*** Gay-Friendly DVDs, version 4.0 (1 Viewer)

[Mark-W]

Is Cary Grant & Irene Dunne's classic The Awful Truth on DVD?
Where?
Mark

 

[Jeff Kleist]

No, this is Michael Moore's TV show: The Awful Truth. It's a show about political satire, and workers/people's rights. Frankly it's hilarious Sample segments on the show:
Hitler Makes a Withdrawel: Someone dressed up as Hitler goes to Zurich and tries to withdrawn "money" from "his" account
150 yards: A man he gave the Awful Truth Man of the Year award to, for being the biggest polluter files a restraining order against Mike, preventing him from going within 150ft of Rockefeller Plaza in NYC. Of course, alot of Mike's buisness is there! So he hires a security guard to make sure he doesn't cross the line to hilarious results. This segment also features a cameo by Conan O'Brian who had to interview him out of the NBC window
Jeff Kleist

 

[Alan Light]

I just noticed that BEEFCAKE is scheduled to be released on December 19 by Strand Releasing. (Note that in the past their release dates have been optimistic. i.e., EDGE OF SEVENTEEN was a few weeks late.)
They list BEEFCAKE for sale at $34.99 plus shipping on their web site www.strandrel.com but it's also available at places like www.buy.com - for $19.99 plus $2.95 shipping.

 

[Tom Damico]

Sorry guys. Must say that I don't "get it". Are we now going to have a "Joe Six Pack" DVD thread, a "over 65" DVD thread, a "Affirmative Action" DVD thread, a "White people only" DVD thread, etc. etc. etc. Whatver happened to everybody just getting along, not prejudging, and simply discussing movies on their merits alone. Oh well, guess I'm just out of touch.

 

[Thane]

Tom:
The purpose of this thread is not to exclude anyone...everyone is welcome here! This thread was started basically to gather information and share information about "gay-friendly" DVD's, and anyone that is interested is welcome to share in the discussion.
You may have noticed the trend at the HTF (and a trend encouraged by the administrators) to consolidate discussions into one thread instead of having several going at the same time. The life-span of this thread (the initial posting and subsequent postings) started back in March (I think!) and has accumulated hundreds of posts, so it obviously is meeting the needs of some of the members of the HTF.
We have been fortunate to have the full support of the HTF and it's administrators. Please feel free to participate by reading or postings! One word of caution, however: This thread does have the support of the HTF, and negativity is not allowed, and because of that is a place that people feel safe to return to on a regular basis.
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MY DVD LIBRARY

 

[Dave L]

My copy of "Green Plaid Shirt" arrived yesterday along with "Gladiator" and a couple others. But, showing great restraint, I delayed another 2 1/2 hours of Russell Crowe in a mini-skirt and sandals to check the latest Queer-cinema DVD.
While I have to agree that "Green Plaid Shirt" is no great shakes, it was not really as bad as I expected. Yes, the sound was poor and occasionally I was confused by the editing, however, there was an earnestness to it, even if the story covers well-trod territory. The film attempted to show the changes that occur in a long-term relationship over time. Unfortunately, it did not seem successful to me in showing the passage of time; it all seemed to occur within a short period, even though at least seven years had passed. This may be because the characters did not change or develop significantly during that period; the film also failed to explore the reasons they stayed together at first and eventually drifted apart. I can't believe that sex was the only factor. However, the two leads are quite attractive, although I would not have invited the bitchy pair of Phillip's platonic friends back after their performance at the initial dinner party. The ties between them and Phillip escaped me. Summing up: nothing ground-breaking here, but worth a look.
Doubt that a bigger budget would have made "Green Plaid Shirt" any better, except maybe the sound. However, I have to disagree and say that "Will and Grace" could have an endless budget and it would still fall flat with me. Still don't see its appeal, except for Karen, who must be getting tired of carrying the show, although Jack does help too. But I continue to object to a show that portrays gay men as the pets of straight women.
Don't understand the question about "Wild Reeds," which is available on DVD in the US. It is a fine, sensitive film, that doesn't sensationalize the gay subtext, but treats it all as part of a group of friends coming of age.

