Circus of Books - Watch Legally and Safely
Circus of Books


In 1976, Karen and Barry Mason had fallen on hard times and were looking for a way to support their young family when they answered an ad in the Los Angeles Times. Larry Flynt was seeking distributors for Hustler Magazine. What was expected to be a brief sideline led to their becoming fully immersed in the LGBT community as they took over a local store, . A decade later, they had become the biggest distributors of gay porn in the US. The film focuses on the double life they led, trying to maintain the balance of being parents at a time when LGBT culture was not yet accepted. Their many challenges included facing jail time for a federal obscenity prosecution and enabling their store to be a place of refuge at the height of the AIDS crisis. offers a rare glimpse into an untold chapter of queer history, and it is told through the lense of the owners' own daughter, Rachel Mason, an artist, filmmaker and musician.
How to Watch Circus of Books Legally and Safely
If you want to stream Circus of Books through reputable and legal services, there are a few good options depending on where you are. Subscription platforms like HBO Max, Disney+, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV+ sometimes carry Circus of Books films or related DC titles—though availability depends on your country.
If you’d rather not commit to a subscription, there are ad‑supported, free (but legal) platforms such as Tubi, Pluto TV, Peacock or Crackle (where available in your region) that occasionally host superhero films.
Lastly, don’t forget about library‑linked streaming options like Kanopy or Hoopla (if your library or university is registered), and official uploads by film distributors on YouTube—these can also give you legal access to classic movies.