Hugh Hefner’s After Dark: Speaking Out in America

Friday, March 8, 2019

From Brigitte Berman, Oscar-winning director of Artie Shaw: Time Is All You’ve Got (1985), comes this remarkable documentary of one of America’s most influential and controversial cultural icons, Hugh Hefner. In addition to its considered portrait of Hefner as a man of his times who also transcended them, this film features an incredible array of archival footage from Hugh Hefner’s landmark TV series, Playboy’s Penthouse (1959-1960) and Playboy After Dark (1968-1970). Amongst the martinis and bonhomie, Hefner’s shows offered urgent cultural and political commentaries from pop culture luminaries such as Lenny Bruce, Dick Gregory, and Gore Vidal, as well as sensational live musical performances by Nina Simone, Joan Baez, Steppenwolf, Ray Charles, and Sammy Davis, Jr. 

 

Official Selection: Telluride Film Festival; Whistler Film Festival (Audience Award); Santa Barbara Film Festival

 

“An illuminating glimpse at a time when Hugh Hefner was on the cultural cutting edge.” – Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter

Screening as part of the official line-up for Canada Now 2019.

• Country Canada
• Running Time 101 minutes
• Distributor Telefilm
• Director Brigitte Berman

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.