Movie Reviews -
Gay Themed

The fact that this film came out back in 1978 in itself is a big surprise to me. Sure, from a story perspective there may not be much going here, but again the fact that the film was made years ago is HUGE deal. The life of gays and transvestites portrayed with empathy in a comedy that has Bent, a factory worker, as its main protagonist. We meet his mother, who makes no bones about having always wished for a daughter rather than a son; his closet days at work; and his let-it-all-hang-out off hours with kind. Brent, an aging gay man is the main protagonist of the story. He is a huge fan of his mother, whose used to be a famous artist and is now on death bed with cancer. He has lived in the shadow of his famous mother all his life, and is constantly trying to survive and find out who he really is by stealing and doing odd jobs here and there. Along the way, we meet his group of eccentric and quirky friends, who might be a bit more colorful than most people. A woman friend who runs a bar,...

I am not sure honestly how I feel about this film. Duffer, an intense and bizarre study of obsession that is oddly beautiful and disturbing, tells the story of a teenage boy torn between the womanly charms of a kindly prostitute, and the sadistic attentions of an older man. The film came back in 1972 and films like these are usually hit or miss and probably mostly meant for festival screenings.  Duffer is an aimless young man who enjoys the company of two lovers, but likes to be on his own sometimes, spending time down by the riverside under the bridge, reading, watching the world go by, that sort of thing.  HIs male lover is an older man, who physically abuses him because that is how he gets pleasure but according to Duffer, he also loves him very much. It's times like these he get to his female lover, where he visits her at her place, have casual sex and they chat. Duffer excuses the actions by his abusive lover by claiming that while he feels victimised, he can console hims...

I believe that this was the first movie with a gay main character in Spain. Released back in 1977, I can't even imagine how it was received by the audience. Sure in today's time, one can question how a lot of things have been taken stereotypical of gay population, especially when it comes to lonely desperate, self-hating older gay men; but I saw this film with a historical perspective. Almost 45 years old, the tardiness of old films like this made it a decent pleasurable watch for me. Eduardo is a director of a big bank, 40 something, single, sophisticated gay men who uses his financial position to sleep with younger boys. HIs sexuality is known to his family but still very much a secret. Of late, Eduardo has been eyeing a young straight boy Miguel who is from a poor humble family and almost falls for him. He somehow manages to get him a job in his bank, so that he can be close to him while he figures him out. He soon finds out that he has a girlfriend and would not be interest...

I can't believe that this film back in 1978. A daring film by standards of the time, this film offers a portrait of Spanish society after the death of dictator Franco, during the transition to democracy, using the central theme of secret homosexual life of a prominent member of the Spanish communist party. And how this information makes him vulnerable to exploitation by the Fascist opposition. It's an interesting mixture of political themes and the outsider status of a gay man, who can only exist in a sordid underworld culture. The story is actually simple. Roberto is a prominent politician on rise. We are told that he knew he was gay since he was a teenager but when he was in military, he met his current wife Carmen and told himself that maybe he is bi and actually could be happy. Apparently Carmen knows about his past. Once when he was in prison, Roberto had met young rent boy Ned, and both of them continued their relationship. Somehow Fascist party finds about this and they ...

BBC had introduced a new program called 'Play For Today' in 1970, a premier slot for new plays, sometimes adapted from other media, often original works for television. Over three hundred Plays for Today were made between 1970 and 1984. The series has a rich heritage, being an intended showcase for new writers but also hosting work by established names. The film/play 'Coming Out' was telecast back in 1979 as part of this series. Lewis Duncan, is a successful writer of (straight) romance novels. With a younger boyfriend, Richie , he’s known to his secretary and his friends as gay, but is not out to the public and has little time for gay activism. Everyone around Lewis tells him he should come out, but coming out has material consequences. He writes an article under a pseudonym on gay issues which surprisingly becomes very popular and he receives a ton of fan mail. Meanwhile, his own personal life is not the best. Their closest friends, another gay couple have their own i...

