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***Gay-Friendly DVD's, Version 5*** (1 Viewer)

Mark-W

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Pierre-
Thanks for your review of the DVD of Querelle.
Since the director and lead are long since dead,
I didn't exspect much from this DVD...just glad
to have it OAR anamorphic! :)
As I recall, the film should look the way you
described it: I've only smoked pot twice, but
both times I felt the way this film looks.
wink.gif

Mark
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Mark-W

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My copy of Querelle arrived today,
and I don't have too much too add, except the following
corrections:
The DVD contains the ORIGINAL English and
alternate French soundtracks.
It had been years since I saw this film (on cable
of all places), and so didn't recall it being dubbed
in English...so I watched the DVD VERY VERY carefully.
It is clear that all the actors were
originally speaking English,
and that their lip/mouth moments are PERFECTLY synchronized
with the English language track.
(And aside from Brad Davis, I would know Jeanne Moreau's
voice anywhere..and that is her voice)
So, I watched it again in French, and it is clear THAT
is dubbed..as it doesn't match the actors lips.
As for a review of the film, I concur with what has
been written prior to this post:
very gay,
very UN politically-correct,
very erotic,
very "gay art film based on French lit,"
too disturbing for many viewers gay or straight.
I have to conclude that Jean Genet was one messed up
French dude, but this film, which also seems a bit
like a Tom of Finland drawing come to life, still
"charges my batteries" (which almost makes me wonder
about myself)...
wink.gif

regards,
Mark
[Edited last by Mark Walker on July 12, 2001 at 07:13 PM]
[Edited last by Mark Walker on July 12, 2001 at 08:58 PM]
 

Steve Tannehill

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I have to conclude that Jean Genet was one messed up
French dude
One only has to see Poison to see this!
Oh yes, I hear that John Travolta is going to star in a gay-friendly, campy sequel to Battlefield Earth.
It's called Psychlo Beach Party.
:)
Cheers,
Steve
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Pierre Gagne

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Mark,
You are absolutely right. English is the original track whereas French is the dubbed one. It is also true that Jeanne Moreau did her own dubbing just by hearing her voice in each track (that "three pack a day voice").
Pierre
 

Mark-W

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Just as an aside,
two films are on DVD that I don't think have
been mentioned yet in this thread:
Hairspray:
Probably my favorite John Waters film is
part of a 2 DVD/2 Film set with Pecker.
I think I remember hearing that a box set of
most of his films was coming, so I am trying to
hold off on buying this 2-film set. It does
include a director's audio commentary, which,
if it is anywhere near as entertaining
as the one on Serial Mom, I will enjoy
it.
Also, I just picked up Tootsie,
which has both 2.35:1 (w/ anamorphic enhancement)
and pan-and-scan on it. I forgot how much I love
this film. The only bummer, is Tootsie really
gave me pangs to see Soap Dish released
on DVD.
Mark
 

Will K

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If anyone hasn't seen Just One Time, I'd recommend giving it a spin. It's about a fireman(Lane Janger, who also directed) who is trying to talk his fiance into engaging in some lesbian action for the sake of his fantasy. She agrees but only if he can do the same. However, he misunderstands that he needs to get with a dude in order to seal the deal. Of course, causes some complications. It's a sweet, pleasant, lightweight comedy that only occasionally bogs down in heavy-handed sparring between the straight couple. This one is especially friendly for lesbian viewers, as the gay female characters are, for once, not stereotypical, short-haired, angry, butch tanks.
As far as the DVD itself goes, it's presented in full-frame but given its obvious low-budget roots, looks quite good with vibrant colors and very little in the way of artifacting. Oddly enough, the trailer is presented letterboxed.
Check it out.
Spoiler:It's predictable point, but gay guys will be pleased that the stunningly cute but presumably straight best friend of the lead character comes out of the closet at the end of the film.
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Mark-W

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Will K-
I got a copy of Just On Time
from netflix, and I agree whole-heartedly with you:
it is a very cute, lightweight comedy.
And the DVD also features a commentary track
with Lane and Guillermo, who many of you may
remember from Party Girl, I Think I Do,
, and Stonewall.
For a comparission, I would have to say I
enjoyed it a little more than Kiss Me, Guido.
I might buy it...
Mark
 

