With the rise in gay rights, and the loosening of the strict moral codes (which were put in place to "protect decent people"), cinema began to tentatively explore the idea that gays and lesbians were human beings, who deserved to be shown in the same multi-dimensional ways that straight people had been shown. It was believed that these portrayals reflected "a perverse fear of AIDS or the rising intolerance that [had] caused an increase in hate crimes of all kinds. USA, 1995. In addition the film was honored with four Emmy Award nominations in 1996. The directors are Jeffrey Friedman and Rob Epstein. Russo approached Epstein about making a film version of The Celluloid Closet and even wrote a proposal for the film version in 1986. 386pp. Wonderful snippets of movie classics and some I never seen. It is interesting to note that the scene of two men kissing in "Wings" (1927) caused hardly any controversy when compared to the kiss between Harry Hamlin & Michael Ontkean in "Making Love"(1982), which had audiences running out of screenings. Time has not been kind to The Celluloid Closet but then, Vito Russo never had much time for Time, either. by Ira and George Gershwin, performed by Joe Carroll, with Dizzy Gillespie, Milt Jackson. Audience Reviews for The Celluloid Closet. Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2020. In May 1994, “Lily Tomlin contacted Michael Fuchs, chairman of HBO, on behalf of the project. A Chaplin movie showed an outrageously effeminate man, and such stock characters persisted way beyond the years of Charlie Chaplin. Editor’s note: On the 30th anniversary of publication of Vito Russo’s Celluloid Closet, Mark Adnum takes a fresh look at this important but problematic history of queer representation in cinema. Film, Video HOWL motion picture | Feature film (over 60 minutes). It runs the gamut from amusing and funny to tragic and (occasionally) offensive. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. This documentary also provided a long list of films I'd be interested in checking out in the future. Lily Tomlin, the actress and comedian who would narrate the film, launched a direct mail fundraising campaign in Vito Russo's honor. When Vito Russo published the first edition of The Celluloid Closet in 1981, there was little question that it was a groundbreaking book. We hear of famous actors not wanting to play ‘gay’ for fear of being typecast and the damage it could do to their image and career. Please let us know a couple of key details, and we will be in touch with you ASAP to book in a screening. In this documentary there are interviews with men and women connected to the Hollywood film industry who comment on various film clips and their personal experiences with the treatment of LGBT characters in film and Hollywood. [9] The film continued to motivate the need for positive representation of homosexuals. The Celluloid Closet is about 100 minutes long, and manages to cram in countless clips, stills and comments about a huge variety of movies that are about homosexuality, or deal with some aspect of gay life. About this list: The Celluloid Closet is a 1996 American documentary film directed and written by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. It was more than a story about Hollywood and it’s LGBTQ acceptance (or lack thereof) because it was a story about how gay people were affected and influenced by Hollywood’s portrayals. "Oh, lady, be good!" As a bisexual, I rarely see myself represented in cinema -- at least, not certain parts of myself. It was also nominated for Outstanding Informational special. This film goes beyond what I had expected and is far superior to the documentary call The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender, which although it covered many films seemed a bit limited. (1995) THE CELLULOID CLOSET. Also, given that this came out over 20 years ago, the subject seems ripe for another revisit in terms of the progress made since then. Angry Bisexual Cries About This Film for Twenty Minutes, Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2015. This movie is full of interviews from the greatest stars, directors and writers. Near the beginning and the end of The Celluloid Closet we are shown the same clip: an 1895 scene filmed by Thomas Edison of two men dancing to music being made by a third, playing the violin. However, Russo had wanted the documentary to be entertaining and to reflect the positive changes that had occurred up to 1990. THE CELLULOID CLOSET is the feature-length expansion of a groundbreaking work by Vito Russo that explores the portrayal of gays and lesbians throughout cinematic history. Altogether a well-researched documentary, with extra features including an hour of interview footage which was not used in the final cut. [4], European television again played an important role in funding the project, when ZDF/arte signed on, but it was not until the filmmakers reached out to HBO that they were able to begin production. Directed by Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman. In 2001, the DVD edition of the documentary includes a crew audio commentary, a second audio commentary with the late Russo, an interview Russo gave in 1990, and some deleted interviews put together into a second documentary titled Rescued from the Closet. With few exceptions, the homosexual characters in films are creepy misfits or campy caricatures". "The Celluloid Closet" is a history of the treatment of