The LGBT Cinema Issue

Trinity Film Review volume 1 1 | i ss u e 3

the

LGBT+ issue

ju ly 2 o 2 o

the lgbt issue TRINITY FILM REVIEW VOLUME 11 ISSUE 3 | JUly 2020

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Greetings, loved ones.

We have come, a little belatedly, to the final issue of Trinity Film Review for the 2019/2020 period. With all that has been going on in the world, we found ourselves delayed from putting out an issue. In the meantime, we were nominated for the SMEDIAs award for Best Small Student Publication, so they can confirm it was worth the wait!

Growing up transgender in Ireland, you don’t get to see a lot of people like yourself in society. The first time I saw a transgender person on a screen it was in the Academy Award-winning The Silence of the Lambs: Buffalo Bill. Fun guy, right? For decades before it, and some after it, this is an example of what cinema thought of transgender people.

While I am thankful that this perspective is changing every day, I will never forget it. Nor will I ever forgive it. This issue is one that examines the belief that cinema has held about LGBTQ+ people and those working to change it. It has resulted in this gorgeous volume of LGBT stories, films, and history, and it’s all thanks to an amazing team of contributors for this issue. We lost a few pieces to the chaos of COVID-19, but hey, we’re still here nonetheless.

On a different note, I would like to warmly welcome TFR’s next editor, Emily Thomas, and the new assistant editors Mia Sherry, Marketa Ni Eithir, and Peter Horan. Myself, Eoin, Alison, and Lora wish you nothing but luck, and we know you’ll do us proud. And to everyone who contributed to this very special edition of the Trinity Film Review: I cannot thank you enough.

All the love in the world,

Hiram Harrington

the tfr team Editor Hiram Harrington Assistant editors Lora hartin Eoin o’donnell alison traynor Layout & Design Hiram Harrington Eoin O’Donnell Contributors luke bradley Seamus Conlon Gillian Doyle Cian Mac lochlainn Grace mcEntee Niamh muldowney Barry murphy Ben pantrey kate l. ryan Mia Sherry

Special thanks to The trinity publications committee both incoming and outgoing, & to all our reviewers this year!

This publication is funded partly by The DU Trinity Publications Committee. This publication claims no special rights or privileges. All serious complaints may be directed towards chair@ trinitypublications.ie or Chair, Trinity Publications, House 6, Trinity College, Dublin 2. Appeals may be directed to the Press Council.

Get involved with Trinity Publications on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or email secretary@trinitypublications.ie

CONTENTS iconic shot #1

4-5

Cian Mac Lochlainn

feature: nightmare 2

6-7

Eoin O’Donnell

trailblazers

8-9

Niamh Muldowney | Barry Murphy

iconic shot #2

10-11

Seamus Conlon

an irish lgbt film

12

Kate L. Ryan

An underrated lgbt film

13

Mia Sherry

feature: lgbt horror

14-15

Gillian Doyle

An unexpected icon

16

Grace McEntee

film reviews

17-19

Luke Bradley | Ben Pantrey | Niamh Muldowney

top 25 lgbt film list Hiram Harrington

20-23

iconic shot: philadelphia

sexuality and his AIDS diagnosis, Beckett seeks to sue his employers for unfair dismissal.

After struggling to find representation and attempting to act as his own attorney, a fellow attorney, Joe Miller (Denzel Washington), who previously declined to represent Beckett on account of his illness, offers his services after witnessing Beckett being discrimiJonathan Demme’s Philadelphia Whilst celebrating with the firm’s nated against first-hand. Throughwas released in 1993. It was one partners after being offered to out the course of the movie, the of the first mainstream Hollywood represent a prestigious client, one initially homophobic Miller begins movies to acknowledge and ad- of the partners recognizes a lesion to sympathize and understand dress HIV/AIDS, homosexuality, on Beckett’s head, who attributes Beckett and the LGBTQ+ commuand homophobia. Philadelphia it to a racquetball injury. While nity’s struggle for acceptance. presents a watershed moment for working at home to hide his lepopular culture with the HIV/AIDS sions, a brief he asked his assistant The trial sequences are unforgivscare still fresh in audience con- to file on his behalf is handed in at ing on both Beckett and everyone sciousness. Tom Hanks portrays the last minute and almost jeop- involved. Demme endeavours to Andrew Beckett, a young and suc- ardizes a crucial case for the firm. humanize all aspects of a wrongful cessful lawyer for one of the most The partners organise a meeting dismissal case by showcasing the prestigious law firms in Philadel- with Beckett and promptly fire emotions of the defendants, Beckphia. Unbeknownst to his employ- him the next day. Believing the ett and his family, and the witnessers, Beckett is gay, and is hiding his brief was filed incorrectly as an ex- es called to the stand. By the time suffering from AIDS. cuse to fire him on account of his he is called to the stand, Beckett is

clearly deteriorating from the rapid progression of his illness.