 

[John Berggren]

It would seem that Showtime has decided to censor & edit scenes from Queer as Folk as a result of submitting episodes to the MPAA. This is dissapointing to me. I would have to beleive that likely the MPAA graded these episodes much like they do films - with a heavier hand with gay situations as opposed to straight ones.
You can read the story here.
Link Removed
Hopefully the DVD will be pure.
In three days, it all begins, we ought to start an official thread in the television forum so that we don't overburden this topic header & fly off topic.
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Rationality is not a commodity which is evenly distributed.

 

[Alan Light]

Thanks, John. Tom Shales, TV critic of the Washington Post, writes about Showtime's Queer As Folk censorship here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2000Nov29.html
Anyone wishing to complain to Showtime can write programming chief Jerry Offsay at [email protected] or call his office at 310-234-5252
It remians unclear at this point whether the advance screening tape sent to TV critics was pre- or post-MPAA censorship. I have the tape so I will be watching this Sunday night with an eagle eye and will report any differences between the two that I spot.

 

[Thane]

The idea to start a thread in the TV section for the onslaught of Queer As Folk postings is an excellent one...and IMHO required by the rules of the HTF! With our thread for "gay-friendly DVD's" being in the software section, we are required to abide by the rules of the HTF for the software forum, the same as everyone else.
It has been mentioned to me by HTF administrators that there are a few persons who object to the gay-friendly thread being here at all, and when our discussions don't stay within the software guidelines, then their objections become more difficult to refute.
IMHO, we need to stay within the required boundaries, and we should post our postings to the appropriate forums. Thanks!
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MY DVD LIBRARY

 

[Alan Light]

Sooner or later Showtime's QAF will come out on DVD -hopefully a racier, uncensored version. In the meantime I don't know whjere else to post this information. Feel free to move it somewhere, or tell me where to move it, if it belongs elsewhere.
I just spoke with someone extremely high up in the production of Showtime's Queer As Folk, for about 20 minutes. I was repeatedly told it was "off the record" - that I could relay the information but NOT who provided it to me.
So here's what I learned.
Showtime submitted Queer As Folk to the MPAA only for guidance - not for censorship reasons. They wanted to get input from people who "do this for a living" as it was stated to me, but only to get their opinion, not to bow to their demands. As it turned out, the MPAA wanted 26 different dialogue changes, and Showtime changed only ONE word, in one of Brian's lines. When a schoolmate of Justin's taunts him for being gay, Brian initially shouted back "I'll fuck your tight little virgin ass so hard you won't sit down for a week." This line was changed to "I'll kick your tight little virgin ass so hard you won't sit down for a week." Showtime did not make the other 25 dialogue changes the MPAA requested.
No scenes have been cut, but some scenes have been shortened by a few seconds (28 seconds in all). In the scene where Justin has his legs up in the air with Brian between them, that moment which was 8 seconds is now 4 seconds. The person I talked to said that the rimming scene remained uncut.
I was told that the first cut that Showtime sent to the MPAA for review was actually racier than the original cut the producers provided. Showtime actually asked the producers to add more scenes to make it "edgier."
The individual I talked to argued that just because Showtime has a slogan of "no limits" slogan does not mean "no taste." It's still up to them to decide what they want to air, and they do not want to include scenes just to be gratuitously shocking. I was told, "At the end of the day someone has to decide what cuts are to be made, and the MPAA was consulted only for advice, while Showtime and the producers made the final decision."
I was told "Tom Shales forgets there are 19 other episodes which will not be submitted to the MPAA."
Also regarding the sex scenes and what should stay or be eliminated, Showtime and the producers asked themselves "what if this were a sex scene between a man and a woman" instead of between two men. If they felt it was acceptable for heterosexuals, it was acceptable with gay characters and they left it in. If they felt it would be considered over the line involving heterosexual sex, it was eliminated. They wanted it as edgy and bold as if the show involved heterosexuals - not less graphic to be timid about it, and not more graphic simply for sensationalistic reasons. The individual I spoke with was frank and told me "yes, the MPAA are a bunch of homophobes."
I was told that Showtime is most worried about this Washington Post article by Tom Shales because in order to defend themselves and explain how they went out on a limb to be cutting edge and graphic, that will attract the right wingers and they're worried about stirring up that hornet's nest.
They don't want to concentrate on the sexual aspect of Queer As Folk because they don't consider it to be a "sex show," but rather a good drama which has sex scenes. Defending themselves against Tom Shales column requires talking about only the sex, however, which puts the focus out of joint.
I said to the individual "So if most of the MPAA suggested cuts were not made, then is this show is still an NC-17?" and I was told "Now you're getting into a very touchy, political area. We can't admit that. If you want to draw that conclusion that's up to you. But the truth is, no way would the MPAA rate our final version just an R."
I was told that the implication in Tom Shales' article that the producers and director Russell Mulcahy are all upset with the cuts could not be further from the truth. In fact, when presented with the request for cuts they said "Is that ALL?" They are all are writing letters to the editor to the Washington Post to say how upset they are about Tom Shales' article.
Bottom line is that everyone involved with Queer As Folk is very, very proud of the show. Showtime has many constituencies to make happy, not just subscribers but cable operators who could be subject to pressure from right wingers, and so Showtime does not want to concentrate on the sexual aspect because they don't consider Queer As Folk to be just a sensationalistic program to titillate viewers with gay sex, they consider it a good dramatic production overall, one with sex scenes that happen to involve gays and lesbians.
I'm concerned about the changes, but relieved that they seem to be minor and I'm still proud of Showtime for being brave enough to produce and air this program at all. Let's not lose sight of that fact.

