American Swing

American Swing

Matthew Kaufman
American Swing

American Swing

Matthew Kaufman

DVD (Wide Screen)

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Overview

Filmmakers Mathew Kaufman and Jon Hart explore the last gasp of the sexual revolution with this profile of Plato's Retreat -- New York City's most notorious, 1970s-era sex club. The year was 1977: the city was in the suffocating grip of a heat wave, nerves were rattled due to the energy crisis, and the social unrest was growing. But when the sun went down over the city, the nightlife flourished. The discos were packed, cocaine was all the rage at Studio 54, and over at CBGB the punks were smashing it up. Inspired by the open sexuality in gay clubs all across town, Larry Levenson hatched the idea to open a club where people could have sex freely, without shame or threat of lawful consequences. On the surface Levenson appeared to be just your average family man, but by night he would leave his wife at home to live it up at local swingers clubs. It was with the help of some particularly shady investors, as well as his girlfriend Mary and a series of steamy public-access commercials, that Levenson made his dreams of opening an extravagant, heterosexual sex club a reality. There were no inhibitions at Plato's Retreat, as highlighted by the numerous vintage clips showing the swingers paradise in its heyday. But while the city ultimately failed in their efforts to pass ordinances that would close Plato's Retreat, the club flourished until the closing of its doors on New Year's Eve, 1985, an erotic casualty of the growing AIDS crisis. Interviews with Melvin Van Peebles, Ed Koch, as well as other journalists, celebrities, and actual club employees paint a vivid image of the carefree era before sexuality was a matter of life and death.

Product Details

Release Date: 04/14/2009
UPC: 0876964001823
Original Release: 2008
Rating: NR
Source: Magnolia Home Ent
Region Code: 1
Presentation: [Wide Screen]
Sound: [Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language: English
Time: 1:21:00
Sales rank: 51,726

Special Features

Closed Caption; Deleted scenes: including shocking confessions from Plato's attendees and employees, and hilarious excerpts from Ron Jeremy

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Jim Coleman Composer

Technical Credits
Matthew Kaufman Director,Screenwriter,Producer
Jon Hart Director,Screenwriter,Producer
Christian Hoagland Producer
Gretchen McGowan Producer
Mathew Kaufman Director
Jason Kliot Executive Producer
Mark Cuban Executive Producer
Joana Vicente Executive Producer
Todd Wagner Executive Producer
Brian Yessian Sound/Sound Designer
Michael Yessian Sound/Sound Designer
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