likesnoir Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 New member and long time big TCM fan. Not sure where to post an idea for a themed selection of films so I'll start here. June is LGBT Pride month, how about some time set aside for some important films? Some that come to mind, some mainstream, some controversial: Rope Boys in the Band Midnight Cowboy Torch Song Trilogy Some Like It Hot Victim The Naked Civil Servant Strangers on a Train Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Philadelphia The Childrens Hour My Own Private Idaho Rebel Without a Cause The Times of Harvey Milk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hepclassic Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 I could see those playing on TCM. But after the Production Code, most classic films dealing with LGBT issues were all about shaming or stereotypes. I want to see Wonder Bar on TCM if they do another focus on LGBT themed films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 New member and long time big TCM fan. Not sure where to post an idea for a themed selection of films so I'll start here. June is LGBT Pride month, how about some time set aside for some important films? Some that come to mind, some mainstream, some controversial: Rope Boys in the Band Midnight Cowboy Torch Song Trilogy Some Like It Hot Victim The Naked Civil Servant Strangers on a Train Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Philadelphia The Childrens Hour My Own Private Idaho Rebel Without a Cause The Times of Harvey Milk More than half the films you mention have aired on TCM before. It was either back in 2007 or 2008 when they devoted the month of June to this theme. They aired other classic films you have not included, like SYLVIA SCARLETT. Despite having a Democrat in the White House, I think we are living in a less tolerant era. There has been an incredible backlash against political correctness and the same sex marriage movement has been such a polarizing issue across the country in recent years (with no immediate end in sight) that people seem unable to look at the topic about gays and lesbian evenly. For instance, I am sure that if TCM announced they were going to do a Friday Night Spotlight on gay and lesbian themed films, there would be conspiracy theories that TCM was selecting films that promote same sex marriage. That is the kind of mud that would inevitably be flung. After TCM's terribly unpopular series on Arab images a few summers ago, the channel seems to be playing it safe and focusing itself on celebrity-driven events and celebrity-based guest programming (which is what the Friday Night Spotlight is, in addition to the usual Guest Programmer series). No controversial celebrities are ever chosen for these occasions. And none of the guests ever make provocative statements-- if they do, those remarks are probably edited out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swithin Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 There are two gay-themed films I'd like to see on TCM more than any others (although I have the DVDs of both): Maurice, a glorious 1987 Merchant/Ivory film based on E.M. Forster's novel; and Lilies (aka Les Feluettes), a gorgeous 1996 gay love story, inventively filmed, from Canada. I know TCM would like to attract younger viewers. I think most of the polls have shown acceptance and tolerance on the part of young people, straight and gay. It might draw young viewers to TCM, to show films with gay themes and to present discussions about those older films with between-the-lines gay themes that couldn't be fully expressed when the films were made. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 There are two gay-themed films I'd like to see on TCM more than any others (although I have the DVDs of both): Maurice, a glorious 1987 Merchant/Ivory film based on E.M. Forster's novel; and Lilies (aka Les Feluettes), a gorgeous 1996 gay love story, inventively filmed, from Canada. I know TCM would like to attract younger viewers. I think most of the polls have shown acceptance and tolerance on the part of young people, straight and gay. It might draw young viewers to TCM, to show films with gay themes and to present discussions about those older films with between-the-lines gay themes that couldn't be fully expressed when the films were made. I'd love to see an evening where TCM shows MAURICE and BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN back to back. Both films are about two males in a relationship over a period of many years, involving the presence of outside females (wives). If I am not mistaken, the last time MAURICE aired on TCM was during the month-long retrospective celebrating the films of Merchant-Ivory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkblue Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 I'd very much like to see 'The Strange One' (1957) shown again. It's been shown only once on TCM that I can remember and that was a couple of years back. Fascinating, strange movie with a certain amount of homoerotic flavouring. Ben Gazzara gives quite a performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Maybe having Rock Hudson as Star of the Month is a more mainstream way of having LGBT-type movies on TCM...? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristineHoard Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 I remember TCM did run a documentary about gays in movies, whether it was subtle gay subtext, pre code or more recent post-code films, and it was very good. I wish they would run it again. If we are going to celebrate gay pride, and I'm all for that, how about showing some movies where gays aren't treated like sociopaths? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGayDivorcee Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 I'd love to see TCM air "My Beautiful Laundrette," 1985, with Daniel Day Lewis. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tikisoo Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Some that come to mind, some mainstream, some controversial: Rope Some Like It Hot Strangers on a Train Cat on a Hot Tin Roof The Childrens Hour Rebel Without a Cause Wow. So by your criteria, people of the same sex just can't be close FRIENDS without homosexuality? Or even just an aquaintence like Strangers On A Train? I don't necessarily think of these as "gay themed" stories like Harvey Milk's story or PHILADELPHIA which both truly center around gay charactors & situations. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swithin Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Some that come to mind, some mainstream, some controversial: Rope Some Like It Hot Strangers on a Train Cat on a Hot Tin Roof The Childrens Hour Rebel Without a Cause Wow. So by your criteria, people of the same sex just can't be close FRIENDS without homosexuality? Or even just an aquaintence like Strangers On A Train? I don't necessarily think of these as "gay themed" stories like Harvey Milk's story or PHILADELPHIA which both truly center around gay charactors & situations. After the Hays Code came into practice, filmmakers had to use clever between-the-lines ways even to deal with references to straight sex. Similarly, with gay themes, which couldn't really be dealt with openly for decades, not only because of the Code but even afterward, because of society, writers/directors had to make their points more subtly. It may not always be spelled out, but it's there. But The Children's Hour had a very definite and overt gay theme, which was whitewashed for the earlier version, These Three. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laffite Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 I remember TCM did run a documentary about gays in movies, whether it was subtle gay subtext, pre code or more recent post-code films, and it was very good. I wish they would run it again. If we are going to celebrate gay pride, and I'm all for that, how about showing some movies where gays aren't treated like sociopaths? Didn't TCM actually have either a night or even a month-long tribute to gay-themed films some years ago? I seem to remember that. One of the films they showed was The Fox. Does this ring a bell with anyone? I remember doing a little book versus movie analysis on that and then posting some remarks with emphasis on how both author and moviemaker did what they did to get around the censors, etc. I seem to remember RO speaking rather openly about quite a bit of this sort of thing. Or am I imagining it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LornaHansonForbes Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Didn't TCM actually have either a night or even a month-long tribute to gay-themed films some years ago? I seem to remember that. One of the films they showed was The Fox. Does this ring a bell with anyone? I remember doing a little book versus movie analysis on that and then posting some remarks with emphasis on how both author and moviemaker did what they did to get around the censors, etc. I seem to remember RO speaking rather openly about quite a bit of this sort of thing. Or am I imagining it? About three or four years ago they had a June Festival salute to Gay and Lesbian images in film. It was good- although I don t recall whether or not they brought someone in to discuss them in the intro/outroes. After that, June kind of became "cause month" with salutes to Asian, Arab, and (I think?) Jewish images in film. LOVE your avatar, BTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LornaHansonForbes Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 About three or four years ago they had a June Festival salute to Gay and Lesbian images in film. It was good- although I dont recall whether or not they brought someone in to discuss them in the intro/outroes. After that, June kind of became "cause month" on TCM with salutes to Asian, Arab, and (I think?) Jewish images in film. The arab one was somewhat controversial. LOVE your avatar, BTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LornaHansonForbes Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 About three or four years ago they had a June Festival salute to Gay and Lesbian images in film. It was good- although I dont recall whether or not they brought someone in to discuss them in the intro/outroes. After that, June kind of became "cause month" on TCM with salutes to Asian, Arab, and (I think?) Jewish images in film. The Arab one was somewhat controversial. LOVE your avatar, BTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 As for this June, Victor/ Victoria is showing at the end of the month. Preceded by FIRST A GIRL, the British film upon which VICTOR/VICTORIA borrows its main idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Faiola Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Maybe a Patsy Kelly festival?? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewhite2000 Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 I remember that salute, though I was deep into baseball season and not watching a lot of TCM that month (just like I'm on a bit of a TCM hiatus right now). I did watch one night (possibly the first night, given how old the films were) where they were showing some pre-Code films which often liked to feature a stereotypically "swishy" male character in a scene or two for comic relief, like the tailor who tells Jimmy Cagney where he needs room in PUBLIC ENEMY. There was an author or some type of film scholar whom Robert Osborne was interviewing for pre-and-post-film segments, although I don't remember his name or the book he was probably promoting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingrat Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 I believe you're referring to Richard Barrios and his very entertaining book, SCREENED OUT. The story of Hollywood's portrayal of homosexuality in the classic era involves the censors, once the Code was strictly enforced, trying to keep all mention of the subject out, while the writers, actors, and directors smuggled the references back in. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibi Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Didn't TCM actually have either a night or even a month-long tribute to gay-themed films some years ago? I seem to remember that. One of the films they showed was The Fox. Does this ring a bell with anyone? I remember doing a little book versus movie analysis on that and then posting some remarks with emphasis on how both author and moviemaker did what they did to get around the censors, etc. I seem to remember RO speaking rather openly about quite a bit of this sort of thing. Or am I imagining it? Yes, they had a month long theme around 7 yrs or so ago. I'd forgotten they'd been devoting June each year to a different minority. but they seem to have dropped that this year. Did they run out of minorities? Was there anything last year? I cant remember...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Kimble Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 July is Lesbian Adopted Midget Eskimo Pride month, I hope TCM is planning a LAME festival 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primosprimos Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Preceded by FIRST A GIRL, the British film upon which VICTOR/VICTORIA borrows its main idea. I would like to see First A Girl. Kinky Boots would be nice too. I would also like to see Angels In America, all of it in one fell swoop, on TCM. Whatta movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roverrocks Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 July is Lesbian Adopted Midget Eskimo Pride month, I hope TCM is planning a LAME festival Gets my vote. Certainly LAME. How about TCM just shows no intensive GAY PRIDE array of flics and just shows their usual random array of films of all flavors no matter what the subject or stars. Too controversial and I know which side I am on. Let me just get it out in the open: No to same sex marriage and no to a LGBT theme month, day, or week. I love the great films of Rock Hudson and Montgomery Clift and John Ireland but have absolutely no desire to see an overt demonstrative Gay Pride array on TCM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dargo Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 WAIT! John Ireland was gay??? (...ya know, come to THINK of it, I THOUGHT I saw more than a little 'bro-mance" thing goin' on 'tween him and Monty in "Red River", but I just always thought it was their mutual affinity for and their prowess with six-shooters that bonded 'em so closely!!!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibi Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 WAIT! John Ireland was gay??? (...ya know, come to THINK of it, I THOUGHT I saw more than a little 'bro-mance" thing goin' on 'tween him and Monty in "Red River", but I just always thought it was their mutual affinity for and their prowess with six-shooters that bonded 'em so closely!!!) LOL. Maybe Joan Crawford turned him........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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