Since Beckett asserts that the partners drew their conclusions about his illness from the lesion that was visible on his head earlier in the film, the attorney representing his former employers brings a mirror to Beckett and asks him whether any lesions are visible on his head.

Failing to see any, Beckett is visibly shaken by this with the judge offering a recess to the proceedings.

However, Miller instead asks for a few more minutes to cross-examine his client and borrows the opposing counsel’s mirror. Asking Beckett whether there are any lesions present on his body that are identical to the one that was spotted by the firm’s partner, Miller asks that Beckett remove his shirt.

“The significance of the courtroom sequence cannot be overstated given the context in which philadelphia was released. thing on his head just moments before. While it may be seen as a cheap stunt, it is a sobering reminder of what AIDS can do to the human body. Howard Shore’s sombre score and the look of utter heartbreak on the face of Beckett’s sister in the gallery is Demme’s way of telling the viewer that while Beckett is sure to win the case, there will be no cause for celebration.

notably coined the notorious nickname ‘gay-plague’ to describe the epidemic. Four years after he left office, Philadelphia and this poignant scene offers the LGBTQ+ community a moment of catharsis in finally having their suffering and mistreatment acknowledged.

Issues such as the perception of homosexual men and victims of AIDS are omnipresent in the film from start to finish. Philadelphia The significance of the courtroom gives a dignified view of their fight sequence cannot be overstated in what is meant to be the ‘City of What occurs next is a truly heart- given the context in which Phil- Brotherly Love’ in a country that breaking sequence as the reaction adelphia was released. Not even takes pride in the freedom of its of the jury, the opposing counsel, a full decade before this film was citizens. Demme pulls no punches the defendants, members in the produced, the HIV/AIDS epidemic in highlighting the failings of wider public gallery, and Beckett’s fam- caused widespread panic. How- society to look after those who are ily are shown before it is finally ever, many governments dragged left with nowhere to turn. Andrew revealed to the audience the nu- their feet on taking necessary ac- Beckett was one of the lucky few merous lesions on Beckett’s torso. tion especially since the disease who got the support he needed was associated with gay men. The to help him fight for his human The colour of the lesions against most notable example of this was rights.

Beckett’s now pale and sickly com- the approach by then-President CIAN MAC LOCHLAINN plexion are clearly visible in the Ronald Reagan and his administration in the United States, who same mirror that showed no such

how the

“gayest slasher movie ever made”

went from pariah to cult classic

The story of the critically-pannedflop-to-cult-classic is one we’ve heard before, but it’s hard to think of many films shunned for their homophobic undertones only to be revived and celebrated decades later as a cultural icon. In the case of A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, that’s exactly what happened.

Sholder brought some energy to the series, and Hellraiser composer Christopher Young’s score keeps the horror alive throughout.

Robert Englund returns as Freddy Krueger, every bit as camp and sinister as before, bringing terror to a whole new cast of teens. There may not be anything as iconic as the blood fountain scene from Wes Craven’s classic, but the bizarre dream set pieces are still spectacular, with some uncomfortably good body horror thrown in the mix. He may not have gotten praise for it at the time, but relative newcomer director Jack

“... nightmare 2 has become beloved and admonished in equal measure for its bizarre and problematic gay undertones.”” undertones.

But, of course, little of the conversation around the film today centres on any of its more conventional filmmaking. There’s only one quality of note for its fans today: Nightmare 2 has become Of course, the reaction to the beloved and admonished in equal film wasn’t rooted in homopho- measures for its bizarre and probbia. And, to get it out in the open lematic gay undertones. The film’s straight away, Nightmare 2 is far protagonist Jesse, played by upfrom perfect. It may have grossed and-coming actor Mark Patton, over ten times its budget and has come to be affectionately recontinued to propel what would ferred to as the first male ‘scream become an 8-film juggernaut of a queen’, though the discourse franchise, but it was panned for its around his performance wasn’t alrushed production (releasing less ways so sympathetic. His screams than a year after the original) as are more than a little bit effemiwell as a fairly inconsistent script nate, his ‘bromance’ with his male and performances.

