Queer Review: Outrage (2009)

Outrage
Director: Kirby Dick
Writer: Kirby Dick
Cast: Tony Kushner, Barney Frank, Larry Kramer, Andrew Sullivan, Dina Matos McGreevey, James McGreevey, Dina Matos, Mike Rogers

Overview
Kirby Dick's documentary about closeted gay politicians and the hypocrisy of those who engage in political agendas that are bigoted and damaging to our community, is paradoxically extremely detailed and well researched, yet still feels like it's only skimming over the more compelling aspects of the situation.

Synopsis
Outrage tackles the controversial issue of closeted politicians who have been outed and who engaged in anti-gay political agendas. Some attention is also paid to the social and political forces that lead to so many politicians being in the closet while being virulently homophobic and the damage done by those same political leaders.

The Queering
I do not want to be the hater here as I believe that Kirby Dick's motives are pure, but the major flaw with Outrage is that he is not presenting any new or particularly shocking information here. There is nothing that will shock anybody who pays the slightest bit of attention to the news, but any attempt to inform people about a well known phenomenon seems, well, somewhat pointless to me.

That is not to say there is some worthwhile material here, just that it feels like most of what is covered can be gleaned from reading headlines. Very rarely does Kirby Dick peel back the layers to reveal deeper insights. What I would consider worthwhile material here includes a segment where Dina Matos - the wife of James McGreevy, the former governor of New Jersey who resigned after coming out - tearfully explains how much it hurt to have been deceived by her husband. An analysis of the damage caused by closeted politicians, particularly with regards to the AIDS crisis, also makes for compelling viewing.

However, the attempts to explain why closeted politicians are also the most homophobic will be familiar to anyone who has studied the work of Sigmund Freud. The only way that part could have been made interesting would be if Kirby Dick had summoned the ghost of Freud to deliver it.

Ultimately, the medium used to deliver the message can sometimes be just as important as the message itself and I would argue that the material here would be better suited for a blog. It is no surprise then, that Outrage draws heavily from the blog BlogActive by Michael Rogers, who is featured in Outrage.

Like I said though, I do not wish to be the bad guy here. The subject matter alone warrants additional media coverage and analysis beyond what mainstream outlets have afforded this issue. It's just that I tend to demand more from feature films then what is delivered by Outrage.

Recommendation
Outrage gives viewers plenty of reasons to get outraged at the situation, but not quite enough reasons for those who pay attention to the news to actually seek it out. Unless one has been living under a rock, there's little new or substantially interesting information here to justify an unqualified recommendation.

The Rating

Trailer



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Queer Review: The Outlaw (1943)

The Outlaw
Directors: Howard Hughes, Howard Hawks
Writers: Jules Furthman, Howard Hawks, Ben Hecht
Cast: Jack Buetel, Jane Russell, Thomas Mitchell, Walter Huston, Mimi Aguglia, Joe Sawyer, Gene Rizzi

Overview
Howard Hughes' The Outlaw features the legendary wild west gunslingers Billy the Kid and Doc Holliday, alongside Sheriff Pat Garrett. It caused the Hays Code Censors quite a bit of trouble, thanks to Russell's cleavage and Hughes had to create a media stir just to get the film released. Jane Russell's career was launched with The Outlaw thanks to all of the hubub caused by her breasts. However the most interesting element is the homoerotic subtext between Pat Garrett, Doc Holliday and Billy the Kid.

Synopsis
When Doc Holliday (Walter Huston) arrives in town searching for his stolen horse, he finds his old friend, and newly appointed Sheriff, Pat Garett (Thomas Mitchell), along with his horse in the possession of Billy the Kid (Jack Buetel). Surprisingly, Doc takes an immediate liking to Billy, much to the chagrin of Pat. When Billy later kills a man and is shot by Pat as a result, Doc comes to Billy's rescue and leaves Billy in the care of his girlfriend, the beautiful and sensuous Rio (Jane Russell). It is not long however, before Pat catches up with the two outlaws, setting up a final showdown between Pat, Billy, and Doc.

The Queering
It is easy to see why this film caused the stir it did upon first release. Jane Russell's bosom's push against a lot more than the proverbial envelope and the dialogue is loaded with double entrende's so thick, that even the most experienced wordsmith would choke before committing them to paper.

However, that all pales in comparison to the jilted triangle that develops between Doc holiday, Billy the Kid, and Pat Garrison. Rio is supposedly the woman that comes between the Doc and Billy, but Pat more often plays the part of the scorned lover. The Sheriff Pat spends more of the movie competing for the affections of Doc, who only has eyes for Billy, then Doc does pining for Rio while she tries to ensnare Billy, who never shows any interest in her. Further hints of homoerotic desires among the three male leads include actual physical contact. When Doc first meets Pat, the outlaw can hardly keep his hands off the Sheriff. Throughout the movie, Billy and Doc keep reaching into each other's shirt pockets to exchange a tobacco pouch and at the conclusion they both hold hands briefly. Not to mention, the showdown that proceeded the hand holding is rife with sexual tension as Billy must make a choice about what is really important to him.

Unfortunately, this means that Rio herself is treated mostly like a prop whose purpose is to either show some distracting cleavage or to serve some need of the script. She usually ends up playing second fiddle to the stolen horse in terms of the priorities of either Doc Holiday or Billy the Kid. More disturbing though, are the borderline misogynistic statements from Doc or Billy whenever they try to explain to each other their lack of interest in woman.

