My favorite gay movies

[Front-Ranger]

How about Orlando? It has Quentin Crisp in it too! He plays Queen Elizabeth!!

[BlissC]

Duh! *slaps head* How could I forget that one?! I saw that at a film festival in Lancaster with my first girlfriend - must have been back in 1990/91 or thereabouts.

[twistedude]

Quentin Crisp has only a small part in "The Naked Civil Servant"--the movie about his life. John Hurt plays him. (bit confusing to have TWO of them wandering around in the same movie--but it's a great movie).

Crisp has a GREAT line in "The Celluloid Closet" (1995?--"The Wedding Banquet" is the latest film pictured))--a history of the portrayal of gays in motion pictures from 1895-1995. (I'm doing this from memory, and can't get it entiely right):

"When heterosexuals think about homosexuals, they think of what they do to eachother--and they don't like that. It's the old story: 'I'm so glad I don't like green peas, because if I liked them, I would eat them, and I hate them.'"

"The Celluloid Closet" is informative and entertaining, and (ultimately) very expensive! because although the DVD is cheap, it will inspire you to go out and buy a dozen! (available on amazon.com---and don't sue me if you spend over $100 because of it!). Alas, it is also dated.

[optom3]

"The Naked Civil Servant" (what someone called "Quentin Crisp--John Hurt")
"Angels in America" (the made for TV version) (2003)
"Wings" (1927)--yeah, I know--it isn't. But oh! what a love scene!
"Victim" (1961)--Bogarde
"Brokeback Mountain"
"Parting Glances" (1983)
"Death in venice" (Visconti, 1971) is very beautiful, and I love the Mahler music, and the casting--but I miss Thomas Mann's words. I guess Visconti thought he could do without Aschenbach's thoughts...visual medium, and all that--but some people find it boring because of the lack of action, but what they mean is intrerior monologue. I don't find it boring, but incomplete.
"Gods and Mosters" (1998)
"Mysterious Skin" (2004)


I also like "The Boys in the Band" and...I'm really trying to hate "Cruising," but so far, I haven't thrown it away.

Thankyou
 I was wracking my brains trying to think of the name of the film about Quentin Crisp.You are right it was the naked civil servant.Thanks for putting me out of my misery !!!!!

[Dobie1018]

I bought "Maurice" and "Beautiful Thing" and viewed them both this week.  I liked them both a lot.  I thought they were both very well done, and acted.  I LOVE the last scene of Jamie & Ste dancing at the end of Beautiful Thing.  I could watch that scene over and over.  It's so touching and tender.  They seem so content and comfortable dancing and holding each other in the square like that.  The only problem I had with it is that I had a very difficult time understanding what the characters were saying at times, because of their English accents.  Lovely movie though!

[BlissC]

I'm not sure if this one's been mentioned, or if it really classifies as a "gay movie", although there are gay themes in it, is Victor Victoria with Julie Andrews and Robert Preston.

"You want me to be a woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman?"

I think it was probably the first "gay movie" I saw - I was probably in my late teens at the time.

Victoria'is a starving (literally - she's stealing food from a restaurant at the start of the film) soprano trying to find work in Paris in the 1930's, then she meets up with a gay cabaret singer and invents her alter-ego Victor, a female impersonator who turns out to be a huge hit. It's got some serious themes, but it's also really funny, with a Chicago businessman falling for him/her, and his bodyguard coming out too - there's a hilarious scene where he (the body guard ends up hiding outside a hotel room window (it's in the middle of winter and snowing) and his line when he eventually manages to get back inside always has me in stitches.

[Kerry]

I saw a most wonderful movie on Easter Monday. I was having lunch with a friend, who mentioned that he had managed to locate a copy of a film he had originally seen back in the 70s. He said it had never been released on DVD and that after much searching, he had recently bought a VHS copy online. He said it was one of his favourite films. After lunch, we watched the film together and it left such an indelible impression on my psyche that I have now added it to my list of favourite gay movie of all time.

It started out as a song by Bobbie Gentry in the 60s, from which a book was written, and from that came the film. I am acutely aware of spoilers and don't want to give away the story to anyone who doesn't know what it's about. I can't stress enough that it is best to watch this film WITHOUT knowing the ending. Like Brokeback Mountain, much of the impact of this film lies in the revelation contained in the ending. Suffice to say here that it is a classic tale of tragic love.

So, what's the name of this wonderful film, you ask? It's "Ode to Billy Joe" and I'll never forget it. It's right up there now, with my favourite gay movies of all time. Don't miss it!

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZt5Q-u4crc[/youtube]

And no, the lyrics of the song do not give away what REALLY happens at the end of the movie!

[MsMercury]

I saw Ode to Billy Joe when I was probably 11 or 12.  It took me seeing it as an adult to go, "Oooohh, I get it now!" 

My list of movies and BBM is a given.

Victor/Victoria
Torch Song Trilogy
Another Country
Lost and Delirious
Gia
Boys Don't Cry
Cabaret
RHPS

["Joseph Golden"]

I really haven't seen that many gay movies. But, from what i have seen i have come to like a few. Here's there order.

Brokeback Mountain - Well, this is a bit of a duh! LOL, But it's my favorite.....

The Mudge Boy - I just seen this. If profoundly moved me. This film that has been dubbed as a disgusting, impassive, glorification of rape. There is a rape seen and it could be up to speculation to what you interest as. I found it really sad that the pent of sexual desire came to what it did. Even if you find this scene disturbing. It can not be discredited about the realism of the characters portrayed. Bruelty, honest and heartbreaking. Really good film.....

Philadelphia - I was a child when i saw this. And it scared the shit out of me. maybe for the wrong reasons. But never the less. Great Movie.....

Notes On A Scandal - Surprised by the performances and the fact i enjoyed it. Though i find it shows more about a mental disorder than gay themes. Lol.....

[forsythia12]

i really like FAR FROM HEAVEN
not sure if it's been mentioned, but takes place in the 50's.  woman finds her husband kissing another man, and her 'perfect suburban life' is turned upside down.  very good movie.

i also liked NOTES ON A SCANDAL
-BOYS DON'T CRY
-PHILADELPHIA