 

[Trace Downing]

Alan;
That's good news to hear. I, unlike many here, haven't seen the brit version yet...so I'm a QAF virgin until Sunday.

BTW: There's a QAF thread now in the "TV Shows" section. The MPAA has been brought up there as well. It'd be great if you can cut and paste your post over there too.

 

[Mark-W]

I would like to respond to Tom's comments for a moment.
As another poster mentioned, this thread is not
excluding people. It is a thread about films
(mostly on DVD) that have gay elements to them.
Other threads that could be similar:
Great Films With Dragons on DVD
Great Sean Connery Films on DVD
and Great Christian Films on DVD.
You see the point? I hope so.
Now, back to a response to one of my questions.
As it relates to Wild Reeds:
I was just wondering if anyone who seen Wild Reeds
had also seen Full Speed, and what
they thought of it.
Any response?
Grazie,
Mark

 

[Russell Low]

Can anyone tell me what the quality is like on the UK Queer as Folk DVDs? (Not the Region 2 UK DVDs, but the DVDs of the original UK QAF available from C1TV.com for the USA.) The price is a little hefty ($69.95) so I'd like to make sure the quality is halfway decent before springing for them.
Also, being my first visit to this particular forum (and this particular thread), I'm amazed that no one's mentioned The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, one of my all-time favorite films, starring (amongst others) cutie Guy Pearce, who later did a complete about-face in L.A. Confidential--he's almost unrecognizable there!!!
Thanks for having this thread, and keep the posts coming!
Cheers,
Russell

 

[Alan Light]

>>Can anyone tell me what the quality is like on the UK Queer as Folk DVDs? (Not the Region 2 UK DVDs, but the DVDs of the original UK QAF available from C1TV.com for the USA.) The price is a little hefty ($69.95) so I'd like to make sure the quality is halfway decent before springing for them.

 

[Russell Low]

Thanks, Alan! Looks like I'll have to go for it!
Russell

 

[Alan Light]

I just finished watching Showtime's broadcast of Queer As Folk.
It's interesting to note that Showtime's HDTV channel broadcast a version was DVD-quality full screen 16x9 format with 5.1 Dolby digital. The regular Showtime channel featured a full-frame version which had the sides cropped off.
The wide screen definitely helps out a lot. I felt the pic was severely cropped on the sides. The surround sound was not too impressive but the 3 guy split-screen scene at the beginning of the 2nd episode utilized the front 3 speakers discreetly.
The editing changes from the advance screening tape sent out to TV critics were exactly as described to me by my sources at Showtime. They were right, the changes are virtually undetectable. The Washington Post story was an exaggeration. I had the screening tape running on a separate TV side by side with the broadcast version last night and I know there were a total of 28 seconds cut for broadcast, 2 seconds here, 3 seconds there, but I'll be darned if I could spot more than 10 seconds.
In fact, the boldest images seem to be untouched completely. For some reason the rear shot of Brian, when Justin first arrives at the apartment, was shortened by a few seconds. So was the second sex scene between Brian and Justin but I couldn't see exactly where even upon replays, it cuts so fast and furiously.
As I was told, only one line of dialogue was changed, even though the MPAA requested that 26 lines be changed.
I didn't mind the opening disclaimer (something to the effect of "This isn't meant to represent how all gay people live, etc."). I noticed that Hal Sparks had re-recorded his narration since the screening video was sent to critics. No words were changed but his inflection is obviously different - better, more polished and easier to understand. I always thought it sounded sloppy in the advance tape. I'm glad they cleaned itup. I like the music over the end credits. It's obviously influenced by the "jungle" sounds in the original U. K. version soundtrack.

