The Celluloid Closet (Special Edition)

Delivery Time: 7 to 15 Working Days Format: DVD

This entertaining and often hilarious look at homosexuality in the cinema features film clips, interviews and fascinating revelations. Among the films featured are "Spartacus," "The Boys in the Band," "The Children's Hour," "Philadelphia," "Tea and Sympathy" and many others. Lily Tomlin narrates, while Harvey Fierstein, Tom Hanks, Susan Sarandon, Gore Vidal and others comment on the films. 101 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital Surround; Subtitles: English; scene access; audio commentary; theatrical trailers; outtakes.
Author Armistead Maupin (Tales of the City) wrote Lily Tomlin's narration for this superb documentary, based on a book by the late Vito Russo, about Hollywood's treatment of homosexual characters in the 20th century. Never pointing a finger at anyone in the film community, The Celluloid Closet presents clips from more than 100 mainstream features (including The Children's Hour, Advise and Consent, The Boys in the Band, and The Hunger) that speak loudly in their respective images of gays and lesbians. The film makes a persuasive case for patterns of sexual mythology in Hollywood, such as presenting homosexuals repeatedly as tragic, helpless figures redeemed only through death or as back-street monsters cavorting in the shadows. Things change, of course, and clips from more recent films by gay and lesbian filmmakers suggest a more vital, diverse, autobiographical approach. There are lots of great interviews with screenwriters (Gore Vidal), filmmakers (John Schlesinger), actors (Tom Hanks, Whoopi Goldberg), and others to enunciate the major themes. --Tom Keogh