Sebastiane is a film about homosexual desire, BDSM and nude lads running about a desert without much more than a strategically placed posing pouch between them. Imagine this film came out back in 70s, an out in the open homoerotic biblical film set in 300s BC. In 303 AD., the captain of the Roman Palace Guards, Sebastiane, a favorite of the Emperor Diocletian, is suspected of being a Christian and since the emperor believes the Christians set fires in Rome, he strips Sebastiane of his rank and banishes him to a remote outpost in Sardinia with other exiled soldiers. The commanding officer lusts after the brooding Sebastiane, who in the strong desert sun is becoming more mystical, more filled with homoerotic thoughts, more pure, and more aloof from the other bored but playful soldiers by refusing to take part in the gladiator exercises and their homosexual affairs. When the officers sexual advances are rejected and the smitten pagan centurion is called impotent by Sebastiane, the angry r...

Another queer subject film from the 70s, whose name I had never heard of so far. It is the story of a bisexual triangle set against the backdrop of the legendary Continental Baths. This film depicts much of what I was familiar with as the struggle of coming out gay back before it was acceptable. With minimalistic production values and what seems like an independent film, I proceeded to watch this film with an open mind. Michael is a young pianist who has recently moved from Montana to NYC along with his girlfriend Tracy. Looking for employment, he applies for the pianist job at the Baths, given that he has to start somewhere. The manager at the baths, a good looking lad named Scotti makes a pass at Michael who clears that he is straight. Scotti invites him to an art gallery opening along with his girlfriend so they can meet each other. Tracy and Scotti hot off every well and before you know the trio become friends. Michael is dealing with some internalized homophobia while Tracy seems ...

What the fuck was this film. Agreed it came way back in 70s, but even then I don't understand the whole point. It felt more like a collage of random still photographs and video edits some random scenes of kids playing, neighborhood events and just random events happening which are sown together. There is a hint f story which takes up like 15 minutes on the film but the rest 50 odd minutes is just this random montage. If these multiple characters that keep coming in and out are supposed to represent something, well then, this film definitely went all over my head. Shot in just four days, this film is a soap opera about the adventures of a double-dealing from Rio de Janeiro implicated with a strange and confused middle class family. A dysfunctional family, composed of a prostitute and two gays, one strong and the other fragile and stupid, lives a routine life in Rio de Janeiro. The gay couple just fool around and waste the all day, so when the prostitute threatens the other two to st...

It is so hard to believe that this film came out back in 1976. The film is so sensual and so sexually explicitly charged, that its hard to explain. Sure, there is not much from a plot point of view. It feels it was made to express the voice of but one man,  the director's,– with additional characters introduced for the sole purpose of roles occupied within the filmmaker's life.But if vintage is your thing, the film has a non stop line up some of the most beautiful gorgeous ethnically diverse men in all kinds of acts of partial and semi and full nudity. I am amazed that the film came out at a time it did. The director was planning to make, and had acquired funding for, a film about his relationship with his partner, Johan.  However, before shooting could begin, Johan was arrested on fraud charges (cashing cheques that he had stolen from their friends) and was being held in prison awaiting trial. The director instead decides to make a rockumentary film where he searches for a re...

A surprisingly touching, respectful, and accurate fictional portrayal of the coming out of a transgender woman in England in the early 1970’s. This film avoids nearly all of the “transploitation” themes of most works up to the 2000’s and it could be an interesting watch for anyone interested in a transgender “coming out” story from 44 years ago. Having said that, the film does get repetitive where not much is really happening. A young boy Ry comes from a upper class background and works in a real-estate office. He lives with his father who is a very strict dad. But Roy has secrets and has been dealing with gender identity issues. On eight when he thinks he is alone, he is wearing women clothes and makeup and is discovered by his father. The father throws a fit furiously unable to understand this. The next day Roy runs away from home, dressed up as a female and starts living at a boarding house learning to practice feminine comportment, makeup, and dress. Roy slowly transitions into Wen...