Mark-W

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Just as a follow-up,
the commentary track on Just One Time
is pretty funny. No, you won't learn anything
"educational," but since this is a very light film,
one wouldn't want a commentary track that sounded
as "important" as if the film were Citizen Kane.
wink.gif

It does get a bit dull in places, but
there are some great comments between Diaz and Jager.
In one case, when asked how Diaz prepared for his
"gay" role, he says he told the reporter,
"I slept with the director." (which is
the lead actor Lane Jager).
Jager and Diaz are kinda flirty the whole way through,
and one almost comes away wondering if Dias doesn't
have a "buddy-love" thing going on with Jager.
And after listening to the commentary,
I still cannot tell what
Jager's sexual orientation is. :)
As a side note, I think the person who really
shines in this film is Jennifer Esposito. I have
never seen her before (apparently she is on Spin City,
and of all the Just One Time
cast is the "rising star" of the lot.)
Anyway, she makes a GREAT lesbian.
:)
Warm regards,
Mark
[Edited last by Mark Walker on July 24, 2001 at 09:09 PM]
 

Grant B

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100 Days Before the Command, 1990 is a movie that would fit in this thread. It's a Russian low budget movie that looks like the DVD transfer was vodka-induced.
I think I was annoyed mostly about the horrible quality. It has english subtitles which you can't turn off
I just happened upon it at Netflixs, which I recommend before buying (I've seen vhs look better!)
------------------
Why?
Why do you keep hounding me and harassing me and hounding me?
It's not like I don't have anything better to do, you know.
It's not like the Phantom Cruiser is going to wax itself.
It's not like last night's burrito stain will just up and remove itself from my cape.
I am a superhero!
A very very busy superhero! Who does...things!
Now get out of here before I tell your mother.
AND DON'T TRAMPLE MY BEGONIAS!
-Space Ghost..
 

Mark-W

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Has anyone seen on-line retailers taking
pre-orders of The Sum of Us?
With the exception of that one on-line retailer,
I cannot find any evidence of it being released
on DVD from any other source...a bit worrisome
since the DVD has a street date less that
30 days away.
Anyone know anything?
Mark
 

Alex Shk

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My daughter (15 years old) recently commented how she had never seen "The Birdcage" after overhearing a discussion about some of our favorite comedies. When I expressed my shock at her never seeing it - she told me that I wouldn't ALLOW her to see it when she was younger. This surprised me as I hardly ever remember "censoring" movies (I do remember forbidding my children to see "Pulp Fiction" due to the "Zed" sequence, they have both since seen it). So the other night I screened the movie for my daughter (who thought it was hysterical - btw).
In retrospect - I think I may have steered her away from this movie not because of the "gay themes", but because of the stereotypical nature of some of the characters (in retrospect this may have been a stupid decision for a child who has an Aunt that is openly gay and in a committed relationship). I mention this here because this movie was previously mentioned in this thread and it caused me to wonder - is this picture really "friendly" to the gay community?
Aside from that, what I'm asking is: when is it acceptable to present a movie with quote: ADULT THEMES to a teenager? Sometimes I think that the rating system is far to conservative. (I was sneaking into R raters when I was 14). I feel that as parents we sometimes want to protect our children from life, when we should have them experience it.
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Mark-W

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Alex-
You bring up some good questions, which
the gay community (what ever that means)
is still pondering.
Almost every gay-themed film that is released
has two groups: gays who love it, and those
who don't. It is inescapable.
For example: some gay people liked Philadelphia,
others thought it was a "candy coated" version of
a reality that doesn't represent any gay people
they know.
GLAAD was so divided on The Birdcage,
that the film won awards on one coast and was
reviled on the other.
Queer As Folk gets the same treatment:
Some applaud its unflinching portrayal of the
sex-drenched bar scene; others find it offense
and claim it is sending the wrong image out to
the masses.
Personally, I am tired of people who are offended
by the portrayals in films like Mrs Doubtfire.
(I actually know people who were offended by the gay
characters in that film.)
I think to myself, "Are you telling me, you have
never seen a sissy gay man?"

