ItIsNottheHomosexualWhoIsPerverse,ButtheSocietyinWhichHeLives(NichtderHomosexuelleistpervers,sonderndieSituation,indererlebt)istheearnesttitleofRosavonPraunheim’s1971PG-chastefirstfeature,whichhasagedlikegoodcheesefromascandaloussensation(apoliticalwakeupcalltogays)intoatextbookexampleofclassiccamp—andadelightfultimewarptripthroughqueercliché.Theverycolorfulcolorfilm(shotMOS)openswithvonPraunheim’scameratrailingtwofags—oneblonde,onebrunette—walkingdownasunnyBerlinstreet.Daniel,theshybrunette,isnewtothebigcityandblondeClemensisgenerouslyofferinghimaplacetostay.(WeknowthisbytheheavilyGerman-accentedEnglish,dubbedandspokenina“Sprockets”cadence.)“It’ssohardtofindsomeonewho’ssincere,”Clemens’voicesaysastheycuddleonhisbedbackattheapartment.“Ireallydigyou.”Then,fromoutofnowhere,agrave,German-accented,Moses-likevoiceoverexplainsthat“faggotslongforlovingrelationships”,but“liveinadreamworldofglossymagazinesandHollywoodmovies.”NownakedinbedwithDaniel,Clemensproclaims,“I’dliketothrowthewindowopenandshowthewholeworldhowwonderfulitiswhentwomenareinlove!”Andsoitgoes.DanielfussesoverhishairinthemirrorwhileClemens’heartsickTeutonicvoicenarratestheirnewfounddomesticbliss.“EveryhourandminuteIspentalonewastortureforme.”Luckily,thelovebirdsspendplentyoftimedoingthingslike“watchingtelevisiontofurtheroureducation”andhousecleaningtogether.Theyalsoreadorwriteletters.“DearMother,”Daniel’svoicebegins.Butalas,asClemensstaresintoacabinetchockfullofknickknacks,thatdamnnaggingMosesvoiceoverreturns.“Faggotstrytoimitatemiddleclassmarriage,”hehisses,holdingforthonthesubjectofmentaughttobeincompetitionwithoneanother,tobeself-involved—doomingthefaggotrelationship.Nextthingyouknow,Daniel’ssadvoicesighs,“Fourmonthshavepassed.I’vedecidedtoleaveClemens.”Thenajaunty,genialGermannarratorintones,“Danielwasoftencruisedbyawell-to-doman.”Andthere’sgirlfriendstrollingalongwiththetight-panted“benefactorathiscountryestate!”Astheystopforaglassofchampagnebesideastatue,Mosesabruptlythundersaboutthemyththatthehomosexual’s“interestintheartsisawaytomakelifemorebearable,”wheninreality“theartsareatoolfortherichandpowerful,”foritmakesit“mucheasiertogetthemintobed.”Cuttoapianoandawild-eyedfagsingingaboutDeutschland!Nearby,thebenefactorplayswithhisascot,agaudysilverringintheshapeofaninsectonhisfinger.Thecamerapullsbackandpansaroundtheroomfulofoldqueensrespectfullylisteningtotherecital.Mosesannounces,“Youthandgoodlooksaretremendouslyimportanttooldfags.”LikeHitchcock’sbirds,theelderlyMarysaresuddenlyswarmingoverpoorDaniel—whogetsnauseousandrunsoutthedoor.Thenit’sofftoanoutdoorcafé—withabigsignreading“MobyDick’s.”ThegenialGermannarratorinformsthatDaniel’sfoundanewjobworkingata“meetingplaceforhomosexuals”where“conversationsaboutfilm,fashionandphysicalculturegivehimideasabouthowtofillhisleisuretime.”Mosesbuttsintoaddthatfaggots“gathertolistentoNinaSimone,JudyGarlandandBarbraStreisand”and“gatheratFireIslandandSanFrancisco.”Heintones,“Fashionhastobelikeasecondskinthatsuggeststhesizeofthecock.”Asissysauntersdownthestreetinknee-highmoccasinsandshorts.Mosesalsowarns,“Theyoungfagmustgiveuphisinterestsformorehomosexualinterests.”Andthere’sDanielsunninghimselfwithhisfellowhomosexuals!Mosessnipes,“Hewasentrancedbyhisstrongbodyandbutchstyle”asatorso,hairychestandtightbluejeans,appearsinmediumcloseup.ThegenialGermanoffers,“Danielcouldsitforhoursandenjoybeingcruised.”Then:“WolfganghadalotincommonwithDaniel”asthetwomop-haired,mutton-choppedboysrublotionononeanother.Butallisnotwellinfairyland.MosesbringsnewsthatDanielhasbegungoingtogaybars—isbecomingaddicted!And,yup,there’sDaniel,wanderingaroundadarkanddingyhole.Mosesexplains,“It’seasyforfaggotstofindoneanotherbecausetheyofferthemselvesonstreetcornerslikewhores.”Cuttoaqueenhavingahissyfitinfrontofthebarasanothertriestocalmherdown,allwhileMosesholdsforthonsadfags,howtheydon’tknowhowtousetheirsexualfreedomforhappiness,howtheir“greatestenemyistheconspicuousqueen.”Twofairiesinshortshortsappearintheframe,fawningovertwoembarrassedfags.Moseslaments,“Danielnowhasnootherinterestthanbeingafag.”Cuttoamotorcyclegang,leatherboyscruisingoneanotheramongstthenighttimetrees.Theyfeelupeachother’szippers,chains,andstuds—aclothedgropefestasMosesteachesthat,otherthan“trans-westites,[who]longforwomen’sorgans,leatherfreaksarethefagswiththemosthang-ups.”Infact,“Theleatherqueersarereallynice,politepeoplewhosufferfromtheirownweakness.”Andthat’swhenDaniel,“boredwithtalking,”fatefullyleavesthebarscenefortheparkwherehe“slowlymadehiswaythroughthetensechoreographyofmen.”(SosayethMoses.)Cuttooutsideapublicrestroom(a“well-knownmeetingplace”).Menwhocruiserestrooms“despisetearoomtrade,”thevoiceofMosestrembles.Hustlers—“usuallyrunawaysfrombrokenhomes”whoare“oftennotqueer”—frequentthesespots.(Assortedhustlersandfagsmillaboutasapieceofroughtradestandslikeasentinelinfrontofthedoor.)Agroupofqueersemergeandpilecircus-styleintoacar.AnoldfagcruisesDanielbutstrikesout(duh!)beforegettingbeatupbyroughtrade.Nextup:adragqueensinginginamixedhomobar—atattooedleatherdaddystaringstoicallyfromatablenearby.Andthere’sDaniel!He’s“drowninghimselfinalcoholandcigarettes”whileotherfagstryto“forgetthemselvesinafranticatmosphere”—i.e.,ablackguyandawhiteguydoingachickendanceto“RockAroundTheClock”,whichblaresfromthejukebox.Anoldyodelingqueenappears.DanielseeshisfriendPaul,asksifhecangobacktohiscommunalpad.Andthat’swherevonPraunheim’sfilmfinallyreachesitsclimax—apsychotherapysessionwithagroupofnakedfags!Sittinginacircle,theyberateDanielintheirdubbedvoices.“You’vebecomearealfulltimefaggot!”“You’rebecomingneurotic,awhorewhodoesn’tevengetpaid!”TheTeutonicaccentsstartcallingforagayprideawakening,aconsciousness-raising“We’rehere,we’requeer!”movement.“Queensandbutcheshavetostopopposingandfighttogethersidebyside!”“Comeoutofthecloset!Taketothestreets!”“Eroticallyfree!Sociallyinvolved!”Thecommentarycontinuesevenasthecreditsrolloverapinkbackground—evenasIcan’tstoplaughingoverthe“trans-westites,”leatherfreaks,andglorioustearoomtrade.
这部影片如同一把锋利的手术刀，剖开了社会对同性恋群体的偏见与压迫。观影过程中，最令人窒息的不是角色遭遇的直接暴力，而是那些藏匿在日常中的恶意——邻里间的窃窃私语、职场上的隐性歧视、甚至亲人眼神里的疏离，这些细节被导演编织成一张密不透风的网，将观众拽入主角挣扎的生存空间。
演员的表演堪称一针催化剂。主角在浴室镜前颤抖着撕掉贴满“变态”标签的桥段，没有歇斯底里的哭喊，仅凭指尖的痉挛与逐渐泛红的眼眶，就将自我认同的撕裂感传递得淋漓尽致。配角们同样贡献了层次分明的演技：酒吧里那个用夸张笑声掩饰恐惧的中年gay，公园长椅上反复涂改求职简历的青年，每个微小动作都像是从现实生活里直接截取的片段。
叙事结构上，导演采用了多线并进的手法。三条时间轴交错推进：1980年代某次平权运动的失败事件、当下社区中心的心理互助小组、以及穿插其间的伪纪录片式采访。这种设计初看略显凌乱，但随着剧情深入，观众会猛然发现——不同时代的压迫竟如此相似，就像不断重演的悲剧轮回。尤其当黑白档案画面与彩色现实场景突然重叠时，那种跨越时空的无力感几乎能压垮银幕前的每个人。
影片最震撼的莫过于对“正常”定义的颠覆。当牧师举着《圣经》痛斥同性欲望时，镜头却切到他身后教堂彩窗上扭曲的光影；当医生说出“电击疗法可以矫正异常”时，画面边缘恰好掠过一只被关在铁笼里的孔雀——这些充满隐喻的构图像一记记无声的耳光，打碎了所谓道德权威的虚伪面具。而结尾处长达三分钟的长镜头更是神来之笔：主角站在人潮涌动的街头，周围人群如摩西分海般自动避开他的轨迹，此刻画外音忽然响起童年时的童谣，瞬间将个体孤独与社会规训的矛盾推向高潮。
这部电影不是简单的控诉，而是一面照妖镜。它让我们看见所谓“变态”的真正来源：是邻居太太那句轻飘飘的“我不反对但别让孩子看见”；是招聘官礼貌拒绝时藏在文件后翻白眼的表情；是医院走廊里护士们刻意压低的讥笑。当片名最终以血红色字体浮现在黑色背景上时，所有观众都不得不直面这个残酷的真相——真正需要治疗的，从来就不是爱本身。