‘friend’ oozes more chemistry than with his actual on-screen girlfriend, and we’re treated to just as many shots of him shirtless or in his underwear as with any 1980s scream queen.

Upon its release, Sholder expressed complete cluelessness to any homoerotic undertones, and writer David Chaskin completely denied any intent, placing the ‘blame’ for the film’s queerness squarely on its star. To this day, Patton

insists that any perceived ‘gayness’ was what killed his career.

As a gay man, he admits how difficult it was to be ‘outed’ against his will as a closeted leading man, something that was essentially career suicide in 1980’s Hollywood.

And indeed, instead of this Nightmare launching his career like the young Johnny Depp before him, he didn’t return to acting for over thirty years.

There was no doubt in Patton’s mind of the underlying queerness of the film when he read the script. For him, it became far more than just subtext as the production went on, saying of one day on set that it was “like I’m in a bukkake video”. He blames Chaskin for the ‘betrayal’ of what he experienced onset. Patton claims that Chaskin sabotaged him and “systematically fag-bashed me for 30 years”.

He has said that growing up as a closeted gay man, “nobody ever affected

my confidence - the boys that threw rocks at me, nobody - but this man did”.

Maybe one of the funniest parts of the story is that of director Jack Sholder, who was seemingly completely unaware of any homoerotic text or subtext. He only ever said about Patton that “it never occurred to me that he was gay - although he wasn’t too great in the makeout scenes, so I should have picked up on it”. Incredulously, Sholder must have shown up and shot for multiple gruelling days for the infamous shower scene completely oblivious. A scene wherein our hero meets Coach Schneider at an S&M bar called ‘Dom’s Place’, is forced to run laps in the school gym and take a shower, whilst Schneider, in full leather regalia, is pelted by levitating balls, tied with skipping ropes and dragged into the shower where he’s stripped naked and spanked bare-assed by towels. That’s far from anything you could call subtext.

Whilst Chaskin has acknowledged some intention on his part to highlight the ‘gay panic’ sweeping the globe with the AIDS epidemic and widespread homophobia therein, many suspect his capitulation only comes in the face of queerness becoming more socially acceptable. It’s entirely possible that any gay undertones in the script were more negative in their intention than anything else. One of the more problematic stereotypes comes into play with Coach Schneider’s character: an S&M-loving, abusive gym coach who repeatedly tells his students to “assume the position”. After all, the film centres around a teen protagonist with “something inside him, trying to get out”, wherein his internal conflict is only really resolved after the death of his male ‘friend’, and The passion and fascination for the love of his pure, very straight this film has only grown in the thirgirlfriend prevails. ty-five years since its release; it’s been a staple of LGBTQ-screenRegardless of Chaskin’s intended ings, Mark Patton has become a subtext for the film, it’s somewhat favourite at horror conventions uplifting that audiences today and a prominent HIV spokesperhave found a way to embrace the son to boot, and just last year a film’s camp, unabashed queerness feature-length documentary was and wash away any possible ill in- completed on the journey Patton tentions. and the film have gone through.

Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Street has made the rounds “as a gay man, Elm at festivals around the world, and [patton] admits was made available on-demand how difficult it in the US this March. Whenever it drop here, I don’t doubt that was to be ‘outed outed’’ does Freddy’s Revenge will be brought against his will into the conversation once again. as a closeted I welcome the chance for more to get to see this bizarre, gay man...” man...” people messy, and underappreciated entry into the LGBTQ horror canon.

EOIN O’DONNELL

trail blazers

Every film genre has to start somewhere.

