movie magic

Why this homoerotic classic about sweaty sailors is stirring up controversy 40 years later

By · 10 comments
Image Credit: ‘Querelle,’ The Criterion Collection

Cinephiles are known to get excitable every time The Criterion Collection—the taste-making film distributor—announces a new batch of films is joining its esteemed library.

But we don’t think we’ve ever seen a reaction as loud, as fervent, or as outright thirsty as we have to the announcement that 1982 French-German classic Querelle would be joining Criterion’s ranks this June.

Directed by influential, queer West German filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder and adapted from Jean Genet’s controversial 1947 novel, Querelle is the story of the eponymous sailor (bisexual actor Brad Davis, who had been in the Oscar-winning Chariots Of Fire the year prior), a man so devastatingly sexy that, when he arrives in the French seaport known as Brest, the entire town descends into a swirl of lust and jealousy.

Impressionistic and deeply erotic (there’s a reason why so much of the architecture in Brest looks incredibly phallic!), Querelle wasn’t entirely understood at the time of its release. Not to mention, its overt embrace of queerness—often entangled with crime and violence—made it quite controversial in the ’80s.

But, four decades since its release, Querelle has become a cult favorite, regarded for its artful and uncompromising approach to queerness and gay male sensuality, in particular. Plus, the fact that Fassbinder died of an overdose at 37 prior to the film’s release only makes it more impactful, as the final feature from one of the most important names in global cinematic history.

Related:

This biting drama from 1975 has a lot to say about modern gay friendships

Nearly 50 years old, the cruel, gay social circle of ‘Fox And His Friends’ still feels painfully relevant.

All of that is to say, no one would claim that Querelle doesn’t deserve a spot among The Criterion Collection. However, what proved to be so controversial about the announcement was the fact that it came complete with striking new cover art that has raised more than a few eyebrows.

Here, have a look for yourself—take it all in:

Image Credit: Astra Zero | ‘Querelle,’ The Criterion Collection

Well, it’s not exactly subtle (not that we’re complaining!)

The Criterion cover art for the film puts Brad Davis’ strapping body front and center, his white tank top barely containing his fuzzy pectorals and those pants having a difficult time trying to keep that b*lge at bay.

What seems to have a certain subset of cinephiles up in arms in this particular 3D rendering of Querelle, one that beefs up the titular sailor to a Tom of Finland extreme and isn’t trying to hide the fact that it was digitally created—its gloss both a nod to a certain era of erotica and evoking the layer of sweat that covers every frame of Fassbinder’s film.

Its detractors seem to think it looks too much like the AI-generated “art” that’s taken over the internet of late:

But others claim those upset with the cover are missing the point. And, ultimately, if the Criterion art is inspiring discourse about an often forgotten entry in the history of the queer film canon, then isn’t that a good thing?

For the record, we are firmly on team “The New Criterion Querelle Cover Rocks!,” especially after we found out it came from the artist Astra Zero, who we’ve previously featured on this very site.

Astra Zero has amassed quite a following on social media for his self-described “sexually charged, sci-fi, queer, gothic pop” art, which frequently eroticizes classic and fantastical male figures—everyone from Satan to Santa Claus to Adam (of Adam & Eve fame).

Related:

People are praising this VERY revealing portrait of a Biblical ‘Adam and Steve’ 

Can we tempt you?

In a post on Instagram, the artist addressed the internet’s AI accusations, stating that there was no artificial intelligence used to create the Querelle piece, which was sculpted in 3D and then painted over with a software known as Procreate.

“If you look back in my portfolio I have been doing this style of art before Auto Generative AI even existed,” Astra Zero clarifies in his caption.

His fans clocked the Criterion Querelle cover as a work of Astra Zero’s almost immediately, and shared their excitement online:

In addition to pre-ordering the new Querelle release, we’ll be eager to get our hands on a massive print of Astra Zero’s cover art to hang on our walls ASAP!

Querelle will be available via The Criterion Collection beginning June 11.

Related:

Gone cruisin’: 10 gay films & TV shows set on a boat

What happens when you get a bunch of gays on a boat?

Don't forget to share:

Help make sure LGBTQ+ stories are being told...

We can't rely on mainstream media to tell our stories. That's why we don't lock Queerty articles behind a paywall. Will you support our mission with a contribution today?

Once Monthly Annually

Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated