My sister noticed this film listed on HBO and read the synopsis to me. Much like FLESHPOT ON 42ND STREET on TCM back in 2020, I knew I had to watch PILLION! It didn’t hurt that one of its stars is Alexander Skarsgård, and he might be at his sexiest here.
Colin is a young Englishman who lives with his father and cancer-ridden mother. On a blind date at a pub set up by his mother, Colin spots a tall drink of biker leather named Ray. After paying for Ray’s snacks while getting another round for his blind date, Colin suddenly has a date for Christmas Day, or night, rather. This first festive back-alley holiday date includes Colin being ordered to literally lick one of Ray’s boots and then to stay on his knees to satisfy the biker’s Christmas wish. Who says romance is dead?
This first date wakes up a submissive kink in Colin and he eventually begins living with Ray. This arrangement includes Colin fixing all the meals, sleeping on a rug on the floor at the end of Ray’s bed, having his head shaved and being one of the naked offerings at a biker potluck picnic. One reward for behaving like a good little submissive is a wrestling sex session, which is more about Ray’s physical pleasure than Colin’s. Is it now obvious why I had to watch this sometimes twisted film?
After a personal tragedy, Colin begins wanting an emotional connection. In an act of compassion or sympathy, Ray allows Colin to share his bed. This seeming softness is short-lived and soon it’s back to the rug. Disappointed, Colin works up the nerve to request a day off where they act like two people in an equal, loving relationship, but will Ray give-in or will Colin have to remain a 24/7 submissive?
Harry Melling, grandson of the 2nd Doctor Who Patrick Troughton, brings a sympathetic innocence to Colin even as he engages in very non-innocent activities. Alexander Skarsgård, brother of Pennywise Bill Skarsgård, infuses Ray with intense sexual magnetism and a believable demanding attitude. The rest of the cast is great, but top honors must go to Lesley Sharp as Colin’s mother Peggy. She is full on believable as a loving parent who is also understandably concerned about her son’s new relationship, even as she is dying. The scene where Ray joins Colin’s parents for a meal is priceless in its mixture of humor and pain.
Writer/directer Harry Lighton balances both pain and humor with brilliant results. There were times I found myself chuckling, but I wasn’t sure it was supposed to be funny. Then again, how could the wrestling scene not be funny with Tiffany’s cover of “I Think We’re Alone Now” playing front and center? I became so curious if the source material for PILLION, the book “Box Hill: A Story of Low Self-Esteem” by Adam Mars-Jones, is also equal parts humorous and painful that I ordered a copy. As if I don’t have enough to read!
I confess that I don’t fully understand this type of arrangement. I mean, I can wrap my head around paying someone for a weekend of being a dom or a sub, but a full-time relationship boggles my mind a bit. However, if the participants are willing adults who completely understand what is expected, then embrace your kink and go for it.
In conclusion…
I enjoyed PILLION because the characters felt realistically written and performed. Plus, it is truly a unique kind of love story. So, if you’re looking for a different way to celebrate 🏳️🌈Pride Month🏳️⚧️, grab a lock or a key and get kinky with PILLION!
SIDE NOTE: According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of pillion is “a motorcycle or bicycle saddle for a passenger.”
Freak Out, JLH
P.S. The character of Ray gave off a vibe that reminded me of the Wendy’s man I blogged about earlier this year. Click the pic for more about him…👇
~~~~~~~~~~~~ Celebrate 🏳️🌈Pride Month🏳️⚧️ with my queer books available in various formats from Amazon… 📚
Praise be to Severin Films for finding and releasing two of Andy Milligan’s lost films! Believe you me, I was freaking out over this discovery and was constantly checking Severin so I could pre-order ASAP! It was a rare Friday off for me and I just got home from a sloppy joe lunch with my sister. I immediately checked and BAM, there was my dream come true! “This is really happening!” I chanted to my cats as I placed my order, only half-aware I was quoting ROSEMARY’S BABY.
You can imagine how over the moon I was when my order arrived. I watched the two lost films right away and the other films over the weekend. To be honest, I was under the weather for my initial viewings, so subsequent viewings were required, as if I needed an excuse for rewatching!
I was originally planning on doing one post covering all of “GUTTER AUTEUR” The Lost Legacy of Andy Milligan, but I ended up writing a longer review for THE DEGENERATES than I expected. In other words, the following review is just the first in a potential series of reviews…
THE DEGENERATES (1967)
My first thought on my initial viewing was, This movie is daring viewers to hate it. It was loud with screeching performances and was sometimes hard to follow, especially keeping track of which character was which. In other words, THE DEGENERATES was an Andy Milligan film through and through, and I enjoyed it even if I was confused. My confusion may have been due to being ill at the time.
Frank, Jim and GoGo on the go.
THE DEGENERATES is Andy Milligan’s post-apocalyptic, sci-fi epic! Well, sort of. After an offscreen nuclear war has decimated the world, three men (Jim, Frank and GoGo) are sent out to find other survivors. The trio stumble upon a house of women named after flowers or flowering plants. Violet may physically look like a slim bit of nothing with a cute pixie cut bob, but she is in charge and rules with an iron fist. Rose exudes a sweet, understanding motherly vibe. Iris and Daisy are ready to find out what they’ve been missing when the men arrive. Lily is young, sweet and innocent and always wears a hairband. Ivy, the youngest, lives away from her sisters, having lost her mind when she saw their father burn to death in the family car.
What does Ivy know?
Jim has an injured leg and Violet agrees to let the men stay for a couple of days. She assigns Iris to take care of Jim, who gets the luxury of a bedroom, and orders Frank and GoGo to sleep in the shed. Iris and Jim begin forming a bond, while Daisy sneaks out to spend time with GoGo, no matter how ridiculous his name is. Meanwhile, Frank is out to claim innocent Lily for himself. All of this sex ignites a boiling rage in Violet as she believes her sisters are slipping away from her and she will be left alone. Violence soon erupts, with death not far behind. It’s interesting to note that Milligan did not use “swirl camera” to represent chaos in THE DEGENERATES, which makes for a more visceral viewing, in my opinion.
Violet prepares to punish Daisy.
Will Violet’s love and rage go too far? Will Lily be saved from Frank’s manipulative ways? Will Ivy speak the truth about their father’s death? Will Daisy & GoGo and Iris & Jim live happily ever after in a post-apocalyptic world? Well, this is an Andy Milligan film, so the odds are stacked against them.
Iris and Jim are happy for a moment.
The bombastic visuals and dialogue that had bombarded me at first became a filmic drug with my second viewing of THE DEGENERATES. I was able to follow everything going on and was mesmerized. I couldn’t take my half-blind eyes off the screen as Violet descends into absolute madness. Played to severe perfection by Bryarly Lee, who also starred in the still lost Milligan film THE NAKED WITCH, Violet seems to be an unstoppable force. Then there is Hope Stansbury, who wrote Milligan’s first film VAPORS and starred as Dracula’s daughter in BLOOD. In THE DEGENERATES, Hope plays youngest sister Ivy, the one who lives apart from the others. Hope gives the mostly silent Ivy a soul and finds her strength when she finally speaks a long-held secret. The rest of the cast gives it their all, but this film belongs to Bryarly Lee and Hope Stansbury.
Violet demands to be loved!
THE DEGENERATES was written by friends and sometimes lovers, Gerald Jacuzzo and Andy Milligan. They were definitely on the same page because it all feels like Milligan or maybe that’s because of his directorial style. One moment that definitely came from Andy is the crucifixion scene. One character’s right hand is nailed to a wall while the other hand is pinned using a pitchfork, which is a Milligan trademark instrument of torture.
Violet pitchforks Frank.
Speaking of torture (not his acting), writer Gerald Jacuzzo also appeared in some of Andy’s films, most memorably TORTURE DUNGEON, which I have shamefully not reviewed…yet! He was also in VAPORS and appears briefly in the other recently found lost Milligan film, KISS ME, KISS ME, KISS ME! (1968) and is easily one of the best actors Andy utilized.
In conclusion… Despite my confusing but enjoyable first viewing, THE DEGENERATES is quickly rising up the ranks in my favorite Andy Milligan films. It won’t bump FLESHPOT, NIGHTBIRDS or SEEDS from the top spots, but it is giving other favorites a run for their low-budget money! If you haven’t experienced an Andy Milligan film, don’t start here. I recommend beginning with GURU THE MAD MONK and branching out from there. However, if you’re a burgeoning fan or a maladjusted, obsessive Milligan freak like me, THE DEGENERATES must be seen!
My obsession is now a fashion statement!
Freak Out, JLH
P.S. Click TRICKS OF THE TRADE for a look at the script for another one of Andy Milligan’s lost films! ~~~~~~~~~~~~ My books are tragically nothing like a Milligan film, but you can still find a degenerate character or two within their pages.
Have all of my favorite film directors directed porn? Ed Wood, Jr. certainly did! One could argue that Andy Milligan did with the uncut version of FLESHPOT ON 42nd STREET because of at least two very real sex scenes. Even John Waters admits that one uncomfortably memorable scene in PINK FLAMINGOS is a satirical take on DEEP THROAT. Oh, and while Roger Ebert made it abundantly clear that Russ Meyer did NOT direct porn, I argue that his manically unhinged UP! (1976) is at least porn-adjacent. (I really need to review that piece of celluloid craziness.)
So, I guess it’s not a surprise that before Wes Craven gave us A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, he inverted and exploded the concept of adult cinema with THE FIREWORKS WOMAN (aka The Fireworks Man, which makes more sense as the title.)
Angela is a complicated woman haunted by the past, by her incestuous feelings for her brother and by The Fireworks Man, a seemingly supernatural entity. These three influences in her life seem to be entangled as she shows up at the church where her brother Peter is now a priest. Angela wants to continue their taboo relationship that was consummated before Peter became a man of the cloth. Peter swears he doesn’t want what Angela wants, but he gets her a job as a maid to one of his parishioners. The twisted old refined lady and her kinky male cohort start Angela down a path of self-discovery, even though Peter is never far from her thoughts.
Does THE FIREWORKS WOMAN end with a bang or a fizzle? It ends just like a Wes Craven film should end, leaving the viewers questioning everything they just experienced.
SPOILER ALERT
Peter gets advice from the Monseigneur and throws a church banquet. Angela gets advice from Nicolas Burns (The Fireworks Man) and invites the congregation to an orgy at the same time as the banquet. Guess which party the so-called faithful attend! Nicolas then tricks Peter into coming to the orgy, forcing the priest into a decision. Peter leaves a note for the Monseigneur and then brazenly enters the orgy, scoops up Angela and carries her to a boat. Then brother and sister sail away, living happily ever after…or do they? The Monseigneur rushes to the beach to stop the ungodly lovers, but it’s too late. As he turns away, the disciple of God disappears as Nicolas Burns (the disciple of Satan?) appears, turning towards the faraway boat. What does this mean for Angela and Peter? Does it mean the Monseigneur and The Fireworks Man are just flip sides of the same coin? Unfortunately, Wes Craven never publicly spoke of this film in detail, so, like the end of A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, it’s left to interpretation. However, according to a blu-ray bonus feature, the original script ends with the boat washing ashore somewhere without Peter and Angela on it. Even that ending would’ve been enigmatic.
THE FIREWORKS WOMAN is definitely written and directed by Wes Craven.His mark is on the haunting visuals, the unsettling/shocking story and he even portrays Nicolas Burns.The director, who does not appear in the sex scenes, seems very comfortable in front of the camera and appears to be having fun sowing the seeds of chaos as The Fireworks Man.As for the other actors, they share that natural 1970’s acting vibe.Jennifer Jordan as Angela and Eric Edwards as Peter are believable as the tormented siblings. SIDE NOTE: Eric Edwards is no stranger to this blog. He appeared as the rich guy with the priceless broach and manipulative aunt in the uproarious BLONDE AMBITION (1981).
In conclusion… When I noticed Melusine was offering this most obscure Wes Craven film, I didn’t think twice about it. THE FIREWORKS WOMAN is a disturbing study of emotional trauma and forbidden love. No, it’s not quite on par with Wes Craven’s other films, but it’s an intriguing celluloid stepping stone on his way to creating Freddy Krueger. So, if you’re a Craven completist or a truly adventurous film freak, THE FIREWORKS WOMAN is the film for you! Be warned though, there is a very brief scene at the orgy between a fisherman and his catch of the day that you will never unsee!
Freak Out, JLH ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dare to enter the fantasies of my deranged mind in 2026… 🧠 📚
I allowed negativity to overwhelm me this year. Negativity from the world, from my country, from my town and from the voices in my head.
My poetry and some of my reviews reflect this negative vibe slithering beneath my skin. Even my most viewed post is a bad review of a new film. In my defense, WEAPONS really isn’t very good.
However, 2025 wasn’t all doom & gloom. I released the DARK EXCURSIONS ebook series and STURGEONS (the complete serials) as audiobooks through Audible. There was also a new e-book, paperback and truly amusing audiobook release! I wrote Whasome’s Dreck (a short parody) a long time ago. After unearthing this gem, I felt the world needed my satirical take on Dawson’s Creek. Not sure if the world agrees. I also managed to release a few videos for The FreakOptic Files. They still make me laugh, which is my ultimate goal.As for the coming year, I hope to write more. There are poems to compose and crazy films to review, including a couple of recently found lost Andy Milligan titles, if Severin releases them in 2026.
Thank you to anyone who has read or listened to my words in 2025. I am forever grateful for your encouragement and support!
Freak Out, JLH
P.S. After releasing Whasome’s Dreck, I decided to give the John L. Harmon literary completists a gift by finally releasing Bubba’s Truck (a short story) as a paperback.
His acidic words Like a salve On my being Shouting in hate Swarming in lust Swirling in violence Screaming in vain Quiets the voices Hacking away under My volatile mindskin Calming what passes For a kindred soul In this malformed body Feeling tethered To a forgotten ghost Flickering wet night terrors Leaving me satiated Until the creeping silence Becomes severe whispers Abruptly intensifying Wailing for more
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2025, John L. Harmon
_____________ I wrote this tribute to late filmmaker Andy Milligan while “songs from a holographic mind” by Matthew Nowik burrowed deep within my nervous system.
I blogged about the Sequel Trilogy and the Prequel Trilogy of the STAR WARS franchise. Now, here we are with the first film in the coveted Original Trilogy.
I was extremely young when STAR WARS exploded onto the pop culture landscape and going to the theater with my sister Margaret may be one of my earliest memories. I wish I could say it was a thrilling experience that forever altered my life, but we both fell asleep during it. I remember the opening scroll and the Imperial Star Destroyer gunning for Princess Leia’s ship. I also remember C-3PO and R2-D2 escaping in an escape pod. Then I remember waking up to see the planet Alderaan being obliterated by the Death Star, or it could have been (SPOILER ALERT) the Death Star being obliterated by Luke Skywalker. I can’t say for certain. Then I remember the medal ceremony for the heroes and waking up my sister to tell her it was over. If I’m brutally honest, I caught the important stuff during that first go around. I would later see it at the local drive-in without falling asleep, but it’s that first viewing, or lack thereof, that sticks in my memory.
Ultimately, STAR WARS Episode IV: A NEW HOPE and the other two episodes of the Original Trilogy became a gigantic part of my childhood. I thrilled as Luke Skywalker is swept away from his desert planet farm boy life and hurled into the middle of a war between the all-powerful Empire and a scrappy, ragtag rebellion. You know the story. If you don’t, what rock have you been living under for the last several decades?
Princess Leia Organa, a badass rebel and fashion icon, trusts the unlikeliest of duos with some super important information that could put an end to the tyrannical reign of the Empire. Either through the power of the Force or a plot filled with happenstance, droid soulmates C-3PO and R2-D2 become friends with Luke Skywalker, a moisture farm boy from Tatooine. Thanks to the droids being hunted by the Empire, Luke loses his family and his home. Instead of crying around about it, Luke takes off on a space adventure with desert hermit/former Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi. Together they hope to deliver the super important information to the Rebel Alliance. To accomplish this mission, they need a spaceship, which they find in a droid-phobic dive bar. Han Solo, a roguish egotist pilot and his walking carpet sidekick Chewbacca offer passage on board the exceptionally cool Millennium Falcon. Everyone gets more than they bargained for when they have to also rescue Leia, shut off a tractor beam, and deal with Grand Moff Tarkin and his seemingly second in command/walking fashion statement Darth Vader. Oh, they also need to take care of that pesky Death Star, a planet destroying battle station. Will our intrepid heroes save the far, far away galaxy? If you honestly don’t know, then you’ve been skimming this post.😏
Trying to race through my ramblings.
The last time I watched A NEW HOPE was a long time ago. I’m talking before my 2016 chunk of vision loss and before THE FORCE AWAKENS hit theaters. (My 2023 plan to watch all 3 Trilogies in chronological order stopped after the prequels.) How did A NEW HOPE hold up after all this time? I still love writer/director George Lucas’ sci-fi epic, but I wonder if the Prequel and Sequel Trilogies have tarnished the hardcore geek fanboy zeal I used to experience with each viewing. Don’t get me wrong, I still felt a serious foreshadowing thrill when Obi-Wan (SPOILER ALERT) is obviously fudging the truth about Darth Vader betraying and murdering Luke’s father! I also can’t help but geek out over the totally super-cool awesomeness of the Millennium Falcon and yes. I may still experience a filmgasm the first time it jumps into hyperspace! Oh, and there is the lightsaber duel between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader! Forget everything that happens after their confrontation, the film was really just building to that singular moment between frenemies! Last, but far from least, Princess Leia rocks!
One thing I found myself appreciating more than I ever did before was the acting. Obviously, Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin and James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader shine brighter than the twin suns of Tatooine. However, I was struck by the 1970’s naturalness of Mark Hamil as Luke Skywalker, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia Organa and Harrison Ford as Han Solo. The way they deliver their lines make them seem like ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events. Of course, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, Kenny Baker as R2-D2 and Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca create lovably memorable characters without being seen, while David Prowse intimidates as the man behind the Darth Vader mask.
Space fashionistas work the Galactic runway!
All that being said, the Dark Side of the Force compels me to mention a couple of things that bothered me this time around…
1… Is C-3PO lying to Luke when he claims he doesn’t really know who Princess Leia is as R2-D2 projects her holographic message to Obi-Wan or did the escape pod scramble his golden circuits? Earlier in the film, while Leia’s ship is under attack by the Empire, C-3PO turns to R2 and grimly states, “There’ll be no escape for the princess this time.” C-3PO obviously knows Leia, so why was he feigning ignorance with Luke?
2… Is Luke Skywalker being an overly judgy Good Jedi Bitch when, after being laughed at by Han Solo over a lightsaber training failure, he turns to the roguish pilot and inquires, “You don’t believe in the Force, do you?” It’s like, get off your high self-righteous Bantha, farm boy! You just learned about the Force, like, 10 minutes ago, so just leave a “The Force Is Inside You” pamphlet and move on!
In conclusion… Has time or the inferior entries in the franchise diminished my intense love of this film ? Perhaps the psychosexual rabbit hole Andy Milligan shoved me down has forever transformed my filmic tastes. Whatever the case, I may no longer be the full-tilt, frenzied STAR WARS geek I once was, but A NEW HOPE is still a thrilling sci-fi adventure worth going on. Just put away critical thinking and let the Force guide you through one of the best popcorn-infused blockbusters of its kind! 🍿 If possible, skip the not-so “Special Edition” and seek out the original version. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ This post is for ADVENTURE-A-THON, hosted by Cinematic Catharsis & Realweegiemidget Reviews!
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Freak Out, JLH
P.S. My sister Margaret often “played STAR WARS” with me and my action figures. We rarely followed the plot of A NEW HOPE, and even accidentally predicted a couple of plot twists that would later be revealed in Episodes V and VI. However, on one occasion, we radically altered the STAR WARS universe when Luke Skywalker literally lost his head during an aggressive lightsaber duel with Darth Vader. I was very young at the time, but I remember us both laughing at this unexpected event.
Jimmy Love can heal you of your maladies by placing his miraculous hands upon you! You will feel the power of his Divine love blowing through your soul! Yes, this 23-year old, 6-foot-tall traveling blond Adonis evangelist will fill the deep hole inside you with Glory!
