James Crump’s dishy documentary isn’t just a portrait of a specific person—fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez—but of a whole milieu, with a funk-and-disco-hits soundtrack that keeps the pace lively and the mood upbeat. Interview editor Bob Colacello describes the 1970s as a time when the underground culture and sexual politics of the ‘60s came forward. The late New York Times street fashion photographer Bill Cunningham fondly remembers his friendship with Lopez, a bisexual man of Puerto Rican descent, who moved into Cunningham’s old apartment in Carnegie Hall. Model Pat Cleveland was drawn to his talent, charisma, and colorful outfits. Lopez and makeup artist Corey Tippin socialized with a coterie of young women, including Donna Jordan and Jane Forth, who became style icons through their modeling sessions and high-profile excursions with the two men. Others, such as Grace Jones and Jessica Lange, became world-famous recording artists and award-winning actresses. In addition to Tippin, Lopez worked closely with his art director boyfriend, Juan Ramos, on drawings for Elle and other magazines. Lopez loved to party and dance, but got his assignments in on time, and friends remember him as warm and empathetic. Crump’s documentary follows Lopez from New York to Paris, where he collaborated with designer Karl Lagerfeld and enjoyed a relationship with Texas-born model Jerry Hall, his best known discovery. By 1987, AIDS had claimed Lopez’s life. Crump builds a persuasive case that he deserves to be remembered for the creativity and joie de vivre he brought to the fashion scene. Extras include archival footage, extended interview excerpts with Cunningham, and a bonus short film. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)
Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex Fashion & Disco
(2019) 95 min. DVD: $24.95. Film Movement (avail. from most distributors). Closed captioned. Volume 34, Issue 3
Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex Fashion & Disco
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