By Mort Kunstler

Do a google search for “Disco Painting” and this is one of the first images to come up.  Entitled Disco Dilemma, it was painted by Mort Kunstler and, according to what I read online, it was used as the cover for the January, 1968 edition of a magazine called For Men Only.

(As my friend, Mark the Australian hippy, once pointed out, Kunstler is German for artist.)

A part of me wonders if that date is correct.  Did they have discos in 1968?  To me, this seems more appropriate for 1978 than 1968.  Just check out that ascot on the bearded man over on the far left side of the picture.  (The bearded man, incidentally, bears a vague resemblance to Charlton Heston.  Heston famously wore a similar ascot all through Soylent Green.)  According to Wikipedia, For Men Only published from “at least the 1950s to the 1970s,” which is pretty damn vague for the internet’s go-to source for information.  Wikipedia also states that it started out as a “men’s adventure” magazine before going pornographic in 1970.  Personally, I just think it’s amusing that there actually used to be a magazine called For Men Only.  Is that a threat or a dare?  If I found an old copy of For Men Only and I opened it, would it lead to some sort of Ark of the Covenant-style divine retribution?

(“CLOSE YOUR EYES!  DON’T LOOK AT IT!”)

Well, regardless of when this was actually painted or if I would even be allowed to be in the same room as the actual magazine, here’s Disco Dilemma!

(Speaking of disco, be sure to check out my reviews of Skatetown USA, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Saturday Night Fever, Prom Night, Staying Alive, and Thank God It’s Friday!)

(And remember…if I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby….)

(…’Cause we’re living in a world of fools. Breaking us down when they all should let us be. We belong to you and me…)