ISBN: 0789313073
List Price: $50.00
Amazon Price: $31.50
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Avg Cusomer Rating: 5
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Summary: Awesome Display
There are two major kinds of power: physical power and social power. "Locker Room Nudes" is a book about men who have both. The rugby players of Stade Français Paris are the elite of the elite, one of Europe's premiere teams in one of its premiere sports. Playing one of the toughest and most physically challenging games in the world has honed their bodies to perfection, and their championship wins have turned them into gods among France's sporting crowd. They are almost a force of nature. "Locker Room Nudes" is a beautiful celebration of their power.
This hefty book collects the (mostly) nude photos of the rugby players that have been taken by photographer François Rousseau for their annual wall calendar. The men are shown in the locker room as well as the weight room, the shower, the stadium, and even the toilet. The book's one flaw, as others have pointed out, is that it claims to present a "candid" view of these men. There is nothing "candid" about the photos -- each one is carefully posed and shot, usually (though not always) so the naughty parts are obscured. Besides, it's unrealistic to assume that the rugby team would spend so much time in the buff in real life. What IS true is that they are photographed in natural lighting, with no makeup, shaving, or "prettifying." They are often shown streaked with mud and sweat, as though they've just come in from a game. And it's impossible to deny that they are still achingly beautiful men. Ranging from lithesome models like Julian Hans (p. 128-135) to hulking man-mountains such as Ignacio Corleto (p. 20-21) and Regis Sigoire (p. 148), they represent every possible image of the ideal man.
Yes, this book has aspects that some people don't like. The "atmospheric" shots of an empty hallway and locker room do distract from the nudes, but they take up so little of the book that it barely matters. I don't have any problem with the collection of head-shots that appear partway through -- after all, the face counts as a naked body part as well, and many of these men are very handsome. Photographing a man's face, so close that we can see every strand of stubble on his jaw, presents just as intimate an image as the same man's nude body. And, yes, there is a homoerotic undercurrent to many of the images: men are shown hanging out together in the nude, casually embracing, and wrestling on the muddy floor. Common sense says that most if not all of these men are straight. However, they must know that their photos have a large following among gay men, and it's kind of nice to see them acknowledging that. Besides, these rugby players do share a powerful bond of trust and camaraderie. They have won this much and come this far by putting their faith in each other. They have few secrets from each other. The fact that they feel comfortable enough to take off all their clothes and exchange a manly hug for the camera shows what a bloody good team they are. I don't believe there's anything sexual in that.
"Locker Room Nudes" is above all, a display of raw beauty. Certain photos stand out. On pages 10 and 11, Daniel Browne strips off his shirt to reveal a torso that many athletes would kill for. Clement Poitrenaud strides up the stadium steps on p. 44-45, his flawless body streaked with sweat (or is it rainwater?) and we can almost hear the noise of the adoring crowd. Moise Santamaria kickboxes on p. 64-67, and fearlessly bares all in a defiantly erotic pose. On p. 98-99, the Bergamasco brothers, Mirco and Mauro, square off, their chiseled forms and curly hair making them look like they just stepped from an Olympian mural of ancient Greece. Fabien Galthie kisses a championship plaque on p. 103, drunk on power and glory. Yannick Larguet is caught running with the ball on p. 120-121, muscles taut, an athlete in his element. The jaw-droppingly gorgeous Frederic Cermeno visits the shower on p. 136-139, and I for one would pay big money for the privilege of toweling him dry. The soapy hot tub embrace between Regis Sigoire and Jeremie Ballais on p. 147 is so erotic that the two would have to work hard to convince people they weren't lovers.
And, at the very beginning of the book, we see a dark room pierced by a doorway through which brilliant light spills. A naked man stands in the doorway, silhouetted; a second man is almost hidden in shadow to his right. The picture is an invitation to enter that doorway, to see what is merely being hinted at in the image. "Locker Room Nudes" is a fantasy given life. Flipping through these glossy pages, we can imagine that we are truly there, that we have been given the chance of a lifetime, that we are the honored guests of these strong, beautiful, confident men.
That's real power.
Summary: Beautiful book.
The hype on this book is pretty huge. It lives up to MOST of it. The men/photos are beautiful and the overall quality of the book construction is wonderful. There could be some additional cutting edge/homoerotic pics. The price here on amazon is the lowest I have seen. Gay bookstores seem to jack the price up. Buy it here!!
Summary: Coffe Table Book
This is not what I would consider a coffee table book, but my friend Tim uses his as a ice breaker, when he first brings "special" friends over to his house.
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