Comments on: ‘Homoerotic’ films

By: Erastes

Erastes — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 06:44:04 +0000

Hi Justine,

I really keep meaning to get hold of Total eclipse!

Let me know when your book is published so we can review it if it’s pre-wolfenden/Stonewall!

By: Justine

Justine — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:41:35 +0000

Wow, I seem to be a little late for posting on this page but figure it’s worth a try. While I have yet to see many of these rare gems, (the reason I am here) I have seen “Total Eclipse” and “Wilde”, both are on my favourites list.
I have the soundtrack to T.E as well and it is one of the most inspirational movies in terms of how well it captures the feel of the Victorian era. Aside from Verlaine’s family, the people are actually unclean the way they would have been, the environments are realistic as well as everything else. The only mistake is that Mrs. Verlaine puts her corset on first, anyone who has worn a real corset knows what that would do.
It is a shame, now that I am looking deeper into it, how little homosexuality has really been depicted in a strong way in cinema. The Celluloid Closet is a wonderful program documenting this and the ways in which its representation in mainstream film has changed through the 20th century.
Right now, I am wondering why there aren’t many more movies documenting the gay culture of the 1960′s and 1970′s.
Hopefully, maybe one day when and if it is completed, a very good one will be made based on my novel, we’ll see.

By: gehayi

gehayi — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 08:20:09 +0000

For documentaries, try “The Celluloid Closet,” which deals with both Hollywood’s depictions of homosexuality through the years and the problems that gay actors and actresses have had.

Here’s a bit of trivia you might like from the Internet Movie Database:

“The filmmakers originally planned a sequence discussing how gay historical figures were portrayed as heterosexual in films. They aborted the sequence when Richard Burton’s estate denied the rights to Alexander the Great (1956), MGM denied use of Hans Christian Andersen (1952) (fearing that the filmmakers were trying to “out” Danny Kaye) and Charlton Heston declined use of The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) (claiming that Michaelangelo was heterosexual).”

Pity they couldn’t include that information in the film. It’s so telling.

There’s also “Ludwig,” about Ludwig of Bavaria. Here’s the synopsis from IMDB:

“Historical evocation of Ludwig, king of Bavaria, from his crowning in 1864 until his death in 1886, as a romantic hero. Fan of Richard Wagner, betrayed by him, in love with his cousin Elisabeth of Austria, abandoned by her, tormented by his homosexuality, he … little by little[,] slip[s] towards madness.”

There’s also “Total Eclipse,” which IMDB describes this way:

“The self-destructive relationship between 19th-century teenage French poet Arthur Rimbaud and his older mentor Paul Verlaine.”

(Mind you, I haven’t seen “Ludwig” or “Total Eclipse.”I haven’t even seen “Closet” yet, though it’s on my Netflix list. I was just looking for gay historical movies.)

By: rhia

rhia — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 20:29:40 +0000

They’re airing Brideshead Revisited on a Finnish channel right now. Of course it is a series, not a movie… But I thought it worth mentioning because it is so absolutely lovely.

By: elisa

elisa — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 16:07:14 +0000

Pasolini was a great intellectual. Writer, Director, Poet, Journalist. Almost all his films have homosexual elements in them. “The Canterbury Tales” was part of his “historical fiction” titles: you can find also “The Decameron”, “Flower of the Arabian Nights”, “Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom”. Personally my favourite by Pasolini was “Theorem” (with Terence Stamp) and “Medea” (with Maria Callas). Also very interesting was “The Gospel According to St. Matthew” setting in a wonderful Matera (where I’m just now). ciao, elisa

By: erastesdotcom

erastesdotcom — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 14:30:42 +0000

*is scared by hairy naked man*

I will have to get hold of Another Country, I saw the play very very long ago, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen the film…

Thanks!

By: Madelynne Ellis

Madelynne Ellis — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 14:25:01 +0000

Forgot to mention Velvet Goldmine too, which is 1970′s set, with Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ewan McGregor and Christian Bale.

By: Madelynne Ellis

Madelynne Ellis — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 14:24:09 +0000

Maurice is a fantastic film. Another Country is well worth a watch, a very young Colin Firth and Rupert Everett as sixth formers.

Sebastiane – oh, God, there’s no mistaking that it’s art house. Look, some passing sheep! I also recall being terrified when the long shot of bloke in what appeared to be a loin cloth, was actually a very hairy bloke in the nude!

By: Barbara Sheridan

Barbara Sheridan — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 03:50:16 +0000

Gohatto and Querelle, though the last two I found almost unwatchable to be honest.

I think Gohatto works best for folks familiar with the real Shinsengumi although I must admit many lulz were had by a lot of us over the BAD casting choices for the main players.

The man Kitano portrayed was actually a very hot guy.

By: cerisaye

cerisaye — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 01:06:04 +0000

Proteus, Lilies, For a Lost Soldier, Bent, Far from Heaven, Burnt Money, Facing Windows, Gohatto and Querelle, though the last two I found almost unwatchable to be honest.

By: Kate

Kate — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 00:07:38 +0000

Well it’s a much newer film, but 3:10 to Yuma contains hints of slash. Basically, Ben Foster is playing Russell Crowe’s second in command, and appears to have a crush on Russ. And of course, Brokeback Mountain should be on the list.

By: mychael

mychael — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 22:39:01 +0000

“Richard’s relationship with Philip II is played as overtly homosexual.”

Hell, yes! Okay. Must look for The Lion in Winter.

By: Renee

Renee — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 21:17:30 +0000

Forgot to mention: Death in Venice. Girl, you're ignoring your avatar! Kidding aside on Maurice, I do think that the Dickie scenes should've been kept (despite the longer film length resulting from it). Maurice's infatuation with Dickie was a turning point in his development since that was when he first experiences physical lust.

By: erastesdotcom

erastesdotcom — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 20:02:55 +0000

I’ll have to watch Vampire again – I watched it years ago before I’d discovered the slashy.

And Lawrence of Arabia certainly does count, the rape is implied, but it’s certainly there, all the same.

By: Barbara Sheridan

Barbara Sheridan — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 19:56:56 +0000

I nominate Interview with the Vampire.
Not the best movie but lots of yaoi potential.

*pokes Anne Cain for not remembering* Gohatto a/k/a Taboo

By: Fiona Glass

Fiona Glass — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 19:45:04 +0000

Ohmigod, how could I forget one of my favourite films. Another Country. The school days of a fictionalised Guy Burgess, with Rupert Everett.

Erm.. The Naked Civil Servant, about Quentin Crisp. And does Lawrence of Arabia count?

By: Fiona Glass

Fiona Glass — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 19:39:54 +0000

Oh – and there’s another Derek Jarman one – The Tempest, based on the Shakespeare play. Not seen it but apparently it’s a masterpiece…

By: erastesdotcom

erastesdotcom — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 19:15:24 +0000

Oh Fiona – thank you! Will add to list for a later time.

And another one… Trapeze – very slashy.

By: Fiona Glass

Fiona Glass — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 19:08:55 +0000

How about Spartacus? That’s gotta be pretty high on the list! And then (consults list we used to run in Forbidden Fruit): Bent (Clive Owen, homosexuals in Nazi Germany, very sad), M Butterfly (John Lone as a transvestite oriental agent); and Victim (Dirk Bogarde, 1960s England).

Great list, btw!

By: Emma

Emma — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 18:53:48 +0000

Maurice is one of my all time favorite movies too! Love that movie, all three lead actors are gorgeous(and there’s some nice asses too, particularly that shower scene)