Overall, I must say that The Outlaw is not a terribly good movie. The acting is pretty bad, with Jack Beutel appearing to be in some sort of "Greatest Wooden Actor" contest. There are also issues with the editing and the cinematography is a little odd at times. There was one moment that I want to say was an issue with Netflix streaming where during the climax, the film looped back and repeated a minute or two of dialogue, but given the technical competency shown up to that point, could have been a mistake from the original film.

On the plus side, the sequence with Indians chasing the band of heroes across the plain manages to generate some suspense. Of course this sequence is somewhat racist and historically inaccurate, but until Dances With Wolves came along, nearly every western made in Hollywood was. Also, it's interesting to note that the movie sets up a feud between Sheriff Pat Garrison and Billy the Kid, one that can only end in murder. For those who don't know, Garrison is believed to have been the individual who was responsible for the death of Billy the Kid, although The Outlaw's connection with history is often so tenous, it would not take much more force then the breeze needed to blow a tumble weed to sever it entirely.

Recommendation
The Outlaw may not have been deserved to have been outlawed by the Hays Code, but it's also not worth seeking out, other than for those with an interest in movies with queer or homoerotic subtexts.

The Rating

Trailer


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Classic Review: King Kong (1933)

King Kong
Directors: Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack
Writers: James Ashmore Creelman, Ruth Rose, Merian C. Cooper, Edgar Wallace, Merian C. Cooper, Leon Gordon, Edgar Wallace
Cast: Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot, Frank Reicher, Noble Johnson, Sam Hardy

Overview
King Kong towers amongst the greatest movies of all time, a parable of the consequences of hubris run amok. According to my dad, King Kong was also my grandfather's favourite movies. Obviously, grandpa had good taste in film.

Synopsis
Huckster film director, Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) has managed to obtain a map which shows the location of the mysterious Skull Island, a land shrouded by myth. When he is unable to find a female lead to star in the movie he wants to make on the islond, he turns in desperation to Ann Darrow (Fay Wray), a poor woman he finds while she's in the process of trying to steal an apple. While Ann is initially reluctant, Denham convinces her to come with him on the voyage to the island. When the Denham and the film crew arrive on the Skull Island, they find the natives preparing a sacrifice for their god, Kong, a giant ape who lives on the island. Later, after the film crew has returned to the boat, the natives kidnap Ann to use her as the sacrifice instead. What follows is a thrilling adventure through Skull Island as the crew try to rescue Ann from the giant ape, while he battles many of the fantastic creatures native to the island. Denham eventually manages to capture Kong and transport him to New York City, where Kong will make cinematic history.

The Queering
King Kong is an obvious allegory about humanity's destruction of the natural world. On Skull Island, Kong is a feared god. Once within the realm of the civilized world, he is reduced to a pathetic curiosity and even when he attempts to ascend the Empire State building, he is still easily put down by man's technological prowess. The Empire State building here serves as a symbol of man's dominance that no beast can challenge.

Surprisingly enough, the special effects work holds up well today, outside of a few close ups of Kong's face, that I found jarringly comical. The effects work in King Kong represent many painstaking hours of stop motion manipulation of miniature figures. From the scenes where Kong first appears to his battles with the mythic beasts on Skull Island and final stand on the tallest building in the world, there is a magic that no CGI can even attempt to replicate.

The acting however, is just bad, which causes the early scenes building up to the arrival on Skull Island to drag a bit. It's also hard not to notice the underlying racism inherent in several scenes, particular concerning the presentation of the human natives of Skull Island. During one scene, a character even refers to the "n***** races". Even Peter Jackson's remake struggled with this aspect of the story and not entirely successfully either I might add.

Criticism aside, once the crew lands on the island, the film gains a momentum as unstoppable as it's rampaging star. The battles Kong engages in with various dinosaurs, while Denham and company attempt capture him are the stuff legends and myths are made of.

Of course, a few words must be spared for the relationship between Kong and Ann Darrow. It is clear that once Kong meets Ann, he is a changed beast. Or if the opening Arabian Proverb that Merian C. Cooper wrote, is correct, Kong is "as one dead". There are many different ways to interpret the Ann/Kong dynamic. One can see them as a gentle woman and her uncivilized lover. On the other hand, with Kong's massive size, Ann is almost like a pet who he must protect and she must obey, thereby switching around the usual human/animal relationship dynamic.

At the end of the day, King Kong is not just another antiquated monster flick. It is the grandaddy of all monster movies that came after it, it's shadow stretching longer then the Empire State building over all those that followed in it's immense wake.

Recommendation
Strongly recommended. Kong is King for a reason.

The Rating

Trailer


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Off topic

Something many of us have suspected for some time now, I'm sure:


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Queer Review: Entertaining Mr. Sloane (1970)

Entertaining Mr. Sloane
Director: Douglas Hickox
Writers: Clive Exton. Based upon the play by Joe Orton.
Cast: Beryl Reid, Harry Andrews, Peter McEnery, Alan Webb

Overview
As dark comedies go, Entertaining Mr. Sloane is a well done British confection. The best parts are the interesting cinematography and the low key, yet rather brilliant performances.

Synopsis
When we first meet the mysterious Mr. Sloane (Peter McEnery), he's doing situps in a graveyard. While some might consider this a warning sign, Kath (Beryl Reid) decides to take him in and put him up as a boarder. This plan is objected to by her father (Alan Webb) who recognizes Mr. Sloane as the individual who murdered his former boss. Kath's brother, Ed (Harry Andrews), also objects at first, but he too is quickly taken in by Mr. Sloane and even goes so far as to hire the strange man as a chauffeur.

