Movie Reviews -
Gay Themed

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...

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...

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...

This is the second of the Arthur J. Bressan, Jr.'s film that has been restored. His cinema traditionally has been a look into an often forgotten corner of gay cinema: The erotic film that offers a full package of story, sex, and soul; as written in my review below. Larry re-reads the letters he didn’t dare send to his imprisoned lover, remembering how sensual & beautiful life with Richard once was. Richard, behind bars, yearns for Larry and imagines him near. Now Richard is being released. Together again, will Larry and Richard find the love they once shared? The reason Larry doesn't send the letters is for the fear that they could mark him for abuse inside the prison. Larry has been counseled to type his letters and sign a woman's name to them, but he doesn't want to do that; he prefers to pour out his honest feelings in his own voice, and save his letters as a homecoming present for his man. In between all this, of course we have more than plenty of sexual encount...

This effective drama about crisis and change in an unorthodox family is a film that was made way back in 1979. I don't know what was it, but the film failed to keep my attention for long. Maybe it was my brain wanting to get stimulated by actions and stuff but somehow the film felt too dramatic and unreal to me, even though now that I write this review, I am questioning why was that ! Marta, an ex-famous opera singer now live sin a country house near Venice. Her adopted niece Anna takes care of her with her girlfriend and childhood lover (?) Claudia. The usual routine life gets an uplift when Anna's brother Nicky arrives with his boyfriend Picchio to the house. Nicky and Anna are shown to have memories of the past. Anna has memories of her man-hating mother because her father left her mother, thereby turning Anna into a spiteful and stony woman. Nicky's memories are tender playing with his best friend and object of his affection and other happy times with Marta. The family ...

Sometimes there are very good intentions behind making a certain film, people do a good job of acting, the premise is good but even then the end product leaves out that something extra special that could have alleviated the films ranking to a better status. This film can be counted as one of those films. Everything going for the film is good, different and humane but there is something about he way it is handled that leaves us asking for more. Time is World War 2. A frenchman Guy lives all by himself in woods and has a very vague history. He says he has been raised by cows. He has a girlfriend Jenine but for the larger part of it, he is very weird, his activities are weird and involve him and only him. He one day finds a wounded German soldier Rolf, whom he takes home and nurses. Rolf recovers, but Guy won't let him leave, trailing him, grabbing him, challenging him to feats of strength. Rolf stays, and a friendship develops between them. Guy tells Jenine about Rolf, but they must ...