young man (Lee) who walks up next to him and smiles down. They boys greet and walk to a more secluded section of the beach. Lee persuades Mike to remove his clothes and they both stretch out and relax in the sun. Now Lee makes a strange advance as he puts his hand on Mike's bare chest and starts to rub downward. Mike grabs Lee's hand and throws it off – realizing the homosexual advances Lee was about to make – and rises to dress and leave. Lee looks sullen and depressed as he realizes he made the wrong move and he walks behind a rock to watch Mike dress. But Mike sees Lee. He sees the yearning expression on his face. A strange sensation comes over Mike. He walks behind the rock with Lee and looks deep into his eyes. A silent message is conveyed between the two boys. Slowly, Lee kneels in front of Mike, and Mike allows him to perform a sex act on him.

This is the story of Ted, a dreamer whose secret desires come to life as he encounters a variety of men and escapes into elaborate sexual fantasies.

This is the story of Ted, a dreamer whose secret desires come to life as he encounters a variety of men and escapes into elaborate sexual fantasies.

Two young men meet and fall in love in Disneyland.
