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Queer Cinema Primer
	Topic by: dwhudson Posted: November 30, 2003 - 8:32 AM PST Last Reply: June 23, 2006 - 4:05 PM PDT

author	topic: Queer Cinema Primer
dwhudson	post #1  on November 30, 2003 - 8:32 AM PST   "The history of queer cinema stretches almost as far back as movies themselves, though, as with all queer history, interpretations in this realm are always debatable." The primer: A Brief History of Queer Cinema. Discuss!
AKrizman	post #2  on November 30, 2003 - 11:49 AM PST   The primer did an admirable job at hitting most of the significant milestones in the evolution of gay cinema. I realize it's impossible to list every important gay film in one small primer, but there were three significant oversights that I'd like to add: La Cage Aux Folles - This movie featured out gay main characters in a healthy committed relationship, and portrayed them as loving parents as well. The only apology ever offered in the film is from the son after his request that they assimilate was (humorously) proven untenable. Considering the self-hating nature of the gay films that were its contemporaries (Querelle and Cruising), this film was *way* ahead of it's time; it would be almost 20 years before its Hollywood remake would find mainstream success in the states. Torch Song Trilogy(not yet on DVD) - It would be 10 years after La Cage before another movie would be bold enough show unapolegetic and unashamed gay characters as committed parents in a stable family. Longtime Companion - Honestly, I'm not a big fan of this movie, but it's cultural significance is undeniable. At the time this movie was released, it was still possible to see *every* gay movie ever made in one weekend (I know, I did it). This was the first Hollywood movie with positive gay main characters to get widespread mainstream release. I remember me and all my gay friends were so excited about it that we all went to see it on opening night.
dwhudson	post #3  on November 30, 2003 - 2:06 PM PST   Three rock solid suggestions, AKrizman. I've added them all and hope you won't mind my quoting you on La Cage. As for the other two, I also hope you'll understand we have to be brief. Sometimes painfully so; merely mentioning Gus Van Sant and Haynes in passing, for example... But hopefully, folks will click on and deeper into reviews, etc.
AKrizman	post #4  on November 30, 2003 - 2:49 PM PST   > I also hope you'll understand we have to be brief. heck, yeah... I was just making conversation; I didn't actually expect you to add it to the primer. It's cool that you did I just didn't expect that. > hope you won't mind my quoting you on La Cage. Not at all. In fact, I kinda like how you frequently quote members on the Daily 5 and elsewhere. The only thing is that I have to remember to be careful what I write cuz I never know when it'll turn up somewhere. Had I known you were going to quote me on La Cage, I probably would have tried to be more eloquent and succinct.
hamano	post #5  on November 30, 2003 - 2:58 PM PST   > On November 30, 2003 - 2:49 PM PST AKrizman wrote: > --------------------------------- > I didn't actually expect you to add it to the primer. It's cool that you did I just didn't expect that. Hey, DW is a mensch. He made modifications to the Film Noir Primer recommendations, too, after I pointed out that the Anime series Noir wasn't really Film Noir!
dpowers	post #6  on November 30, 2003 - 6:16 PM PST   i've chosen to remember the boys in the band as it struck me the first time, as a clever and well-arranged study of issues facing a repressed group in a liberal time - all this shit we got, now we have a chance to climb out of it, but we have to pretend we have no wounds from past treatment, if we want to go public. the camera serves very nicely as a stand-in for public opinion. in a major scene between michael and harold, maybe the scene of the movie, what looks like a stand-off in the title bout for self-hating champ of the world, is played out in a dark room, a match for the experience of the audience - if they could the actors would love to join the audience - not to become straight, but to stop being watched.
AKrizman	post #7  on November 30, 2003 - 11:40 PM PST   Since we're on the topic of good movies about self-hating gay men, I'd like to clarify my earlier comment about Querelle. I didn't mean to say that Querelle was a bad movie. In fact I thought it was excellent. I was just trying to demonstrate how progressive La Cage was by comparison. Gay self-hatred is compelling (if unpleasant) drama, and has inspired several exceptional films: Rebel Without a Cause, Boys in the Band, Querelle, Maurice, Far From Heaven, etc.
hamano	post #8  on December 1, 2003 - 1:11 AM PST   Mmm... too bad Cronenberg's M. Butterfly is not out on DVD...
Chyekk	post #9  on June 21, 2006 - 5:51 PM PDT   > Torch Song Trilogy(not yet on DVD) - It would be 10 years after La Cage before another movie would be bold enough show unapolegetic and unashamed gay characters as committed parents in a stable family. > If this isn't yet on DVD, then why is there a rent button next to it? Torch Song Trilogy :-)
Chyekk	post #10  on June 21, 2006 - 5:54 PM PDT   Speaking of gay films not on DVD: When are we going to get a deluxe DVD of "American Fabulous" by Reno Dakota? I nearly laughed myself to death watching that one.
underdog	post #11  on June 22, 2006 - 1:03 PM PDT   > On June 21, 2006 - 5:51 PM PDT Chyekk wrote: > --------------------------------- > > > Torch Song Trilogy(not yet on DVD) - It would be 10 years after La Cage before another movie would be bold enough show unapolegetic and unashamed gay characters as committed parents in a stable family. > > > > If this isn't yet on DVD, then why is there a rent button next to it? > Torch Song Trilogy Because we had neglected to update that primer to change the link, as the film finally did come out on DVD in recent months. ;-) Whoops. Will change it now. Thanks. > > :-) > > > ---------------------------------
Chyekk	post #12  on June 22, 2006 - 5:18 PM PDT   I suppose I should have noticed the date on that post I was replying to, but I didn't.
artifex	post #13  on June 22, 2006 - 11:31 PM PDT   > On June 22, 2006 - 5:18 PM PDT Chyekk wrote: > --------------------------------- > I suppose I should have noticed the date on that post I was replying to, but I didn't. Darn it, I didn't figure it out either, until underdog posted. And I was all excited to see dwhudson and AKrizman both back here in the discussions, too.
woozy	post #14  on June 23, 2006 - 12:44 PM PDT   > On June 22, 2006 - 11:31 PM PDT artifex wrote: > --------------------------------- > > On June 22, 2006 - 5:18 PM PDT Chyekk wrote: > > --------------------------------- > > I suppose I should have noticed the date on that post I was replying to, but I didn't. > > Darn it, I didn't figure it out either, until underdog posted. And I was all excited to see dwhudson and AKrizman both back here in the discussions, too. > --------------------------------- AKrizman's last posting was in Feb. I'd like to see him again partly 'cause I love his muppet icon. I still think we should all revert to kid-centric icons for a week or so. You could do Buster Rabbit, Ursus could do Bear in the Blue house, IronS could do pretty much anything she'd like. Since I can't do Tinky-winky I could do Donkey Hoti or a puppet woozy. Is Inu Yasha "kid-centric"? I guess not really.
artifex	post #15  on June 23, 2006 - 3:33 PM PDT   > On June 23, 2006 - 12:44 PM PDT woozy wrote: >Since I can't do Tinky-winky I could do Donkey Hoti or a puppet woozy. You should go back to that boxy-headed woozy. I think that was the first version of your icon I saw.
woozy	post #16  on June 23, 2006 - 4:05 PM PDT   > > You should go back to that boxy-headed woozy. I think that was the first version of your icon I saw. > --------------------------------- If GC doesn't allow my bare-breasted icon, I'll go back to a boxy woozy.