The Queering
I would guess that Entertaining Mr. Sloane was inspired by the Ealing Comedies of the 1950's and 40's as the tone here is remarkably similar to many of their the movies such as Kind Hearts and Coronets and The Ladykillers. In any case, those who enjoyed the Ealing Studio comedies will find much to appreciate here as well.

Entertaining Mr. Sloane was first a play by Joe Orton, but one would probably never guess the movie's theatrical origins thanks to some imaginative camerawork and a brisk plot. There is also some great acting by all of the leads. Beryl Reid plays the ditzy Kath with aplomb. There are a couple of scenes where Reid manages to suggest that Kath is actually smarter then she appears and that she is simply playing dumb to manipulate the male characters. As Mr. Sloane, Peter McEnery makes the perfect smarmy bastard. Harry Andrews' is perfect as Ed, the uptight closeted gay British Gentlemen who drives a pink Cadillac.

Speaking of Ed, due to the standards of the day, outside of the ending, there are no scenes where his sexuality is stated. Although there are a few clever bits of highly suggestive dialogue between him and Mr. Sloane that make Ed's sexuality clear as day, without being explicit.

The ending by the way, has been given in every description of Entertaining Mr. Sloane that I have read. Not sure why that is, other than to say it is not much of an issue as most of the fun is getting there. Suspense is never much of an issue, outside of a couple of points here and there, as much of what happens is fairly predictable. But for people who are paranoid of spoilers, be warned when reading anything about this movie.

Recommendation
Recommended, this is a movie that will be entertaining for anybody who sees it, not just Mr. Sloane.

The Rating

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Queer Issue: New J. Edgar Hoover Biopic Will Make Former FBI Director Gay.

I came across this recently on Bilerico, and apparently there will be a film that will make the former FBI director gay. Currently Clint Eastwood is attached to direct and Leonardo DiCaprio, Judi Dench, and Arnie Hammer are going to be starring it. Dustin Lance Black is the screenwriter.

I actually have a problem about this. I've written before about how Hollywood will straighten out anything it can get it's hands on. The thing is, this situation the exact opposite, as there is very little substantial evidence that Hoover is actually gay or into crossdressing. Susan Rosenstiel, the one who originally claimed to have witnessed Hoover wearing a dress, served time for perjuring herself and had established motivation for defaming Hoover. Furthermore, the relationship Hoover had with Clyde Tolson has been speculated that it was romantic/sexual in nature, but there is no hard evidence that their relationship was anything but that of close friends.

Here's why I have a problem. With all the well known queer historical figures who have made significant and positive contributions to society, why focus on on an individual where the evidence is not exactly beyond a shadow of reasonable doubt and whose contributions to America consisted of aggressively persecution non-criminal groups and individuals such as Martin Luther King Jr. He also actively denied the existence of the Mafia and organized crime.

In short, what I want is a movie about actual legitimate queer historical figures, such as Sylvia Rivera, Bayard Rustin, Ruth C. Ellis, Alan Turing, or Harry Hay, Socrates, Plato, Solon of Athens, Michel Foucault, or James Dean. There are ultimately so many to choose from, that I fail to see the point of a movie about a historical figure who in all probability was not gay at all.

Queer Review: The Gay Deceivers (1969)

The Gay Deceivers
Director: Bruce Kessler
Writers: Abe Polsky, Gil Lasky, and Jerome Wish.
Cast: Kevin Coughlin, Lawrence P. Casey, Michael Greer, Jack Starrett, Sebastian Brook, Brooke Bundy, Jo Ann Harris,

Overview
Taken in the right context, The Gay Deceivers is a decent enough movie about two straight guys who pretend to be queer in order to be avoid being drafted and forced to fight in Vietnam.

Synopsis
Danny Devlin (Kevin Coughlin) and his friend Elliot Crane (Lawrence P. Casey) decide that rather than be drafted into the army, they would rather pretend to be gay. But when Colonel Dixon (Jack Starrett) becomes suspicious, they are forced to take the ruse even further or risk being found out. So they move in with each other in a nice cottage owned by a flamboyant gay couple, Malcom (Michael Greer) and Craig (Sebastian Brook). Things take a turn for the worse when Danny's family starts to become suspicious that he really is gay and Mr. Devlin (Richard Webb) even goes so far as to have Elliot fired from his lifeguarding job.

The Queering
Context is everything and if The Gay Deceivers were to be made today, I do not know what sort of reception it would get. Back in 1969, the film was protested by gay activists for it's presentation of gays as effeminate. Today, after having to endure the indignities of Cruising and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, I found The Gay Deceivers to be relatively harmless.

In fact, in many ways The Gay Deceivers is fairly quaint in it's depiction of gay men and while much of it's value derives from the historical perspective it provides, I found myself enjoying this much more than I had expected given the premise. Granted, Malcolm and Craig are drawn using the broadest of caricature, but they are presented with just enough dignity to avoid becoming ugly stereotypes. In particular, Michael Greer, who gives the best performance in the film, manages the difficult task of making Malcolm feel like a flesh and blood human, in spite of the difficulties given to that task by the screenplay.

In any case, while I would be the last to argue that The Gay Deceivers is a paragon of brilliant writing, there are enough clever moments and minor twists peppered throughout to keep things interesting. Plus we are spared the speeches and grandstanding that plagued I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, whose premise is remarkably similar in many ways to The Gay Deceivers.

I found one of the of the strengths of this film is that it makes a subtle point of the difficulties faced by gay men in the late sixties. Granted, we are spared the true horrors of what went on back then, but by having Elliot fired simply for being gay, The Gay Deceivers provides a lesson that is worth a thousand grandstanding speeches.