Two of our contributors have named what they believe to be true trailblazers of the lgbt+ cinema canon, lighting the way for films to come.

different from the

others

(1919)

While films centering around queer relationships seem like a more recent development, Different from the Others (Richard Oswald, 1919) was explicitly portraying gay love 100 years ago.

der Germany’s Paragraph 175 law, Doctor’s speeches to address the which criminalised homosexuality. audience as much as the characters, and to attempt to undo the The protagonists of the film are widespread negative stereotypes not alone in their struggles, as they about queer people. have the help of a Doctor, portrayed by Dr Magnus Hirschfeld. Ultimately, the film is a sympaThe film centers on the relation- The Doctor helps Veidt’s character thetic portrayal of gay men that ship between two musicians, a come to terms with his sexuality offers insight into the struggles violin teacher (Conrad Veidt, who and explains that being gay is not they faced in Weimar Germany. later starred in Das Cabinet des unnatural to Schulz’s character’s However, the film had a short Dr. Caligari) and his adult student parents. Hirschfeld was a real sex- cinematic release. It suffered in(Fritz Schulz). As the story pro- ologist who ran the Institute for tense pushback from conservative gresses so does their romance, but Sexual Science in Berlin, and cam- groups and prompted a tightening the film does not shy away from paigned ferociously to repeal Para- of censorship laws. In its historithe struggles the pair endure. graph 175 and LGBT acceptance. cal importance, Different from the From a lack of familial acceptance, Different from the Others was Others is unparralled. to blackmailing, to prison and then one of the semi-educational films suicide, the film demonstrates the he wrote and released as part of niamh muldowney difficulties queer people faced un- this campaign. The film used the

tangerine

(2015) A Christmas buddy movie about two transgender sex workers?

Take my money.

Sean Baker’s rip-roaring comedy was shot completely on an iPhone 5, but that is not why it is a trailblazer. It is a ground-breaking moment for the depiction of genderqueer people in American cinema. Tangerine tells the story of Sin-Dee who is released from prison on Christmas eve, and is told by her friend Alexandra that her boyfriend has been cheating on her while she was locked up.

Cue a manic adventure through the streets of LA as she tracks down both her boyfriend and his lover that leaves no stone unturned when exploring the city’s greasy underbelly. You’ll meet sleazy cab drivers, pimps, skateboarders, racists, hype-beasts, and drug dealers. Brought to life by transgender actresses Kitana Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Taylor, Tangerine never makes the story about their gender identity, just a tale of friendship and adventure whose protagonists happen to be transgender. It’s the normalisation that is so important.

Baker could easily have made

this film a gritty drama about the harsh landscape that Sin-Dee and Alexandra navigate day-to-day.

But he didn’t, and that is Tangerine’s greatest triumph.

“tangerine never makes the story about their gender identity, just a tale of friendship and adventure whose protagonists happen to be transgender.”

It is laugh out loud funny and has heart to spare, all the while maintaining realism and sympathy for its protagonists – who by the way, are outstanding company for the films’ tight 90 minutes. So much of queer cinema is tear-jerking emotional drama with sad endings – and while these stories are important, Tangerine is a refreshing break from the doom and gloom that will have you smiling from ear to ear. Turn up the happiness, you deserve it.

Barry murphy

iconic shot: blue is the warmest colour

Directed by Abdellatif Kechiche, Blue is the Warmest Colour tells the story of Adèle, a young French woman, infatuated with Emma, whose vibrant unmistakably blue hair intrigues Adèle and ignites her passion. After the two cross paths on the street, they meet each other by chance in alesbian bar and become lovers. However, social pressures on their class differences and sexuality ultimately lead to a dramatic and bitter break up. The film then follows the breakup’s melancholic aftermath and Adèle’s journey towards self-acceptance.

The movie is not a romance or an erotic epic as it is sometimes categorized, but a coming of age story and a discussion of how social stigmas and pressures disrupt relationships.

The first act deals with Adèle’s discovery of her sexuality and her first

experiences with predjudice. She has an unfulfilling fling with a male classmate, all the while feeling pressured to continue the charade. To escape the feeling of being trapped she visits a lesbian bar and marvels at the new world she uncovers. However, on returning to school, her friends berate her mercilessly, using slurs to demean her seemingly deceitful behaviour for hiding her sexuality. Adèle realizes open acceptance of the LGBT community is ultimately a subculture; allowed to exist freely at the whim of mainstream society and relegated to certain circles. She enters a period of loneliness and seeks solace in a new romantic interest; one that she chooses for herself. Constant closeups make it easy to read the minute details of Adèle Exarchopoulos’s performance, capturing the character’s turmoil beautifully.

