Not Angels But Angels

This documentary account of teenage prostitution among Czech boys after the "velvet revolution" consists almost entirely of interviews with teen (14-20) prostitutes "working" in Prague.

The boys and their accounts are the best thing about the movie: they are very open about their "trade" and their stories are often heart-breaking. The film's composition, such as it is, is moderately effective, but some of the visuals are forced and smack of the old school of East European propaganda.

Not thorough, as recent revelations in European press show, but still a fascinating peek behind the curtain.

Men from Germany, UK, USA, Czech Republic, politicians, doctors, businessmen, theater people, club owners, TV presenters, but no famous actor: this is how a Czech pimp defines the clientele that buys the sexual services of boys, between 14 and 19 years, in Prague, in the documentary "Not Angels But Angels". The film is from 1994 and makes an (involuntary) account of one of the regrettable consequences of "economic globalization" in the Czech Republic, a fraction of the former socialist state of Czechoslovakia.

Homosexual male prostitution is not new in any corner of the world, so the subject does not give any novelty value to this documentary that moves at a snail's pace. On the other side, it surely was original to portray the recrudescence of pedophilia, because of the socio-political and economic effects of the entrance of the former socialist bloc to "savage capitalism". However, director Wiktor Grodecki missed the opportunity and the result is an endless parade of heads talking about various topics without utterance, direction or deduction, as a flow of reflections that leads us without knowing where. The boys talk about the first time they had a client, their rates, their overt gerontophilia, approved or rejected sexual acts, AIDS, the future, their fears, their loves (several with girlfriends and one who is a father). Grodecki leaves out, for example, a profile of a typical boy's family, the opinion of social workers, or the measures taken or not by the Czech state. Nothing.

Instead, the filmmaker is sensationalist to the extreme, with apocalyptic sound effects, the manipulative use of fragments of dramatic compositions by Bach, Mozart, Villa-Lobos, rock metal and Tibetan music; close-ups of supposed sweet-toothed customers of old age, a strange striptease by a beggar, shots of statues from Prague that witness the acts, and photos of homosexual pornography (pixelated by the DVD editor who, by the way, also pixelated the subtitles!)

The only merit I found in this distressing portrait of youth is the courage of the boys to tell their drama on camera (without any desire to achieve notoriety): there is everything, from the boy who grew up between New York and Prague and wants to be a gangster, to the so-called "Miss Jackson" (for Michael, but who, in reality, looked more like Diana Ross), going through young men who are obviously mistreated by the trade and a kind of "bathtub divo" who gave his interview wrapped in bubbles. First part of a trilogy, followed by «Body Without Soul», dedicated to the business of adolescent pornography in Prague.

Documentaries are not always the polished items some in the United States are used to. I'd point to Dark Days, a thoughtful material produced by a British youngster in New York who didn't even know how to operate a camera.

Documentaries have a purpose. And it is to convey a real situation to the knowledge of the public. A documentary is written AND directed. A documentary HAS a plot. A documentary makes people THINK. And this one is no exception. The flood from the countryside towns to Prague is still going on. People need money. And young kids are easily induced in a net that's well known by politicians, police and society.

A terrible reality that lives in Prague, and for that matter, almost anywhere in the new Europe.

This film is insightful, revealing, touching and sad. I wouldn't say it's a must-see. But for any person who likes documentary films, this one is a master piece. From any perspective: photography, lighting, questions and answers about the most complicated topics for a hustler's life. It's all in here.

I strongly disagree with the comment that states that "visuals are forced and smack of the old school of East European propaganda". This is unfair and maybe too subjective. This film is as clear as it goes for one of those very complicated problems that have been on earth since recorded history: prostitution.

I, as someone pointed out too, strongly recommend to show this film and discuss it with young people. I wouldn't be alarmist nor biased with its contents. All in it is real and all in it is true to life, not something that happened in 1994. Let the young ones speak their minds about it. Their vision is worth a ton of gold. I've done it and I certainly recommend this: let them have the word.

One last thing: you won't easily find a documentary with this kind of production. It's top notch.

This documentary is a classic and should be required viewing for every young boy world wide as soon as they enter puberty.

The reality of our world is that men will seek sexual contact with young boys for a myriad of reasons, many, known only to themselves.

The boys are the ones that need protection, NOT from the men but from their own ignorance. To decide to sell sexual services to a man is a decision that a boy makes in full conscience. The boy is NOT a victim as these situations depicted in the documentary are of young men who KNOWINGLY and WILLINGLY make themselves available to be sexual objects in exchange for money.

One could prattle on about the social reasons that drive a boy to believe that his situation is hopeless and all he can do is barter his body parts for money, yet the REAL issue at hand is the naieve and almost innocent ignorance many of the boys, especially the youngest of them, display as to the reality of their situation.

One said, "I am worried about aids but if the customer insists on anal sex without a condom, I must do it, we are talking money here." Clearly, this young lad has not a clue as to his right to INSIST that the customer use a condom OR the deal is off.

Not to beat a dead horse, I must say that this is an excellent film, well put together and it strips the veil of "secrecy" away from the subject matter, a veil that, at least in the United States, is held in place by the majority of the people in denial about the REALITIES of male prostitution amongst the adolescent population.