Movie Reviews -
Gay Themed

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...

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...

Given that the film came out back in 1972, I can only imagine how utmost have been a bold movie for the makers to release something like this. Admittingly, there is no direct reference to the relationship or any intimacy scenes but even to address the subject of someone being gay, that too for a supposedly straight man who was once married and has a kid must have definitely been path breaking. The storyline of the film is simple. 14 year old teenage Nick is looking forward to spending tie in the summer with his father in San Francisco. His parents are divorced and he lives with his mother in LA. When he reaches SF, he has a good time with his father on day 1, but when he meets his 'friend' Gary, he is not very sure. Gary has moved out temporarily to accommodate Nick, but Nick feels there is more to the relationship. When Nick finds evidence that Gary and his father are indeed a couple, he runs away and spends time exploring SF and makes him mother come to SF. Of course, the one...