(Some people apparently need to have something to
feel offended by.)
I say bring on every gay type there is:
the more the merrier! :)
As for age-appropriate films: I really think
that is up to the parents to decide. Some kids
are very wise and mature at 7; others are still
unable to handle "difficult" films at 21 y/o.
:)
Mark
 

Shane Gralaw

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The Birdcage is not particularly gay friendly. The rampant stereoypes aside, I question the messages this film sends out on how gay people should be treated. Everyone in the film dumps on Nathan Lane's character and no one questions it. His "stepson" thinks nothing of wanting to cut him out of the meeting of the inlaws, they take over his house and gut it of all furniture to de-fag. Even when Lane attempts to comply with their bigotry by playing it straight, he's still excluded. Eventually Lane's character bails the bigots out and yet they STILL don't feel compelled to apologize to him for how they treated him. If the character where any other minority, there would be an obligatory scene where the oppressors must face their own small-mindedness. Not here. He's a drag queen so I guess he doesn't deserve the same consideration.
This is but one of several faux-gay films from the mid-1990s that are more about the straight people and their concerns rather than the gay protagonists. Look at Too Wong Foo and In & Out. They have desexualized and saintly "gay" characters who sit around passively while the straight people come to their rescue (the final scenes are nearly identical- random townspeople proclaim "I'm gay!" or "I'm a drag queen!"- supposedly by taking on the mantle of the oppressed they are demonstrating their open-mindedness). These films are not about the gay characters. They are all about how the straight characters feel about the (totally unrealistic) gay characters, who are, I suppose, too weak to fight for themselves.
 

Mark-W

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My take on The Birdcage is
that the son (ignorantly, rudely) tries to make
his parents pass for straight. In the end,
the son realizes he is proud of both his parents
and that it was VERY wrong of him to try to hide
the truth just because some right-wingers
may have some issues with it.
Sure, people might be tempted to look at
it and say, "Look how poorly the femme gay
man is treated. There is a message there."
I don't buy it.
Hell, look how Republicans
are treated in the film!!!
The film is not realistic,
and that is amply clear.
Personally, I don't believe films have any
responsibility to send any kind of message.
(I tend to find most "message" films not very good.)
They just have to be what the writer/director
wants them to be.
Film is art,
and even "bad" art should NOT be subjected
to modifications deemed "positive portrayals"
to satisfy the frigg'n PC police.
However, having said that, I am all in
favor of people creating dialogue about the
merits of this work of art compared to another.
wink.gif

Mark
[Edited last by Mark Walker on July 29, 2001 at 12:13 AM]
[Edited last by Mark Walker on July 29, 2001 at 12:41 AM]
[Edited last by Mark Walker on July 29, 2001 at 01:54 AM]
 

Gerard Priori

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Shane,
You are completely correct about THE BIRDCAGE, IN & OUT, and TO WONG FOO... There are NO mainstream films that I can think of that have gay characters who aren't there for any other reason than to have straight people either reaffirm their stereotypes of us or laugh at us (and television is just as bad too thanks to crap like WILL & GRACE and QUEER AS FOLK. The one show that had gay characters who demand respect and weren't there to be mere sight-gags or put down for their faggotry, SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS, was cancelled almost immediately). The worst part is that mainstream audiences can enjoy these films and think they are being gay friendly just because they think it's funny to put a guy in a dress. It's demeaning and horrifying; and the situation doesn't look like it's going to get any better soon.
(And though it probably won't be put on DVD, Broadway is just as guilty as commercial films and television. I saw THE PRODUCERS on Broadway today and I absolutely HATED it. In addition to being a mess structurally, the musical's depiction of the gay characters was the queer equivalent of a minstrel show. There are good shows currently running on Broadway; THE PRODUCERS isn't one of them.)
-Jerry
 