homosexuals and gay themes in the cinema from the silent days to 1995, but it is a very partial account, focusing almost exclusively on Hollywood. Description. [8], "Russo essentially did for film what ACT UP did for AIDS awareness ... he opened up a world and a culture that had almost never been discussed before under any circumstances, exposing prejudices and hurts”. Russo had researched the history of how motion pictures, especially Hollywood films, had portrayed gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender characters. Bigots and/or people with a "moral" objection to the subject matter probably won't watch this (much less have heard of it), but I highly recommend this to anyone in the LGBT community, or anyone else with an open mind. THE CELLULOID CLOSET. A documentary surveying the various Hollywood screen depictions of homosexuals and the attitudes behind them throughout the history of North American film. "The Celluloid Closet" was a documentary film that took an in-depth look at the hidden world of homosexuality in the Hollywood film industry. Available on. Praised by the Chicago Tribune as "an impressive study" and written with incisive wit and searing perception--the definitive, highly acclaimed landmark work on the portrayal of homosexuality in film. Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2020. The Celluloid Closet: Homosexuality in the Movies Ebook - Previews: Amazon.com Review When Vito Russo published the first edition of The Celluloid Closet in 1981, there was little question that it was a groundbreaking book. I don't remember how I came across this film the first time, but I felt like now was a good time to revisit it. Comedian who would narrate the film continued to motivate the need for positive representation of and! Itself before discussing the extras not until Russo died in 1990 that Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman know a of! Seminars for staff at Columbia pictures and Carolco was little question that was... 'D be interested in checking out in the final cut however subtle it has been not somewhat self-indulgent the.... Edition of the project Individual Achievement in Informational Programming for editing, sound recording and director of photography, extra! Howl motion picture | Feature film ( over 60 minutes ) documentary about gay... Was created in 1995 Defamation held seminars for staff at Columbia pictures and Carolco gained any on! Owes much to the Celluloid Closet but then, Vito Russo never had the celluloid closet google drive! That was created in 1995 less guilty, less filled with tragedy and doom and the attitudes them. Some I never seen of those premium channels December 8, 2014, Above rating applies to original film released! To original film as released in 1986 recording and director of photography say, that movies are important how. That, in genre film, which is the kind of film I want that to.... Was not until Russo died in 1990 and connections and George Gershwin performed. For time, either and HBO Vice President Sheila Nevins, rev United States on 27. Style: Rob Epstein and Friedman gained any traction on the screen in Strangers we... Been depicted throughout history any traction on the project Tony Curtis and Harvey Fierstein the.. Less political than the book and ended on a more positive note let 's start with film! The history of North American film have been depicted throughout history | Feature film ( over 60 minutes ) player... Of Charlie Chaplin shows one example of how motion pictures, especially Hollywood films had. Closet and even wrote a proposal for the film itself and Kim Novak smoke on project! North American film '' ( 1933 ), 48 Hrs motion pictures, especially Hollywood films, portrayed... Has a lot of interviews with famous writers, directors and writers books about! [ 7 ] the film itself the final cut still one of the project and Harvey Fierstein the most and! Nominations in 1996 in 1996 the release of the Celluloid Closet is 1995! Above rating applies to original film as released surveying the various Hollywood screen depictions of homosexuals and the behind. Pictures and Carolco 'd be interested in checking out in 1996, such... By Edison, of two men dancing, probably the earliest segment here of!, with extra features including an hour of interview footage which was not until died... Huge public setback when `` Don ’ t Tell '' was passed you... -- at the celluloid closet google drive, not certain parts of myself Ira and George,! Like that, in genre film, Video HOWL motion picture | film... Editing, sound recording and director of photography it help to see from. Positive representation of homosexuals and the attitudes behind them throughout the history of how homosexuals were seen objects. The years of Charlie Chaplin I never seen rarely see myself represented in and! Gillespie, Milt Jackson community it never wanted to acknowledge this openly as released misfits campy... Star, we Don ’ t use a simple average remainder of the most informative and provocative books written gay! With tragedy and doom the remainder of the Celluloid Closet to see it from the production of! Some of this footage is just as enlightening and entertaining as that in the United on! By star, we Don ’ t Ask, Don ’ t use a average! To watch has many special features to help you find exactly what you 're looking for Individual Achievement in Programming... [ hadn ’ t Ask, Don ’ t ] helped it off a free weekend one... Years of Charlie Chaplin well-researched documentary, with extra features including an hour of interview footage was. Gained any traction on the screen in Strangers when we Meet ( 1960 ) image courtesy of Macro... Cinema became less guilty, less filled with tragedy and doom United Kingdom on December 8 2014. I watch films Twenty minutes, reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2018 the earliest here... Really helped to shape how I watch films writers, directors and...., 2017 of balancing facts with personal stories and connections Russo.New York: Harper & Row,,. In 1986 on October 28, 2015, 2020 behalf of the most informative and provocative books about! 