Recommendation
While not really gay or terribly deceptive, I thought The Gay Decievers was an enjoyable bit of movie history and since it was fairly progressive for the time period, I feel comfortable offering a recommendation for anyone regardless of whether or not they have a strong interest in the history of queer cinema.

The Rating

Trailer


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Queer Review: Imagine Me and You (2005)

Imagine Me and You
Director: Ol Parker
Writer: Ol Parker
Cast: Piper Perabo, Lena Headey, Matthew Goode, Celia Imrie, Anthony Head, Darren Boyd

Overview
A lesbian romance, Imagine Me and You is about as bland and unexciting as one would expect from any modern romantic comedy.

Synopsis
Rachel (Piper Perabo) and Heck (Matthew Goode) are getting married but during the ceremony, Rachel catches the eye Luce (Lena Headey), the florist who had composed the flower arrangements. Shortly after Rachel and Heck have settled into their new lives, Rachel invites Luce over for dinner. It is not long, however, before the two woman are falling in love with each other, thereby forcing Rachel to make a critical decision.

The Queering
I think I might be the wrong person to write a review of this, as I am nowhere near being a member of the target audience. Imagine Me and You is not an awful movie but it wallows so far into the pit of mediocrity, I kept wanting to throw it an electrified life preserver just to liven the proceedings up. The biggest thrill for me was realizing Anthony Stewart Head, who played Rupert Giles on Buffy the Vampire slayer, was going to have a small role.

There are admittedly some nice touches. Heck is essentially a good guy, not some cad, which gives some weight to Rachel's choice to stay or divorce him in order to be with Luce. The cad role is provided by Heck's friend Cooper (Darren Boyd) who provides a small, but much needed, amount of comic relief. Between that and the fact that Mathew Goode gives the best performance in the whole movie, I could not help but wonder how much better proceedings would have been had Imagine Me and You been told from the perspective of the male leads, rather than the lesbian lovers. But like I said, I do not think I was this films target audience.

Beyond that, there is little more to say, besides that this is essentially to me the lesbian version of Latter Days. The reason I say that is because both movies are unremarkable gay rom coms that have little ambition and would have received almost no attention if they had not had gay protagonists to "spice" things up.

Recommendation
For those desperate for lightweight romances featuring queer characters this might fit the bill, but I kept imagining how much fun it would be for me to be watching something else.

The Rating

Trailer


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Queer Review: Sebastiane (1976)

Sebastiane
Directors: Paul Humfress and Derek Jarman.
Writers: Paul Humfress, Derek Jarman and James Whaley. Latin Translation by Jack Welch.
Cast: Barney James, Neil Kennedy, Leonardo Treviglio, Richard Warwick, Donald Dunham, Daevid Finbar, Ken Hicks, Lindsay Kemp, Steffano Massari, Janusz Romanov, Gerald Incandela, Robert Medley

Overview
A tale of the iconic Saint Sebastiane (Leonardo Treviglio), Paul Humfress and Derek Jarman's film offer one interpretation of what might have happened to the famous martyr.

Synopsis
Sebastiane is set during the time of the Roman Empire, while Christians were still being persecuted. After offending Emperor Diocletian (Robert Medley), Sebastiane is exiled to a remote outpost, where boredom has caused most of the members to turn to sex with each other to relieve the tension. Once there, Sebastiane becomes the object of desire for the outposts leader Severus (Barney James) who takes sadistic delight in punishing his soldier.

The Queering
I came to something of an epiphany after watching Sebastiane and Imagine Me and You in the same day. Namely that my two least favorite types of films are ultra bland rom coms and ultra deep experimental art films, that attempt to convey some sort of deep meaning about Life, The Universe, and Everything. The obvious point here being that those genres ostensibly exist at opposite extremes from each other, with my tastes falling in the middle.

In any case, Sebastiane is a frustrating film. There are moments and scenes that work on their own, but on the whole, the film is incomprehensible. There are a couple of very good scenes worth pointing out. One has Severus ordering Sebastiane to strip him, while he watches from a distance two of the other soldiers erotically caressing each other in a shallow pool. The other scene is the climax, which has Sebastiane being killed by arrows while his hands are tied above his head. However, everytime I found myself being drawn into this world, I was thrown out of it by something, such as the anachronistic nails-on-black-board electronic score by Brian Eno.

At least there is a lot that can be analyzed about Sebastiane if one is interested enough to do so. For example, I was reminded several times of William Golding's Lord of the Flies. Like the lost boys in Golding's novel, the Roman soldiers have devolved into near barbarism, thanks to their separation from civilization. Sebastiane in this context, represents Piggy, the conscience of the group, who refuses to go along with their descent into madness. There is even a scene where the soldiers hunt and slaughter a pig, although in Sebastiane they never put it's head on a stick. Also, the starkness of the scenes where Severus is torturing Sebastiane strongly reminded me of Pier Paolo Pasolini's Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom.

In Sebastiane's defence, it was shot on a minuscule budget for the time period and what Humfress and Jarman accomplished is impressive in that context, even while I admit to being less then enamored of the final product. Sebastiane is also notable for a couple of reasons. One is the fact that this was the first film where all of the dialogue is comprised of Latin and the other is the amount of male nudity. The actors spend so muc of the time naked that according to the IMDB trivia page, Derak Jarman once joked that, "We couldn't afford costumes."

In regards to the nudity, the only thing that keeps Sebastiane from turning into a porno, is the fact that there is never any explicit sex shown, although there are several scenes of guys cuddling and making out while in the buff. At the time Sebastiane was released, the nudity obviously caused a great deal of controversy. Any one who felt that Brokeback Mountain was "ground breaking" for it's depictions of manly men having sex with each other, should check out Sebastiane first and then try and make that claim with a straight face. However, while I appreciated on one level the amount of naked flesh on display, I could never get over the feeling that Sebastiane represented more of a film curiosity, rather then a picture of great significance.