Adèle falls in love with Emma, a young woman with vibrant blue hair.

Blue is used to illuminate the margins of shots throughout the film. Kechiche equates the color with passion and romance; a contrast to the typical fiery red. It suggests that love ultimately leads to love lost, and leaves us ‘blue’, melancholic, and alone. References to Picasso liken the use of the color to the painter’s blue period, a time in which his art dwelt on themes of sadness and loneliness. It is a somber message and implies love eventually leads to tragedy. Nonetheless, Kechice intersperses the titular color throughout the film: in the bright lights at the lesbian bar, the cropped hair of Adèle’s lover, and her dress in the beautifully understated final scene.

Kechiche also incorporates other col-

ors to expand his cannon of chromatic symbolism. Warm yellows and greens emblazon scenes of nature. They suggest a warmth that exists within, a nature of our own suppressed by the comparatively sterile white and grey hues of society, failed romance, and loneliness. The melding of symbolism and cinematography conveys the director’s complex ideas seamlessly and exposes a wealth in every frame for extrapolating meaning.

In addition, Kechiche seems to paint his scenes using a selective palette

“ Nature sets her free from judgment and the sun warms her face, bringing her a calm she never could have attained from another person.” person.” of sound. His canvas, however, looks abstract and strangely sparse. The occasional burst of music suggests freedom and expressiveness. It is in music where the characters affirm themselves and validate one another. Foregoing a persistent score, he instead populates key scenes with ambient sound to send powerful messages. The sound of the natural world and children seem to harken back to one’s untainted inner nature.

They symbolize reflection, and the acceptance of self, the original self untainted by society’s influences.The lack of score casts a serious tone over Kechiche’s film and focuses the audience’s attention on the details that make it so powerful.

In one of the film’s most iconic shots, the camera pans up over the gentle ripples of a calm sea. Adèle bobs peacefully, with her eyes half open staring at a blue sky which reflects its beautiful hues back onto the surf. Sunrays beam through the facets of the small ripples,

illuminating the surface like a crystal. A warm glow illuminates the face of the young woman. We hear the sound of the water caressing her face and children playing on the shore.

Timidly, she searches within herself as she gazes up into the endlessly warm sunny sky, finding some small moment of peace.

In contemporary cinema, the half-submerged unstable protagonist seems to be a trope for a descent into madness. Thankfully, Kechiche broke the Perfect Blue and Requiem for a Dream mold by likening the scene to a cleansing of the mind and a moment of clarity. Cinematographer Sofian El Fani deserves just as much praise for the difficult technical nature of the shot and the beauty of the resulting scene. The water washes away Adèle’s worries and returns her to a state of nature in which she can begin to accept herself. Using his established canon of symbolism, Kechiche embellishes the shot with sounds of nature and children. The children are innocents, untainted and unbroken by society and its expectations. They pose in sharp contrast with the silent judgment of social pressure and turmoil in earlier scenes.

The blue pastel colors of the water symbolize the calmness of the young protagonist’s mind. Nature sets her free from judgment and the sun warms her face, bringing her a calm she never could have attained from another person. The sun asks for nothing in return. Although she is lonely, left fe e l i n g t h e

blue melancholy of heartbreak, she knows she must accept herself and stop searching for solace in others.

Despite receiving the highest accolades at Cannes in 2013, the film encountered harsh criticism after revelations of Kechiche’s hard-driving directing style. The profoundly philosophical product of Kechiche’s controversial directing style seems to be a poster child for separating the art from the artist. Allusions to Satre and the French existentialists affirm freedom, nature, and the discovered self throughout the film. Discussions of rebellion against Catholic conservatism dominate chapter 1. Like Adèle, perhaps instead of rejecting things which society labels “sordid”, “distasteful”, and “base”, one ought to experience them and make judgments for oneself by living authentically.

SEAMUS CONLON

irish

on the

big

gay screen Irish lgbt+ cinema has emerged properly since the decriminalisation of same-sex sexual activity in 1993. Here, Kate l. ryan details how a film about a young irish lesbian has become emblematic of the coming of age experience.

