Filed under: Currently Reading
The Lavender Screen: The Gay and Lesbian Films–Their Stars, Makers, Characters, and Critics by Boze Hadleigh © 2001
Synopsis: Tracing the origins and evolution of films with gay and lesbian characters and themes from the 1930s to their present proliferation, The Lavender Screen offers a startling review of more than 100 films, evaluating not only themes, but the director’s attitudes and public and critical commentary as well.
Comments: Having loved documentaries like The Celluloid Closet and The Lavender Screen, I knew I had to have this book when I saw it. Really fascinating and surprisingly thorough. I say surprising because it even included more mainstream movies that were either inspired by gay characters, but done as straight films in order to appease the masses and/or films that have homoerotic undertones, but are not necessarily considered ‘gay’ movies (Alfred Hitchcock’s Rope and Strangers on a Train to name a few). GREAT book. Reminded me what gay movies (characters) I LOVE (The Sum of Us, Queen’s Logic) …and which ones make my blood boil (To Lie With Dogs, Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss, and Jeffrey, just to name a few). Don’t EVEN get me started!
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