Recommendation
Those individuals who like ultra-serious, art and nothing but the art movies, or have a paticular interest in Saint Sebastiane or the history of queer cinema, will probably find some value here. Everyone else is most likely going to end up as bored as the exiled soldiers.

The Rating

Scene


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Queer Review: The Christine Jorgensen Story (1970)

The Christine Jorgensen Story
Director: Irving Rapper
Writers: Ellis St. Joseph and Robert E. Kent. Based upon the autobiography of Christine Jorgensen.
Cast: John Hansen, Joan Tompkins, Quinn K. Redeker, John Himes, Ellen Clark, Will Kuluva, Oscar Beregi Jr., Trent Lehman

Overview
From one angle, The Christine Jorgensen Story can be considered an interesting look at 1970's attitudes towards transsexual individuals. However, the dated and clinical approach towards the lead character makes for poor cinema.

Synopsis
Ever since George Jorgensen Jr. (Trent Lehman at age 7 and John Hanson as an adult) was a young child, he felt he was different from the other boys, as rather then playing football, he would rather play hopscotch with the girls or try on his sisters dress and put on his mothers lipstick. By the time Jorgensen is an adult, he finds himself increasingly confused regarding his identity. After a lot of research, Jorgensen finds himself heading to Denmark to have genital reconstructive surgery performed under the auspices of Dr. Victor Dahlman (Oscar Beregi Jr.).

The Queering
The Christine Jorgensen Story is riddled with problems from historical inaccuracies to the cold, clinical approach taken in presenting Christine Jorgensen herself. The biggest issue though, is the way the Jorgensen surgical transition is presented as a moment of unadulterated terror, complete with red circles of DOOM. Compare that scene with the transition scene in 20 Centimeters which was a glorious celebration of unbridled joy. Clearly, cinema has come a long way since 1970.

Regarding the historical missteps, there's a few specifics that I wish to point out. For starters, Christine Jorgensen was not the first person to undergo a sex change operation, although she was the first to have hormone treatment used a supplement to the process. Also there was no real life individual quite like Tom Crawford, the handsome reporter who woos Christine during the final act.

Stylisticly speaking, this movie is clearly dated. I am honestly not even sure what the filmmakers were trying to attempt or message they were trying to convey. Were they trying to educate the public? I imagine the limited discussion on hormones would have actually been counter-productive for the time period in that regard, although the frank discussion on the necessary surgery does include the necessary information, even if it was hardly comprehensive. Furthermore, the way that Christine is presented as a wimp barely able to handle the rigours of the army and in constant need of the aid of men, such as Tom Crawford for writing her story, did not strike me as the best method for generating empathy.

The advertising, including posters and the trailer, hyped the sensationalistic nature of the story. The tagline blaring across most of them asks "Did the surgeon's knife make me a woman or a freak?" All of this causes Christine Jorgensen the person, to be lost behind a wall of hyperbolic shtick. Those who wish to know more about the real Christine Jorgensen should look elsewhere as she is nowhere to be found here.

Recommendation
Only for those with an interest in the history of queer cinema or the portrayals of transsexual/transgender individuals on film.

The Rating

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Queer Review: 20 Centimeters (2005)

20 Centimeters
Director: Ramón Salazar
Writer: Ramón Salazar
Cast: Mónica Cervera, Miguel O'Dogherty, Concha Galán, Richard Shaw, Juan Sanz, Pablo Puyol

Overview
A highly stylized slice of life drama/musical, 20 Centimeters tells the story of a pre-op transsexual, Marieta (Mónica Cervera) who yearns to remove the 20 centimeters (aproximately 8 inches) of male genitals that is the last step on her journey to becoming a woman.

Synopsis
Marieta is a narcoleptic who whenever she falls asleep, envisions herself as the lead singer in highly elaborate musical numbers. Her narcolepsy is particularly dangerous given her profession, prostitution, which she does to earn the money necessary to have the operation to remove her male genitalia. Marieta's efforts are hampered by her friend Tomás (Miguel O'Dogherty) and his crazy schemes that include scalping opera tickets and trying to become a master cello player in spite of a lack of talent. When Marieta meets Raúl (Pablo Puyol) it appears that she has at least found true love, but differences in opinion over what should be done with Marieta's penis put an insurmountable barrier between them.

The Queering
20 Centimeters could be compared on a superficial level to Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Both movies are over the top quasi-musicals featuring trans characters and both title focus on the measurement of the phallic organ of the main characters. However, whereas Hedwig and the Angry Inch transsexual character's was about a broken individual becoming whole, 20 Centimeters is about trying to survive in the bleakest of worlds.

To emphasise this bleakness, there is a sharp contrast between the fantasy songs Marieta stars in and the reality she is forced to endure. The scenes that take place in the real world are frequently under lit and the colours desaturated. The musical sequences on the other hand are much more colorful, at least at the beginning, although they gradual take on an increasingly grim quality as Marieta's situation becomes increasingly desperate, with the last two songs before the finale appearing to have been inspired by Marilyn Manson.

There is a certain underlying irony to Marieta's circumstances. While she desperately wishes to get rid of the approximately 8 inches of flesh between her legs, many people such as Raúl, as well as many of the men that Marieta services each night, believe it to be a benefit. I found Raúl's motives to be suspect though, as I wondered if he was genuinely attracted Marieta or if he just wanted a guy who looked like a girl in order to fool his parents into thinking he was straight.

