Meat Market Arrest

In January 1970, filmmaker and activist Pat Rocco went to a gay nightclub on W. El Segundo Blvd. in the Gardena neighborhood of Los Angeles called Meat Market. They were advertising a nude dancing performance, which had become the focus of some controversy and led to arrests of the dancers and the manager. In the short documentary, Rocco arrives just as one of the arrests is taking place, capturing footage of the police leading the dancers, Michael Craig and Bob Philpot, out of the nightclub. His intention was to film the dance as evidence for a court case involving the dancer Bob Philpot—regarded as the first male nude go-go dancer—who had been previously arrested on obscenity charges. Rocco speaks with Walter Culpepper, a Los Angeles lawyer who represents the dancers charged and explains the nature of the charges. Patrons of Meat Market are interviewed and describe the dance performance as more artistic than sexual in nature.

Directed by Pat Rocco, Meat Market Arrest leans on a strong ensemble — Pat Rocco — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 1970.