Homoerotica consists of things or images that arouse gay love or desire. It may be a statue or a painting, or a scene from a film between two men or women, that is intentionally or unintentionally homoerotic. A lot of films have hidden sexual symbolism or subtexts, only coming to light after being viewed by todays sexually aware audiences. Also knowing an actor was gay or bisexual, can give his or her imagery an entirely different meaning. Homoerotica is different from camp. Mae West was bawdy and camp, her musclemen in her live Revues were homoerotic. She was fully aware that the musclemen were there in her show to provide eyecandy for her female fans, and more particularly, her huge gay following. If a young gay man identified with an image on the screen, it was often the homoeroticism of the image that unknowingly attracted him. The popularity of Sword and Sandal epics, of men in togas and little else, is a good example.
Homoerotic imagery sometimes becomes just that when the male is photographed in a sensual but overtly submissive or dominant way. Also the juxtaposition of the photo, the props used, or the setting. Props that symbolize malehood or strength, a large gun or saw for example, display a mans virility and his endowment. Men overpowering each other, or where a woman is used simply as a prop to be ignored, also add to the hidden gay eroticism. 
Homoerotica consists of things or images that arouse gay love or desire. It may be a statue or a painting, or a scene from a film between two men or women, that is intentionally or unintentionally homoerotic. A lot of films have hidden sexual symbolism or subtexts, only coming to light after being viewed by todays sexually aware audiences. Also knowing an actor was gay or bisexual, can give his or her imagery an entirely different meaning. Homoerotica is different from camp. Mae West was bawdy and camp, her musclemen in her live Revues were homoerotic. She was fully aware that the musclemen were there in her show to provide eyecandy for her female fans, and more particularly, her huge gay following. If a young gay man identified with an image on the screen, it was often the homoeroticism of the image that unknowingly attracted him. The popularity of Sword and Sandal epics, of men in togas and little else, is a good example.
Rock Hudson was so well loved in Hollywood, that the fact he was gay, remained a well kept industry secret. A stunningly beautiful and funny man, Rock became a huge star in the 50's and 60's when he realized as well as having leading man looks, he was good at light comedy. Doris Day and Rock released some of the greatest hits of the era starting with Pillow Talk. Watching those classic films now, we really see, that the gay in-jokes and sexual innuendo ran rampant.