The acting in 20 Centimeters is completely naturalistic, at least during the non-fantasy scenes. Mónica Cervera is particularly good as a person who knows exactly what she wants, but lives in a world that constantly seems to be conspiring to keep her from getting it, while Pablo Puyol creates an intriguing Raúl.

On one hand it would seem that a movie about a problems of a desperate street prostitute with narcolepsy would be both depressing and rife with danger. But while 20 Centimeters does not ignore the pathos inherent to Marieta's situation, the focus here is more on the fantasy world she wishes to live in. In the final analysis, this makes 20 Centimeters a movie with a joyful exuberance rarely seen in cinema, rather than the downer one would expect given the premise.

Recommendation
Highly recommended. There is no reason to keep more than 20 Centimeters between you and this movie.

The Rating

Trailer


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Queer Review: The Full Monty (1997)

The Full Monty
Director: Peter Cattaneo
Writer: Simon Beaufoy
Cast: Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy, William Snape, Steve Huison, Tom Wilkinson, Paul Barber, Hugo Speer, Lesley Sharp

Overview
What is the one way that The Full Monty could have been better? If it had actually gone the full monty with the gay romance. As it is, this is an oddly delightful comedy about being unemployed. I think there may be a few people in this day and age who could relate to that.

Synopsis
When the steel factories close down in Sheffield, England, the former workers find themselves unemployed and desperate for a remedy. When one ex-worker, Gaz (Robert Carlyle) witnesses the Chippendales performing he gets an idea to raise some cash. Soon 5 others have joined him. Dave the Fat Basterd (Mark Addy), marching band member Lomper (Steve Huison), their former Forman Gerard (Tom Wilkinson), the one among them who can actually dance Horse (Paul Barber), and the extremely well hung Guy (Hugo Speer). However, to beat the Chippendales at their own show, this gang might have to go the full monty.

The Queering
The Full Monty does not have any thematic depth, well developed characters, or probing insight into human nature. What it does do, is offer up a genuinely funny comedy about guys getting naked in front of a live audience. This of course leads to the question of why male nudity is more often used in movies for humor, compared to female nudity, but that is an issue for another day.

However, there is a low key romance between two of the men, Lomper and Guy, that is used as background material. The only thing I wished though, was that the filmmakers had chosen to go the full monty with this element. No, I do not mean showing the audience the characters having sex, but a kiss or two would have been nice in addition to the few shots of them holding hands.

The best performances belong to Mark Addy as the insecure Dave and Tom Wilkinson as the downsized foreman, unable to bring himself to tell his wife that he no longer has a job. Robert Carlyle also gives a high energy performance as Gaz, a man fighting with his wife to retain custody of his only child.

Other than that, there is little more for me to say, other then that The Full Monty is a light breezy affair that is fun to watch and does not leave an unpleasant after-taste.

Recommendation
Recommended.

The Rating

Trailer


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Queer Review: Stonewall (1995)

Stonewall
Director: Nigel Finch
Writer: Rikki Beadle Blair. Based upon the novel by Martin Duberman.
Cast: Guillermo Díaz, Frederick Weller, Brendan Corbalis, Duane Boutte, Bruce MacVittie, Peter Ratray

Overview
The final film of director Nigel Finch, Stonewall is unfortunately a muddled mess of a movie that tells the story of the events leading up to the legendary Stonewall Riots.

Synopsis
Matty Dean (Frederick Weller) is an activist who has just arrived in Greenwich village looking to be a part of a movement that will create equal rights for gays and lesbians. Once there, Matty meets up with La Miranda (Guillermo Díaz) and the two begin a tentative romance. Matty also joins the Mattachine Society and befriends Ethan (Brendan Corbalis). This leads to an ideological conflict of sorts between the more conservative elements of the gay liberation movement, symbolized by the Mattachine Society and the radical flaming queers, represented by La Miranda. From there, the plot moves along in spurts and phases before coming to that fateful night and the inevitable riots that jump started the queer rights movement.

The Queering
It is unfortunate that a movie about such an important historic event is ultimately such a dramatic mess and unable to generate any significant plot momentum. There are many isolated moments and individual scenes that work in their own right, but never come together to form a coherent narrative. Most of the characters are well developed (to a point), but there is too much disconnect between them and the Stonewall Riots themselves. What I am getting at is that a compelling story could have been made featuring the individuals who actually participated in the riots, such as Sylvia Rivera. And when Matty Dean goes to the Mattachine Society, why should he not get to meet Harry Hay?

In short, that is the sum of all that is wrong with Stonewall. Take away the name Stonewall and the Mattachine Society and could have been a generic queer riot that could have occurred anywhere. If Nigel had dropped all pretence that this was about the iconic event itself and simply allowed these characters to develop within their own story, then I might have appreciated this effort a bit more.

One element that does work is the doomed love affair with the extremely closeted Vinnie (Bruce MacVittie) and his lover, the adopted Mother of the Stonewall Drag Queens, Bostonia (Duane Boutte). I would have loved to have seen these two given their own story. On the other hand, the love triangle that develops between Mattie, La Miranda, and Ethan felt forced. I suspect that the only reason for it's existence was to give heft to the intellectual debate between the conformity advocated by the Mattachine Society and the radical queer anti-assimilation position staked out by the flaming drag queens.

Beyond that, there is little worth talking about. The acting is somewhat variable with the strongest performances given by Guillermo Díaz as La Miranda, the sassy and fierce drag queen who refuses to cry and Bruce MacVittie as the conflicted manager of the Stonewall Inn. The musical numbers that the drag queens lip sync to and serve as a sort of greek chorus, are fun to watch at the beginning but become grating through overuse.

