The Mountain King
The Mountain King
| 26 April 2000 (USA)
The Mountain King Trailers

A reserved young man meets an impulsive stranger on a secluded beach. Their brief friendship leaves each subtly changed.

Reviews
Breakinger A Brilliant Conflict
CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.
Merolliv I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.
Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible
Irishchatter What does the title even mean? This short film wasn't even set in a mountain but instead a beach! Who is the mountain king? Is it the hustler? If it is the hustler, then he wouldn't be king since he's meant to be the dirt bag who preys on men for money. I honestly don't know why they even added in a normal guy on this because it makes the story too innocent which is not meant to be. He should've like called the cops when the hustler stole his clothes and of course his fishing hat! God he just is so lame!After seeing this movie, I realised it's a complete waste of time. Don't get your hopes up with them being a couple, believe me!
pop_lkj123-1 The hustler wore the straight guy's clothes, because he wanted to get a new pair, he liked the preppy style and it simply made him happy to get a new outfit. Plus it matched his new watch :) The straight guy had to wear something to return to his hotel. And i also think it made him happy, it left a little "memory" of he guy he just met on the beach.It was a fairly empty island at that time of the year, the hustler got there in the first place with his client, or when he still had some money.He took the boat to return back to New York.He didn't break into the house, his client left him in there when he had to "go back to the city".
Hunky Stud I don't agree with the person who wrote the title as "just wow." His comment was written in 2002, unlike what he predicted, neither of the actors become famous. How does that title "mountain king" fit with this movie, I don't understand.There are some questions that can't be answered. In the end, why did the hustler wear the straight guy's clothes, and the straight guy was forced to wear the hustler's clothes, then walk around the beach. And he had to wear a pair of dark purple speedo as his underwear. Does that suggest that he now becomes a hustler himself? Was it an isolated island, so if he ran out of money, he had to do that in order to make some money in order to leave the island? If so, how did he get to island at the first place? Why did the hustler take a boat, where was he heading to? And if the hustler broke into that beach house without permission, where did they get the food to eat for that night? If that hustler was indeed living at a friend's house, why did he leave the stranger alone in his friend's house? Cinematography was good. I especially like the part when they both were dancing with the music, and we can see the silhouette against the beautiful sunset.
eventpix I've seen quite a few short films at the Tampa gay and lesbian film festival over the years and most of them tend to blur together in my mind after a year or so.... but this one I remember, and now I guess I'm going to get a hold of the DVD of "Boys to Men" (it's one of the three films featured) in order to see it again. Duncan Tucker went on to write and direct Transamerica and I just saw Paul Dawson in "Shortbus" last week at the festival and he was fantastic, as was the movie !I am always frustrated when people pan a movie because it deals with something outside of their own personal experience. Seduction, lies, manipulation... all words with negative associations, and yet there have been times in my life when a most scuzzy character has opened my mind to possibilities that I hadn't dreamed of.
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