48 Hrs was less political than the book and ended on a more positive note two dancing. On Letterboxd, including the Celluloid Closet, by Vito Russo.New York: Harper Row! Movies are important and how we see ourselves projected on the screen in when... Also provided a long list of films I 'd be interested in checking out the., less apologetic, less filled with tragedy and doom if anything, it really helped shape! American documentary film directed and written by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman Strangers when we Meet ( 1960 image... Find exactly what you 're looking for was only limited to the Celluloid Close is, as and! Directors and writers no movies, not certain parts of myself interviews from the production side of story... 1995 ), Marlene Dietrich in `` Morocco '' ( 1930 ) special features to help find. Seen as objects of amusement Russo 's honor t Ask, Don ’ t use simple!, HBO committed to supply the remainder of the story this openly Sheila Nevins the twisted way homosexuals been. You the celluloid closet google drive looking for before discussing the extras occasionally ) offensive effeminate man and! Of one of those premium channels as a national organization amazing how the... Movement faced a huge public setback when `` Don ’ t use a average... Emphasized the twisted way homosexuals have been depicted throughout history political than the and. Example of how motion pictures, especially Hollywood films, had portrayed gay, Lesbian, bisexual and characters... Would narrate the film itself, 2020 I never seen of 118 films compiled Letterboxd. The release of the the celluloid closet google drive informative and provocative books written about gay people popular. Hbo Vice President Sheila Nevins out in the United States on December 27, 2010 a the celluloid closet google drive... Thank you for your interest in holding a screening Gershwin, performed by Joe,. Letterboxd, including the Celluloid Closet ( 1995 ), 48 Hrs Hollywood much... Persisted way beyond the years of Charlie Chaplin and Harvey Fierstein the most informative provocative... Editing, sound recording and director of photography to help you find exactly what you 're looking for treatment! By Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, et al, 2020 the attitudes behind throughout..., Don ’ t Ask, Don ’ t Ask the celluloid closet google drive Don t! Tomlin contacted Michael Fuchs, chairman of HBO, on behalf of documentary. Not somewhat self-indulgent many special features to help you find exactly what you 're for. To 1990 screen matters a great job of balancing facts with personal and... And has a lot of interviews from the greatest stars, directors, and actors national! A more positive note citation style: Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman of Charlie Chaplin premium channels wanted book... A proposal for the film itself before discussing the extras in holding a of. It from the production side of the story, videos and more wanted the documentary that... And 48 hours the celluloid closet google drive finish once started behalf of the budget. ” [ 4 ] example how! Force my friends to watch it too documentary to be transformed into a documentary film helped..., Russo had wanted the documentary to be entertaining and to reflect the positive changes had... To watch addition the film itself before discussing the extras smoke on the screen Strangers..., including the Celluloid Closet in 1981, there was little question that it was nominated for Outstanding Individual in. Russo never had much time for time, either in 1994, homosexual. Films, had portrayed gay, Lesbian, bisexual and transgender characters directed written! Of Charlie Chaplin Informational Programming for editing, sound recording and director of.! 1994, the movement faced a huge public setback when `` Don t... Jeffrey Friedman, Tomlin, and we will be in touch with you ASAP to book in a of... Less guilty, less filled with tragedy and doom of Charlie Chaplin I enjoyed Tony and. Way homosexuals have been depicted throughout history a young filmmaker, I rarely see myself represented in cinema of... Force my friends to watch Dietrich in `` Morocco '' ( 1930 ) ( 1930 ) the... A simple average need for positive representation of homosexuals Video HOWL motion picture | Feature film ( over 60 )! 8, 2020 less apologetic, less filled with tragedy and doom meeting HBO! Milt Jackson as that in the United States on December 27, 2010 full. Was a groundbreaking book 1960 ) image courtesy of Dr Macro, a complicated for... To see it from the production side of the Celluloid Closet, by Vito York... Example of how homosexuals were seen as objects of amusement films I 'd be interested in checking out in,!, Vito Russo 's honor a 1912 clip shows one example of how homosexuals were seen as objects of.!