Surely you’ve read the newspaper articles about how, at a young age, Jimmy’s parents died in an automobile accident and how he was adopted by Brandon Parker, a friend and army buddy of his late father. Undoubtedly you were captivated in learning how Jimmy became an overnight Prophet after seeing Jesus in a barn in Indiana! It was a sign from Heaven above! A sign to guide Jimmy and his adopted father onto the path of spreading the Gospel from town to town! A sign to milk every last penny from the willfully ignorant congregation! Hallelujah!
Now the unthinkable has happened! After healing the inflicted two nights in a row, Jimmy Love has disappeared, bringing the religious community to its knees in prayer for his safe return! Where is their Anointed One and will they ever feel the massive power of his love again? Good things come to those who wait, for prophecy tells us the blessed answer will be delivered in seven days. Well, at least I can tell you since I read the book.
Either through Divine intervention or a coordinated publicity stunt, the missing evangelist has resurfaced in Los Angeles! Praise Jimmy Love, oh, and Jesus for his safe return to the fold, but what happened to the precious preacher during those seven days? According to the newspapers, Jimmy Love was lost in the Arizona desert, on the brink of death, when four men descended upon him from above. The four 5’ 11”, brown-haired studs blew life back into Jimmy Love and now they are his Apostles!
In reality, Jimmy Love has grown tired of being in the Holy spotlight. With the help of his adopted father, Jimmy Love has concocted one last revival to blow the minds and bank accounts of his faithful followers. On a clear pedestal, backed by a screen of swirling clouds and surrounded by streaming fog, Jimmy Love will take to the stage. At either of his sides will be his four Apostles, clad only in color coordinated posing straps to match the various tints of light shining on them. Will the spectacle be a raging success? Will the congregation work itself into a frenzy of religious fervor and sexual arousal?
SPOILER ALERT! The reader will never know! Just as the four Apostles are literally revealed, Brandon Parker dies of a heart attack backstage and suddenly finds himself in WWII with Jimmy Love’s father. The man offers his hand to shake in gratitude for Brandon taking such good care of his son.
Yup, that’s how GOSPEL FOR SUCKERS ends, making me think the terrific double entendre title actually has three meanings, including the reader being a sucker for reading this book. The ending is wildly anticlimactic, especially because it is made perfectly clear that Brandon had been in love with Jimmy’s father. Couldn’t the two men have at least experienced a more satisfying afterlife happy ending?
Now don’t get me wrong, there are some ridiculously entertaining aspects to the book. The way the religious crowds fall for Jimmy Love’s schtick is amusingly spot on when comparing it with televangelists of the 1980’s and the preachers of modern day mega-churches. The names of the first three Apostles (Dallas Slaughter, Tony Wolfe and Dale Ducommun) are made even funnier by the fourth one’s more ordinary name (Keith Anderson). Oh, and I appreciate there are only seven chapters, which I think is a sly wink at the seven days of Creation. I just wish author Will E. Graham, whose obvious pen-name is brilliant in more ways than one, would have had even more fun putting the satirical screws to religion and fanatical believers. It’s not quite as blasphemously funny as it should’ve been, but maybe all the queer sex mingled with Christianity heightens the humor. Plus, it’s frustrating when intriguing plot elements are introduced and then abandoned. Something scandalous, which is not fully explained, happened in Florida with Jimmy Love and when you think it’s coming back to haunt him, the subplot fizzles out. I guess I’m used to this style of storytelling thanks to Andy Milligan. Another thing is Jimmy Love’s too close for comfort relationship with his adopted father. Yes, they are both adults and not blood related, but it added an ick factor for me. I know I shouldn’t be so judgy considering some of the incestuous overtones in the films of, once again, Andy Milligan. Ugh, I hate it when my favorite filmmakers make me feel like a hypocrite!
“Turn around if you want to and blow your love on the person behind you!” -Jimmy Love
In conclusion… GOSPEL FOR SUCKERS isn’t the best piece of Vintage Gay Pulp Fiction I’ve read, but it’s not the worst either. It is somehow entertaining and disappointing at the same time. So, if you’re in the mood for a low-key satirical look at religiosity with a queer twist, then GOSPEL FOR SUCKERS by Will E. Graham may be the book for you! Just don’t forget to say your nightly prayer after reading.🙏 Amen! 😏 Freak be with you, JLH
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