BOY ! WHAT A GIRL This rediscovered all-black cast musical stars
THE STATE OF TH I N GS
T H E A F FA I RS O F LOVE LAS CaSAS DEL QUERER WEST COAST PREMIERE
Tim Moore (liThe Kingfish " on the popular 50s ' Amos en Andy television series) as a butch
To complement the Queer Planet program (at the Eye Gallery, Monday June 22, 7 pm,
Madrid, after the Civil War. Like his song-and
queen pursued by three men with marriage
free admission) , here's four films and videos
dance partner Pepita, gay Mario is in love with
on their minds. Black comedy team Patterson
which open our eyes to the state of different
their handsome straight pianist juan; rebuffed,
and Jackson co-star, along with a musical
nations.
he happily moves his attention to a string of
line-up that includes the Slam Stewart Trio, Sid Catlett Orchestra (with a cameo by Gene
First, Pride and Prejudice, a primer about
lovers. After an affair with a young nobleman,
homophobia, the closet, and coming out
whom Mario spurns, the nobleman's mother
Krupa), Deek Watson and His Brown Dots,
today-nicely spliced together with visual
concocts a nasty revenge . . . A throwback to
Ann Cornell and the International jitterbugs.
jokes and in-the-know references. John Goss'
the pre-Almodovar days of Spanish cinema,
Although Herald Pictures was a white
Flowing Hearts: Thailand Fights A IDS is a doc
The Affairs of Love is a gorgeous, completely
production company, Boy ! What a Girl was
ument of grassroots equcation, focussing on
unselfconscious cinematic pleasure.
made for the contemporary black audience, and featured some of the best black musical
performances by The White Line Dance Troupe
and comic talent of the day. The acting is less
AIDS awareness) and interviews with Thai
than naturalistic at times-and the plot less than subtle-but these were characteristics of
gay/AIDS activists. Plus Fantasy Island, which creatively uses
most of the big studio musicals of the 40s.
plasticine animation and, yes, Ethel Merman
A Harlem tenement is home to the film's
to portray the homophobia in Britain's Isle of
collection of entertainers. The plot revolves
Man, where until three months ago homosex
around a pair of smalltime producers trying to
uality was completely illegal. And Welcome to
stage a show, while wooing the daughters of
the Dome, a strong record of the spectacular
the show's wealthy backer. The romantic ele
ACT-UP action which took place during the
ment in this romantic-comedy is heterosexual;
German Bishop's Conference in late 1 99 1 ;
the comedy element, however, is eminently
unlike New York ACT-UP's similar "Stop the
queer. When the show's other backer doesn't
Church" action at St. Patrick's Cathedral, this
arrive from "Gay Paree" , the producers enlist
protest ended in violence.
the talents of a bald, cigar-smoking female im personator to masquerade as 'Madame Deborah.'
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE Dir. Dorothy
Class emerges rather strangely as the defining
Engleman ( 1 992) USA 30 mins. video
stereotypical element in this convoluted com
<7 WELCOME TO THE DOME Dir. Jochen
Hick ( 1 992) Germany 15 mins. 16mm <7
edy of errors. Plus, Michelle Parkerson's acclaimed doc
FANTASY ISLAND Dir. Brian Wood ( 1 99 1 )
umentary, Storme: The Lady of the Jewel Box.
G B 7 mins. 1 6mm <:r- FLOWING HEARTS:
This intimate portrait of male impersonator
THAILAND FIGHTS AIDS Dir. John Goss
,torme DeLarverie offers a look at the legen
( 1992) USA/Thailand 32 mins. video
:Iary Jewel Box Revue
-
a favorite act on the
31ack theater circuit from the 40s thru the 60s. STORME: THE LADY OF THE JEWEL BOX
Dir. Michelle Parkerson ( 1 987) USA 21 mins. 16mm <7 BOY! WHAT A GIRL Dir. Arthur Leonard ( 1945) USA 70 mins. 1 6mm
Please see Satu rday June 20, 4:30 pm Castro
(which uses Thai and modern dance to enact
Total running time: 84 m inutes
THE AFFAIRS OF LOVE
Dir. Jaime Chavarri ( 1990) Spain 1 00 mins. 35mm Spanish language/English subtitles
51