Steve Tannehill

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First off, Shane, welcome to the forum! And Jerry, even though you didn't like it, I am still envious that you got to see The Producers. I am way overdue for a trip to Broadway.
All this talk of films being friendly or not finally made me crack open the DVD of The Celluloid Closet. I had seen it years ago on laserdisc, but not in its current DVD incarnation.
Apart from the 55 minutes of outtakes, the real treat of this DVD is a recording of one of Vito Russo's last lectures on the history of gay and lesbian cinema. Much of this material was incorporated into the movie, and of course, the lecture was an extension of his book.
All I can say after exploring all this material is that we've come a long way in gay and lesbian cinema over the years. That does not mean, however, that Hollywood is putting out the product that we want to see.
Russo talks about going to the movies and seeing a negative depiction of homosexuality, and taking it home with him. As a teen of the late seventies and early eighties, I saw the same thing. Diane Keaton may have been looking for Mr. Goodbar, but she finds Mr. Gaybar (oh, and he murders her). Jack may have been straight in Three's Company, but Mr. Roper was there every week to remind us that Jack was supposed to be a tinkerbell. (That makes me angry, now.)
If you go forward 20 years, gay cinema and television is far from perfect. The mainstream Hollywood product tends to be "safe" in its depiction of gays and lesbians. Sure, The Birdcage has stereotypical elements, and sure, there will be those of us who find it offensive. But The Birdcage ultimately has a message of acceptance, doesn't it? For that matter, doesn't In & Out? Yes, these movies are farces, but would you rather go back to the days of homo-cidal maniacs? Is Cruising out on DVD yet?
So I guess I am saying that Hollywood is making progress, even though it is not perfect.
Thankfully, there are more and more independent films (as we've seen on DVD through these threads) which take the subject matter to places that mainstream Hollywood is not taking us. Bring it on!
- Steve
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florence franks

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Hi I have question that I thought maybe best answered here. Every few days Ebay is canceling my "gay interest" dvds say them belong in adult. Which leaves me very confused because there is 3000 playboy active listings and 300 plus playboy videos..Which at most is equal to them. Does not seem right that female or "straight" is okay but male or "gay" is not to me? Anyone else agree or am I overacting? thanks
 

Trace Downing

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Florence;
IMO, e-bay is wrong. Unless their gay pornos, they should be in the regular sections of the auction. I've never been to e-bay, preferring to get my stuff new, so never had an interest, but just because the subject matter is gay, shouldn't relegate your stack to the adult sections.
This is the same attitude, that my company's web masters pulled. They activated the fire-wall when the word "gay" was placed on there (gay.com or a news site "...killed a 24 y/o gay man..." etc.), relegating it with other words that should be banned from work acceptability. It took LEAGUE (our glbt business group) to bring it to the attention of the higher management, to get them to remove the word gay from the "RED" list.
I'm sorry, but I gotta get on a soapbox about this... The ongoing attitude that gay people as a whole haven't been able to break is the tendency to equate who we are, everything we stand for, and what makes us tick, down to "the act". That's what e-bay is doing. You can see it in just how people refer to us. Some say "homosexual" instead of "gay" or "queer" because the "H" word makes them feel safe, as they can address us by the clinical term, as if we're a fascinating subject to write a thesis on, rather than relate to us as real people. See, there's no word part "sexual" in the word gay, so that means that they'd have to look at us with a little more completeness. You can even see it here in the "Six Feet Under" threads. Now, nobody on that thread is being small minded, or insensitive in any way, but the use of the "H" word just rubs me raw! They're typing a 10 letter word to avoid using a 3 letter one!
rolleyes.gif

Regarding The Producers...Mel Brooks has never been known to take a sensitive eye to any ethnic group, or minority in any of his works...including his favorite subject of ridicule, the Jew. I'm flattered that he includes us at all, since there's plenty of jokes he can tell about the Nazis to fill up 3-4 plays. He did it with at least 2 movies.
[Edited last by Trace Downing on July 30, 2001 at 02:06 AM]
 

Gerard Priori

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I'm absolutely dying to see HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH. This is the movie I've been looking forward to for months, and it's still only in limited release. I read an interview with John Cameron Mitchell where he referred to extras on an upcoming DVD release-so I at least have that to look forward to--but has anyone here actually seen the movie?
Another film that will eventually turn up on DVD that was released this summer is JURASSIC PARK III. Am I the only one who read a gay relationship between Alan and his "assistant?" They seemed a lot closer than just friends or colleagues and I was quite thrilled to see that they gave Alan a gorgeous boyfriend this time around. Usually, when the male characters get as close to each other as the guys were in this film, the filmmakers inject some gratuitous reference to the characters' obligatory heterosexuality so nobody gets the "wrong" idea. They didn't do this with this film, which I found refreshing for a change. Of course, nothing overtly gay is said anywhere in the film, but their understated relationship is a far cry from gay "Stepin Fetchit" characters.
-Jerry
 

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