 

[Mark-W]

Russell-
We have failed to say much about
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of The Desert
in this thread.
It is one of my favorite films as well.
Along with Murial's Wedding and
Russell Crowe in The Sum of Us it
completes my Aussie Trilogy.
Now if Image, or Samuel Goldwyn, or whoever,
would get with the program and release
The Sum of Us on DVD!
Also, John was mentioning that he finds Will & Grace flat, and that
he objects of shows that portray
gay men as "pets" for women.
Funny, I always thought Grace was Will's pet.

Actually, if we are talking about representation here,
I would have to say that I can understand John's point
of view, jaded as it may be.
I am a "pet" of at least 3 different women, but
in those relationships I find that each of us in
enriched for being in each other's lives.
Sure, I am the single pal who can talk to them like
no woman friend, and better than their boyfriends.
And they give me advice that I can never get from
my sisters or mother. To say I am Doreen, Terri, or
Cara's "pet" could be accurate for someone who only
scratches the surface of our relationships.
What they miss is the deep, profound love and respect
we have for each other. I figure Will and Grace have
that too. And while I adore Jack and Karen, I would
not be any where near as inclined to watch the show if
if was called Jack & Karen.
Warm regards to all,
Mark

 

[Mark-W]

I will post this over in the TV Section thread also,
but I just watched the first 2 episodes of
the American version of Queer As Folk
and I liked it much more than I thought I would.
As it relates to "DVD Software," I am sure
I am not the only one who noticed that Warner Bros.
is the distributor. This is both good and bad:
GOOD, because Warner Bros is one of the most
aggressive DVD companies out there.
BAD, because Warner Bros are also to jerks who
refused to offer Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut
in the the unrated version, while Europe got the film
as Kubrick originally envisioned it.
Let's hope Warner Bros doesn't provoke futher ire,
by refusing the release QAF unless it earns an R rating.
(Are they the ones that messed with Gia
as well?)
Mark

 

[Trace Downing]

Hey Mark...
There's also another good and bad about WB being the Home Video company.
They've produced some excellent boxes of Sex and the City, From Earth to the Moon, and the new Sopranos season 1.
They've also NOT released or even talked about releasing Babylon 5 in any form of box, episode disc etc. A few people were dissapointed that they chose a "greatest hits" disc collection of South Park, instead of chronological order.
So, we can hope that they treat QAF like they're HBO series, and not the syndicated ones.
OTOH: Viacom owns Showtime...so QAF could be farmed out to VC's other subsidiary, Paramount, which means 2 episodes per disc at $20 a piece...ala Star Trek.

It's actually too early to talk about yet. The show just aired it's first episode. Sopranos is about to go into it's 3rd season in March. Oz has yet to be announced, and it's going on season 5 in July.
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"I thought you said your dog didn't bite?"
"That is not my dog."

 

[Keilan]

Hopefully when Showcase premieres the North American version of Qaf, it'll be uncut. Here in Canada we didn't have any problems with the U.K. version and Showcase is pretty good about airing movies uncut.
A few weeks ago I taped a british movie "Forgive and Forget", but I did not get the ending, so I'm left in limbo on how it ended. It was about 2 friends, one gay and how he manipulates and destroys friend's relationship while secretly wanting his friend for himself.
Finally got my copy of "Get Real". Sure the plot and characters were pretty predictable, but the performances were astounding.
Does anyone know when "I think I do" will be released for region 1?
thanks.