Scott Hunter | Dying for You / 1995

straight into death

by Douglas Messerli

 

Scott Hunter (screenwriter and director) Dying for You / 1995 [13 minutes]

 

This far too artsy and sentimental story about a young lover dying of what is quite apparently AIDS is nonetheless quite touching. The film takes us through their fairly closeted relationship as Denis (Adrian Proszowski)—the one who is dying—continues to refuse to reveal to his parents that he is gay after being in a rather long relationship with Mark (Jason Chapados).

    Clearly, this story is predictable, Mark remaining in what has become a fairly destructive coupling since Denis ultimately refuses sex with his companion. And the heavy introduction of an over-orchestrated score, along with constantly floating bubbles and balloons of credits both at the beginning and end of the film, accomplished by cinematographer Tracy German, is truly irritating. It takes about 4 minutes for this film to even begin. It is after all a student film, although much more Hollywood-influenced than the later hundreds of gay films we see on the circuit today.

     The film zigs and zags between their best times and their worst, without much dialogue, but nonetheless representing the ups and downs of any gay relationship. In this case the biggest gesture is evidently the purchase of a sweater that Denis makes as a gift for Mark, but decides himself wear as a presentation of the gift. Denis has evidently been a self-corrector, someone who keeps attempting to alter and correct his world, and the frustration of living with such a being is quite evident. But then, he can no longer rectify his life, and no without opportunity to change is now out of control. And that is the tragedy of his world, and the dilemma for the man who wants to help him into his inevitable situation, Mark.

     There is lots of wine drinking, frightful and delightful moments of their history, but it simply doesn’t cohere.

     This might have been a truly profound film if it was washed from such simplified sentiments, but clearly director Hunter’s own emotions are spilled across the screen. And given the moment, 1995, you can hardly blame him, particularly since the movie itself is dedicated to Kevin White, who died in 1997, someone who was obviously close to him.

     There have been so many quite earth-shattering films about AIDS, Arthur J. Bresson Jr’s 1985 film Buddies, Bill Sherwood’s Parting Glances of 1986, and Willard Carroll’s Playing by Heart, made in 1998, after this film, that you imagine this might have been a more profound movie.

     What amazes me is that this film is not even mentioned on IMDb or Letterboxd. If nothing else, it is worthy of discussion.

 

Los Angeles, April 9, 2025

Reprinted from My Queer Cinema blog (April 2025).