This was the first big Brazilian drama that HBO worked on, and it’s a five-episode miniseries that lasts almost five hours in total. It’s a really emotional and political story set in Rio de Janeiro during the late 1980s, and it does a great job of showing what that era felt like while the country was dealing with the HIV/AIDS crisis. Since the world feels so divided today, the show is a beautiful reminder of how queer people can find power by standing together when things are hard. The story is actually based on real things that happened, specifically about flight attendants who smuggled AIDS medicine from the US into Brazil in the 80s. It works as both a history drama and a strong political message. The show is mostly about three people: Nando, his best friend Lea (they both work as flight attendants for Fly Brasil), and Raul, who is a performer and an activist. A lot of the story happens at a club called Paradise, which was one of the few open gay clubs back in the 80s. Nando is a h...
17 year old Klaus is a brilliant student and a gifted painter but to his father, who only understands money, Klaus is not normal since he doesn't bring home any girlfriend. Klaus spends most of his free time with Manfred, a low academic achiever raised by a relatively poor single mother. The two boys share an interest in the arts. Klaus protects Manfred from bullying as well. Klaus' parents get more worried when they learn that Klaus has been introduced to an antique dealer Boris, who hosts all male get togethers with electronic music and wrestling by young men. While the father takes matter in his hands by confronting Boris and suing him to having seduced his son, the mother is not far behind. With the help of their housemaid, Gerda, she devises a plan to seduce Klaus and turn him from his homosexual ways. Gerda successfully seduces Klaus and in effect turns him straight. Boris gets to know about that and sues the parents for procuration, hoping in vain to defend himself from the father's legal attack. In the end the mother is convicted while the art dealer is arrested - still without any reason and admittedly without a warrant.
I am not sure if the message was that homosexuality can be "cured" by a straight relationship, but I felt the film was definitely veering towards it. In some places you hear and feel that they are trying to show tolerant behavior, but to doesn't come across to obvious. But again, you can't ignore that this film is from 50's when situation in Germany was probably very different. It would be ridiculous to expect political correctness or an in-depth and realistic study of homosexuality from a movie released in 1957. It's hard to critically review a film of such nature. For folks who are interested in learning more and getting to know how over a period of so many years, perception of gays in cinema has changed, this would be a good film to watch. But of you are looking something for entertainment purposes and enjoying an evening of a movie, you may be underwhelmed. Take your pick. (4/10)
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