I love Jean Genet.
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ToastedCheese — 4 years ago(August 31, 2021 06:15 AM)
There was a book shop in the city where I worked and they had a section on gay literature. Thing is, I was very cautious and stealthy about looking at the works due to fear of someone coming in and recognizing me.
Some of the stories were contemporary 80's and full of sexual explicit detail. Of course I didn't mind that and it was like reading the forum section in the playboy, but with gay guys.
Norman! What did you put in my tea? -
Platonic_Caveman — 4 years ago(August 31, 2021 06:21 AM)
I was like 13 and could never bring myself to check out a book called "Gay Militants". Lol. I would've had to hide it from my family too. So I read it at the library.
But of course I could bring home a book by John Rechy and my family had no clue what it was about.
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ToastedCheese — 4 years ago(August 31, 2021 06:36 AM)
Sometimes being closeted, even in book form, is a blessing.
When I look back now, even though it kinda sucked that we had to still hide in the shadows, it provided more a thrill at the same time with notion that something illicit and sneaky was going on.
Norman! What did you put in my tea? -
Platonic_Caveman — 4 years ago(August 31, 2021 07:41 AM)
Yes, that's true. We were like criminals. Lol. It was exciting.
Still, I would bet that the large majority of gay kids are still in the closet. My niece's teenage son is gay. But it's never spoken about. And he's not out. But he does meet guys online. The oppression is still there even for the youngsters.
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"filmboards is a bold experiment in free speech and anarchy"
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ToastedCheese — 4 years ago(August 31, 2021 10:47 AM)
The oppression is still there even for the youngsters.
It never really went away. The breeder still wants to claim sense of superiority over sexuality and it boils down to keeping the human race going, even if its a life of suffering.
Norman! What did you put in my tea? -
I love hutch — 4 years ago(September 09, 2021 08:49 PM)
I get what you mean about the heterosexism making it more fun!
Just to go to the shopping mall and link eyes with some handsome stranger, followed by a smile, was an indescribable rush. Fall in love in under five seconds. Made it worth being alive.
In some ways, being gay can never be this much fun again.
"My life is over. I might as well dance with Johnny Slash!" -
ToastedCheese — 4 years ago(September 09, 2021 11:59 PM)
In some ways, being gay can never be this much fun again.
One couldn't take the same things for granted, the way the breeder does. Still can't to a certain extent.
I guess too, as one gets older, one is not looking to play the same games, or even care about those furtive rushes.
Norman! What did you put in my tea? -
I love hutch — 4 years ago(September 10, 2021 12:30 AM)
I don't know. I just went out for a long walk and I made eye contact with every guy I walked past. The feelings are perhaps not quite as intense, but they are still there. Thank god.
"My life is over. I might as well dance with Johnny Slash!" -
geewizzz — 4 years ago(August 30, 2021 05:55 AM)
I've read "Querelle"
I assume you saw Fassbinder's adaptation of it - very stylish.
Kenneth Anger mentioned that he wanted to make his own version of
Querelle
, which would've been interesting. But he often says he wasn't able to get the funds to make the films he wanted but did storyboards for a few of them.
Are you okay? -
I love hutch — 4 years ago(August 30, 2021 06:09 AM)
I did see "Querelle". It was interesting, but kind of a mess. I think Genet and Fassbinder just had such different ways of seeing things that a collaboration was not likely to come off great. Kenneth Anger had a ripeness in his films and it would have been very interesting to see what kind of movie he might have come up with. I think Anger is much closer to Genet in sensibility than either one was to Fassbinder.
Have you seen "Scorpio Rising"?
But, yes, "Querelle" certainly was stylish and Brad Davis looked luscious in it.
"My life is over. I might as well dance with Johnny Slash!" -
Platonic_Caveman — 4 years ago(August 31, 2021 06:09 AM)
Brad Davis! That's the guy in
Midnight Express
. That movie itself had some great homoerotica! It reminds me of Turkish prison jokes!
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"filmboards is a bold experiment in free speech and anarchy"
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I love hutch — 4 years ago(August 31, 2021 06:27 AM)
Oh, yes it sure did. I think I first saw "Midnight Express" when I was 16 or 17. The steamy shower scene with the sweet kiss (along with Moroder's romantic, pounding masochism) were almost too much to endure. But quite exhilarating at the same time.
The real Billy Davis wrote in his book that he did have some homosexual encounters while in the Turkish prison and I think he had a relationship with a friendly Norwegian man. It's a shame that the filmmakers didn't have the guts to allow Billy to enjoy the affections of his friend.
Still it's a great, intense scene!
"My life is over. I might as well dance with Johnny Slash!" -
ToastedCheese — 4 years ago(August 31, 2021 06:49 AM)
It just couldn't quite go there. It implied something just about to happen and then copped out.
In the book, Billy gets seduced by the Scandinavian dude on a bunk bed. They pulled down the blankets over the side of the bunk and his friend coaxed him with….
"It's just sex Billy!"
… after Hayes was a bit reluctant at first.
Hamidou the closeted pig guard in the film, is based on 3 characters if I recall from the book.
Also Billy was in the asylum at the beginning of the book and was constantly felt up by the other inmates as they walked past him.
He escaped from an island prison by boat and into Istanbul and then found his way across the border into Greece where he was still detained until released by the Greek authorities.
I'm assuming here Gamey you haven't read the book, so excuse my presumption.
Norman! What did you put in my tea? -
ToastedCheese — 4 years ago(August 31, 2021 06:40 AM)
I haven't seen
Querelle
and I recall when it was screening at a film festival and I longed to see it, but I had no way of getting there late at night, not to mention a few years off the age restriction so it wasn't a guarantee I would have gotten in anyway.
Davis was a one of kind pot of honey. He was so well cast in
Midnight Express - 78'
, plus he could act as well.
Norman! What did you put in my tea? -
I love hutch — 4 years ago(August 31, 2021 06:50 AM)
He was perfectly cast in "Midnight Express". Everything about him was right for that role. The opening scene at the airport was nerve-wracking.
I just checked and "Querelle" is available for viewing here. All I will say for now is that it is different and that Brad Davis is hot throughout.
"My life is over. I might as well dance with Johnny Slash!" -
ToastedCheese — 4 years ago(August 31, 2021 06:56 AM)
That opening is one of the best film openings ever. The entire film is first rate though, even if it deviates from the original source material. It gets the same point and theme across.
Norman! What did you put in my tea? -
ToastedCheese — 4 years ago(August 31, 2021 07:26 AM)
He was a very fortunate man and even though what he did was stupid, it was the extremity and criminal corruption of the system that needed to be exposed. Not that it makes any difference.
Norman! What did you put in my tea?
