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Gay Movies - Gay History

posted 10 years ago by HoldenSpark
4 replies | jump to latest

My IMDB list called "Gay Movies - Gay History"
http://www.imdb.com/list/ls007093916/

This is a list of films for gays to consider who are interested in cinema and its effects over time on gay culture and society as a whole. This list includes films that have a gay aspect to them, as well as films that do not. Films are included on this list for many reasons, some of which are: films with a gay aspect to them, films about gay history, films by significant gay people, films which the gay community largely embraced for different reasons, and other films that can't be so easily classified.

For purposes of this list terms such as "film", "cinema", "video", "movie", "tv show", "digital/internet video" and any other similar term will mean to include all forms of moving images. Anything that presents as a moving image in any manner for any length will be thought of as a "film". Also, it doesn't matter how the images are stored, be it on film, tape, digitally, or in some other way, it is considered a "film.

I'd love to hear from others about what should belong on a list such as this one. I'm open to suggestions about what should and should not be on the list as well as suggestions as to revisions about what the list should be defined as to be.

Anyone with an interest in references to gays and representations of gay people or gay life on film are invited to talk to me. While I'm most interested in how gays on film have changed and currently trend toward more realistic representations, meaning have and are changing for the better.

I'm also interested in including films which have portrayed gays in a negative way. Many groups which oppose gay rights have put out films which are very hurtful towards gays and which they use to decieve others by telling them things about gays which are wrong. Many of these films are not on IMDB for a variety of reasons. To give them inclusion on IMBD might be seen as some as giving them some sort of validity which most don't want. However, these films do exist and have created much influence upon their targeted audiences and as such need to be on my list here of how gays are portrayed on film, be it for good or be it for bad.

My list seeks to show a fuller representation of what is out there on film about them regardless of if it is hate speech or careful and true portraits of gays.

Talk to me!

[–] Dead_Head_Filmmaker 10 years ago

I would recommend having 3 lists (as the list is very long to go through)

One for television
One for short films
One for feature films

You could even have one for documentaries too if you wanted.

It would be more user friendly breaking it up like that

Just my 2 cents

[–] Cineanalyst 10 years ago

Many of these films are not on IMDB for a variety of reasons. To give them inclusion on IMBD might be seen as some as giving them some sort of validity which most don't want.
I'm pretty sure IMDb doesn't exclude films because they might be offensive. If that were the case, they've been doing a poor job of it.

A few films that come to mind that I didn't see on your list:
Behind the Screen (1916) has Eric Campbell mocking Charlie Chaplin as gay after he kisses Edna Purviance, who is dressed as a man.

I Don't Want to Be a Man (1919) features a man kissing a woman dressed as a man and who he still believes to be another man.

The Broadway Melody (1929) has an offensive stereotypical gay character

Diary of a Lost Girl (1929) or other Louise Brooks films

Queen Christina (1933)

Glen or Glenda (1953)

[–] HoldenSpark 10 years ago

i have thought about breaking the list into several smaller, more focused lists. i will probably do that eventually. thanks! any other thoughts you have i'd be interested to hear.

[–] HoldenSpark 10 years ago

Thanks! I will look these up. And suggest more anytime!