This Spanish film from 1977 is about an agin man, coming to terms with his sexuality and the inevitable mortality. It's quite interesting to see how homosexuality was so openly shown in a film of those times. I wonder how it was received then. Although it doesn't have a coherent story to tell but it does show us the life and events and chapters of its main protagonist Jose. Jose, now in his 50's live alone as a magician. The film starts in 30s in Granada when he is barely a teenager. He had a secret love Pedro, son of owners of the big house where his father used to work. Somehow he is not able to forget his memories even after all these years. He decides to visit his old village, relive some of those memories and also meet his idol a poet, who apparently was also Pedro's lover. Back in present life, Jose has Miguel, a budding politician as his lover, who finds it more convenient in Madrid's high society to marry than assert his homosexuality and meets Jose only as ...

This is a 4 part documentary drama feature that argues that 'gay liberation was not born in the 60's' but, instead, had its roots in the mid-19th century. Created by radical filmmaker Lionel Soukaz, Race d'Ep! traces the confluence between the development of photography in the 19th Century, and subsequent representations of homosexual desire. The film’s title is French street-slang for “homosexual”. We witness this through four densely collaged chapters. Starting with “the period of the pose” in the early 1900's. We see actual von Gloeden photos interspersed among fanciful re-creations of the artist’s studio and his models, the beautiful young men indulging in some XXX alfresco fun when not standing motionless in front of a camera. The second chapter in 20s and 30s centered on Magnus Hirschfeld, the valiant Weimar-era physician and sexologist. This is when the term homosexual was coined and the idea being explored. We then move to the 60s where our narrator says, “T...

It's almost impossible to comprehend that such a tragic gay love story came out back in 1977, almost 45 years ago. I mean, this has to be groundbreaking in its own. Its a proper love story filled with drama, love and tragedy and the homophobia that existed in those years (some things haven't changed despite all these years). Sure, some may question the taboo theme of an older man's love with a 15 year old boy, but I think its important to understand that the age on consent is/was probably lower in Europe, otherwise I can't imagine this film being allowed to be watched. Martin, an actor by profession, is in prison for having sex with a 15 year old boy. Martin agrees to stage a fellow prisoner's play and it is here that he meets Thomas, the warden's teen-aged son. Before you know, Thomas is completely smitten by Martin and they sneak here and there to spend time together, but the warden gets wind of it, so they wait for the time till Martin is released. Once relea...

I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I actually really enjoyed this thoughtful but totally funny look at an old man trying to understand his son's sexual identity even though quite a few scenes were at the expenses of outdated racist and homophobic comments. But given that the film came back in 1976, part of my brain decided to keep those facts aside and just enjoy this play inspired film. Norman, a young gay black man lives with his boyfriend Garcon in LA. One day he gets a surprise visit from his father who is having a rough time since his wife ran away to Mexico with his brother. He is distraught and so is his son Norman who doesn't know what to do. He ass Garcon to relocate for a few days, but Garcon indirectly comes out to the father which hits him like anything. He is confused as to what he did wrong in bringing up Norman. He brings home a hooker for Norman which he gets insulted by and leaves home. When Garcon shows up home, him and the father end up bonding on unusua...

This film has got to be one of the earliest and most fascinating piece of cinematic history for its positive portrayal of a trans woman-of-color and her romance with her cis-gendered, white boyfriend. The fact that the film came out back in 1971 is just unbelievable. This film , in some ways, is still more progressive than a lot of current cinematic depictions of trans people. And to top that, the entire film is laced with some zany dialogues. I can't remember the last time I laughed at so many places because of some really smart dialogues and fights between the husband and wife. We meet George and Lettice: a school teacher and a celebrated author who are preparing for their son's visit who is bringing home his girlfriend. The father is pleasantly surprised because he didn't think his son ever had any interest in girls. And the mother, as much as she believe she is modern, she is only faking it. When their son Laurie arrives with Jo, it's a shock for everyone because Jo...