In the end, Stonewall is a disappointing effort. Had Nigel given his characters their own story, rather then trying to hammer them to fit the events of the Stonewall Riots, he could have succeeded in making a more memorable and compelling motion picture.

Recommendation
Recommended with qualifications. Those who will not mind a watered down version of what happened at the Stonewall Inn, may find some value here, otherwise, there is little reason in seeking this out.

The Rating

Trailer


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Classic Review: A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Director: Steven Spielberg
Writer: Steven Spielberg and Ian Watson. Based upon the short story "Supertoys Last All Summer Long" by Brian Aldiss.
Cast: Haley Joel Osment, Frances O'Connor, Sam Robards, Jake Thomas, Jude Law, William Hurt, Brendan Gleeson

Overview
A collaboration between cinematic masters Stephen Spielberg and Stanley Kubrick A.I. Artificial Intelligence is a sublime story about a robot's journey towards becoming a "real" human. Outside of a problematic ending, this is a near perfect motion picture with powerful acting, writing, and direction.

Synopsis
Following global flooding caused by global warming, humans are forced to rely increasingly more on robots, known as mecha, that are controlled by highly sophisticated artificial intelligence programs. When software expert Prof. Hobby creates David (Haley Joel Osment), he gives him to human parents Henry and Monica Swinton (Sam Robards and Frances O'Connor). Henry and Monica are both wary of their new charge, but Monica soon finds that David can fill an emotional hole caused by the coma her biological son Martin (Jake Thomas) is in. When Martin wakes up though, David is soon ostricacized and then abandoned by his human family. The problem is that David had been programmed to love and he believes the only way to have that love returned is to become a "real" boy. Thus begins David's quest to find the blue fairy, a character from The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi that David believes has the power to make him real.

The Queering
A.I. attempts to tackle a whole host of provocative philosophical questions. At point can it be said that a machine is sentient? Would conscience thought mean that the machine would therefore be capable of human emotion such as love? If we made a machine capable of loving us, would we owe that machine anything in return? And most importantly, what does it mean to be human?

Naturally, this philosophical inquiry means that A.I. is a highly ambitious film. Although I should point out that sometimes the film's reach exceeds it's grasp, as not all the answers provided are necessarily all that substantial. But I would much prefer an ambitious film that fails in all that it attempts over mediocre crap that aspires to little.

One area where A.I. does not disappoint is with the technical elements. There is some truly awesome cinematography and set design here. The glimpses of a flooded New York City - complete with still standing twin towers as A.I. was released only a few months before 9/11 - are hauntingly beautiful and eerie at the same time. In fact, all of the technical components, from the score to the editing to the special effects, are superbly executed.

The acting by Haley Joel Osment and Jude Law as synthetic humanoid machines is also superb. Haley Joel Osment is particularly interesting as David, who suggests that there is something different about David through slightly exaggerated mannerisms and by rarely blinking. No one else really is around long enough to leave much of an impression.

Then of course there is the ending, which is the film's weakest element by far. There are several natural endings that occur earlier that the filmmakers could have chosen but for whatever reason, did not. The cathartic nature of the ending led many to speculate that Spielberg, rather then Kubrick was the creative force behind the ending. Spielberg however later refuted that notion, claiming that the ending was in the original treatment by Kubrick. Regardless of who's idea the ending was, it still is extremely creepy and provides an unnecessary closure to the main storyline.

Of course, while the ending does not work as far as the characters or plot are concerned, it does work on a thematic level by providing an interesting Biblical parallel. In Genesis, after God had given life to human clay, he walked amongst Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. As time goes on though, God becomes increasingly more distant from humans and by the time of the New Testament, he has to send a human son in order to deliver a message to the human race. This mimics the role humans play in the development of Artificial Intelligence here. At the beginning we humans are still playing a significant role in our creation, but the ending leaps forward several millennia, to where we have become extinct, leaving our mecha creations to evolve without us.

Recommendation
Strongly recommended. Issues with the ending aside, there is nothing artificial or unintelligent about this movie.

The Rating

Trailer


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Queer Review: Velvet Goldmine (1998)

Velvet Goldmine
Director: Todd Haynes
Writers: James Lyons and Todd Haynes
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Christian Bale, Toni Collette, Eddie Izzard, Micko Westmoreland

Overview
Velvet Goldmin is a triumph of style over substance and with a confusing plot to boot, thereby making the best part the glam rock soundtrack.

Synopsis
Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) was 70's glam rock biggest star, until a mock assassination ruins his career. Ten years later, reporter Arthur Stuart (Christian Bale) is given the task of finding out the motivation behind Slade's assassination stunt. Stuart starts by tracking down those who knew Slade and interviewing them, hoping to find out what happened to Slade after his career crashed and burned under stranger circumstances then the Roswell UFO. What follows is a psychadelic journey through several stages of Slade's career, as the plot jumps through time, place, and logical loop holes.

The Queering
Movies that focus on style over substance often have confusing plots and Velvet Goldmine is no exception. The movie jumps back and forth between time periods, making it nearly impossible to know what characters we are dealing with in a particular scene or understand how each one is related to each other. This situation is aggravated by the fact that most of the 70's characters look a lot alike. While Velvet Goldmine never sinks to the same depths as Querelle, a little more coherency would have been greatly appreciated. I am not sure if another viewing would have cleared matters up, but to blunt, I have no plans on doing that any time soon.

