Excavating Taylor Mead

A documentary that opens with an 80 year old man on stage, excitedly reminiscing about being raped 30 years ago, may not be everybody's idea of a fun afternoon, but it sure as hell does it for me!

Excavating Taylor Mead is the engaging lifestory of one of New York's great eccentrics. Best known for his work with Andy Warhol, he is keen to point out that he has made over 100 films, and only 10 of them with Andy.

There are numerous celebrities willing to come forward and sing the praises of Mr Mead - Jim Jarmusch and Penny Arcade among them - but no-one can quite do him the credit he does himself.

Carrying a camp egotism that only works with age, he waves pedestrians out of his way with, "celebrity coming through, be careful", then, nosing through the doorway of a downtown bar, announces, "I could make that place high society if I started going in there."

In contrast to his iconic status, Taylor's home life - living in cockroach infested squalor on the corner of Ludlow Street - draws the attention of the health and safety department who issue an eviction notice. A clean-up operation follows that ends with Taylor obviously distressed that, not only has he lost many of his personal works and treasures, but the upheaval has frightened his cats.

The producer, Erik Laibe, and director, William Kirkley, were in London for the show. I felt bad for them that only about 20 people had shown up. It was sadder still when I looked at their website and realised how excited they'd been about the appearance.

Despite a review in Boyz, the gay community were conspicuous by their absence. But then I always expect too much, imagining that gay people will have any interest in celebrating their own culture.

I had a similar conversation earlier in the year about Jayne County - expect the gays to come out and celebrate some old poof? Hell no, they'd rather be watching Kylie.