This was an extremely odd film to be honest. But given that it was released in 70s, I can't imagine what sort of confinements were the makers working with. Even though the male lead is supposedly gay, there are no scenes to prove otherwise. Elli and Marco are an unquestionably unusual wedded couple. Due to a damage as a kid, Marco harbors homosexual drives that he represses inside his married life and Elli is a barely suppressed nymphomaniac. The marriage is useful for both of them as it allows them to blend in within the confines of their regular social life in a sanctimonious provincial town. Their marriage, however, does not solve their problems, nor are things made any easier by the unexpected return of George, the English antiquarian "friend" of Marco, who now tries to seduce Marco. Marco kills the girl who loves him, whom he has rejected, and then throws himself from a tower, under the eyes of Elli and George. The plot is interesting and there could have been so muc...

Old films have their own charm. When you watch them today, they can be a hit or miss, but let me tell you, this comedy film was still quite charming in my opinion. It never takes itself very seriously, but at the same time it does try to address some very pertinent issues like workers union and most importantly homosexuality and humanity. Gandhi, an ex-boxer and a communist works in some sort of factory. He always stands up for his friends and colleagues and is well respected. His girlfriend Maria works in the same factory in the canteen. One evening when walking back home, he sees a young man Claudio being beaten up. Gandhi saves him and brings back home only to later find put that he is gay. For some reason he feels like hiding this event from his colleagues, from Maria and most importantly from the most and drunken building concierge. Caludio helps , goes back to work where his workplace is burned down by the racists again. Gandhi decides to bring him to his home to stay for a few d...

You have to watch this film knowing that it came back in 1974. Its a simple but very enduring love story and romantic drama of a 26 year gay man living in Manhattan. Even though the film may sounds dated, but interestingly the prime, plot and the story is as relevant in today's time as it must have been then. The film is subtle, basic, realistic without any histrionics or unnecessary drama.  we get to see a real, very honest view on being gay and finding love in a time when we were just developing our community’s voice. After dealing with his religious background, our man David, 26 year old, who is a school teacher is coming to term with being gay. One night he meets Mark at a gay bar and they spend a night together. The one night stand turns into a relationship and they start living together. David is a hopeless romantic and views their relationship as a marriage, but Mark wants more sexual adventure. A strain starts to develop between them but for some reason they stay on togethe...

I am really not sure who was the target audience for this film when it came out. I can see that both gay community and biker gangs taking offense to the horrible stereotyping. Of course, because I am mad enough to put my head through some really bad queer films, I can never explain to myself why do I sit through the endless takes and torturous plot of ridiculous films like this one. A gang of bikers who call themselves Pink Angels riding their motorcycles from northern California to Los Angeles to participate in the Cotillion Ball, which we are told is a big drag event. Along the way we see multiple encounters of them with police hassling them, their fights at a diner, and some other gangs. They meet another bike gang and both of them want to use same picnic spot. I am not sure what really happens, but suddenly some women show up and then the other bike gang members are happy. Th pink Angels put makeup on the straight bikers while they are asleep after party. And in this all, we eep se...

An unusual film, this was probably way ahead of its time when it came out in 1978. This is not a gay film per say, but given that one of the leads is gay man and the film talks about homophobia to some extent, makes it a good candidate for it to be reviewed here. Mostly this film is about being a macho guy, greed, family honor, homophobia all rolled into one. The film is set in a very small town of Mexico where we meet some interesting characters. Rich and elderly congressman Don Alejo is poised to sell the town for a profit,, the only thing missing is a whorehouse to close the deal. It is owned by an aging gay man Manuela, who cross dresses to perform dance and his daughter. Another important character is Pancho. Don Alejo tries to control him because he owes him money, but also Pancho had a bog fight with Manuela a year ago and Manuela is very scared of him. He wants to sell whore house and move away from the town but the daughter will have none of it. Through flashbacks we see how M...