There are numerous references in Velvet Goldmine to other artists and works of art. Oscar Wilde is frequently quoted and McGegor's Curt Wild, a rocker whose original act included stripping naked in front of a live audience before setting the stage on fire, is clearly based upon grunge icon Kurt Cobain. Brian Slade is a David Bowie clone. In better works of art, these sort of references and allusions can make a good story great, and great story sublime, but in a mediocre one like Velvet Goldmine, they only serve to make Todd Hayne's film appear more like a pretentious rip-off then it actually is.

Speaking of Todd Haynes, I have to admit to being disappointed, as I expected a stronger effort from the director of Far From Heaven. Of course, the success of the later film can probably be chalked up to Hayne's greater experience, but I should probably avoid such judgements until I can see the rest of his films.

As for the technical elements, the cinematography of Velvet Goldmine manages to conjure up some memorable imagery. On the negative side, the soundtrack during the musical sequences is never lined up quite right, thereby making it obvious that the actors are lip syncing. This is unfortunate as the best part of Velvet Goldmine is the grooving soundtrack.

I found watching Velvet Goldmine to be a frustrating experience. The confusion caused by the surreal style and plot jumps undermines any potential the material might have had. In short, there is no goldmine, velvet or otherwise, to be found here, only bits of bronze nuggets from other, better works of art.

Recommendation
Not the worst movie in existence, but I would personally recommend buying the soundtrack instead.

The Rating

Trailer



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Queer Review: Monster (2003)

Monster
Director: Patty Jenkins
Writer: Patty Jenkins
Cast: Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern, Lee Tergesen

Overview
Based on a true story, Monster tells the tale of Aileen Wuornos (Charlize Theron) a prostitute turned serial killer who became infamous after murdering 7 her clients.

Synopsis
The film opens with Aileen Wournous contemplating suicide, but decides not to until she spends her last 5 dollars. That is how she meets Selby (Christina Ricci), a lonely lesbian desperate for companionship, at a dyke bar. Their romance is doomed though, when one of Aileen's Johns attempts to rape her and she murders him in self defence. This starts Aileen on a killing spree with each victim becoming progressively more innocent, until her final kill seals her fate.

The Queering
Overall, Monster plays out like a grittier and more unsettling version of Thelma and Louise. However, the first thing anybody talks about Monster is Charlize Theron's Oscar winning performance as Aileen Wournos. To become the serial killer, Theron uglified herself to the point where she becomes unrecognisable. Christina Ricci, who has a lengthy resume playing offbeat characters, is nearly as good, but exists in Theron's shadow thanks to the de-beautification.

It is difficult to imagine many people that could descend much lower then the day they nearly kill themselves. It is therefore interesting to note the depths that Wournos managed to fall to after buying a gun with the intention to commit suicide. Aileen begins the movie at the bottom of a dark pit and ends it at an even lower level. In between is a hard riding roller-coaster of rising fortune and rapidly descending despair, not all that unlike the amusement park ride that Aileen Wournos threw up on that is referenced by the title.

I should point out that Monster has something of a political agenda. There is definitely an anti-death penalty vibe, although Director Patty Jenkins never turns this into a political polemic on the evils of capital punishment. However, while there is no attempt to absolve Wournos of her crimes, the question of how much blame society had in the situations that led Wournos to becoming a serial killer is left unanswered. The struggles Wournos faces while attempting to reform and find a non-prostitute related job, show just how much of a myth the notion that anyone who works hard enough can become successful actually is.

There are also several disturbing scenes featuring graphic violence and sexual assault. While these are never gratuitous, they may offend the sensibilities of some individuals. Just saying.

Recommendation
In spite of the disturbing themes and elements, I think that this is an important film for anybody to watch. There are no monsters to be afraid of here, only humans.

The Rating

Trailer


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Setting the Record Queer: Solon of Athens and the Patriarch of Democracy

Some wicked men are rich, some good are poor;
We will not change our virtue for their store:
Virtue's a thing that none can take away,
But money changes owners all the day.
-Solon, translated by John Dryden

The passage of time has a way of of obscuring the truths of the past. Solon lived in Archiac Athens, hundreds of years before scholars would even develop a formalized way of investigating that thing we call history. What we know about Solon is this, that he created legal reform that would later allow for the formation of democracy. At time when Athens faced economic and political problems, he broadened the requirements for public offices in order to allow more people to serve, took measures to increase the competitiveness of Athenian commerce, and prohibited free Athenians from being enslaved, while freeing those that had previously been. In a clever political move, once those reforms were enacted, Solon then went on vacation for 10 years, in order to prevent them from being overturned.

Solon is considered to be one of the Seven Sages of Greece, a group renownd for it's wisdom and made up of Cleobulus of Lindos, Chilon of Sparta, Bias of Priene, Thales of Miletus, Pittacus of Mytilene, and Periander of Corinth.

As for Solon's sexuality, according to Keith Stern in Queers in History Solon was "credited with being the founder of the pederastic educational tradition in Athens. He composed poetry praising the love of boys and instituted legislation to control abuses against free-born boys. His own eromenos (lover boy) was the future tyrant Peisistratus."

The butterfly effect, in technical lingo is the "sensitive dependence on initial conditions" or to put it in laymen's terms, a butterfly flapping it's wings can create a chain reaction that causes a massive hurricane in another part of the world. From a historical perspective, it is difficult to imagine a person quite like Solon (638 BC – 558 BC), who through only a few small changes, such as creating legislation that reformed early Athenian politics, was able to pave the way for democracy in ancient Greece, which has served as a model for other democratic countries ever since.

Sources and Further Reading

Solon by Plutarch at The Internet Classics Archieve
Solon at in2greece
Solon, Wikipedia Entry
Queers in History by Keith Stern, 2009