Released in 2016 to both domestic and international acclaim, A Date for Mad Mary is a coming of age story with a distinctively Irish edge. When the titular ‘Mad’ Mary comes back home to Drogheda after a stint in Mountjoy, she has to put her life back together whilst juggling the demands of her best friend and now bride-to-be Charlene. Despite them being best friends for years,

Mary begins to sense that Charlene no longer feels that she fits in her new life. When Charlene doesn’t give Mary a plus one, Mary lies and pretends that she’s dating someone. Determined to prove that she can be a normal friend, Mary sets out to find a man. Unexpectedly, she finds herself connecting with Jess (Tara Lee), Charlene’s wedding photographer.

A Date for Mad Mary elevates itself by treating its main character with a deep sense of compassion. Mary is abrasive and quick to start a fight, but Seána Kerslake’s nuanced performance and the film’s ability to linger on the quieter moments creates a fully realised character. We feel Mary’s insecurity and loneliness, so we root for her despite all her self sabotage.

The depiction of the struggles of a working class “townie” life is a common feature of modern Irish cinema, but exploring the lesbian experience is rare. The portrayal of Mary’s sexuality is nuanced; it becomes an important aspect of the story, but is never used as a justification for her bad behaviour.

A common cliche in many films depicting working class queerness is to imply that a character’s self destructive behaviour is as a result of an inability to accept their sexuality. A Date for Mad Mary isn’t interested in this narrative.

While Mary gets accused of ‘making a show of herself’, the conflict of the movie doesn’t solely base itself on her sexuality, but rather her struggle to grow up.

Kate L. Ryan

an underrated

lgbt+ gem

2017 was, undoubtedly, one of the best years for cinema in the decade, boasting the likes of Jordan Peele’s Get Out, Blade Runner 2049 from Denis Villenueve, and, of course, that peach-loving, Sufjan Stevens-singing darling that was Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me by Your Name. Guadagnino’s film left a decisive mark on the cinematic landscape of 2017, becoming Dublin-based Lighthouse Cinema’s long-running film of the year, and even managed to wrangle into major awards races. All this, for a film, that, frankly, was not very good. Or even very LGBTQ+ positive.

ing CMBYN, their stories must end in tragedy. It’s not very surprising, then, that Hollywood often appropriates this trope as an excuse for its gay films to have tragic endings.

Call Me by Your Name merely follows in the footsteps of its predecessors, like My Own Private Idaho and, of course, Brokeback Mountain. It poses the recurrent question; what is it about LGBTQ+ romances that feel the need for tragedy? Let me be frank and say that I don’t believe that CMBYN is a cornerstone of gay romance (quite the opposite, actually).

God’s Own Country, on the other hand, is brilliantly emboldened by the sheer strength of the love-story it tells.

It’s frustrating to see such a film lauded during a year that also gave us Francis Lee’s God’s Own Country, the Yorkshire-dales set romance between two young “... it speaks within a farmers Johnny (Josh O’Connor) heavily hetrosexual and Gheorghe (Alec Secareanu), and, thus, canonized against scenery so dramatic it cinematic language.” language.” could rival O’Connor’s jawline.

There’s an interesting phenomenon that Patsy Stoneman has charted in romantic films originating from William Wyler’s 1939 Wuthering Heights: the ‘hilltop lovers’ trope. This is at once both the visual representation of lovers on the hill (Heathcliff and Cathy, Jack and Ennis) and the symbolic space of two lovers, torn apart, and inextricably brought back together, the force of their ‘love’ so strong it cannot be sustained outside this space. Which is why for most of our couples above, includ-

What makes God’s Own Country so genuinely groundbreaking is that it has the audacity to embrace the lovers on the moors trope, imbuing its characters and their love with the strength to preserve on the hilltop, from which so many fall and end in tears.

Moreso, Francis Lee takes Johnny and Gheorge’s relationship outside of the often hevaily erotic and sexually-obsessed lens that gay relationships are often viewed through. Instead, their re-

lationship is equally charted with moments of genuine romantic tenderness, and it speaks within a heavily hetrosexual and, thus, canonized cinematic language. It allows the film to speak through universally recognisable signifiers of great love, like the infamous “your hands are cold” Pride and Prejudice (Joe Wright) scene it reimagines.

When we speak of underrated LGBTQ+ films, there is no case more infuriating than God’s Own Country. Because it absolutely shouldn’t be underrated-- it was critically acclaimed, beautifully acted and not touched by any of Guadagnino’s film’s controversy; it’s a veritable PR goldmine. And yet, it got less than half the cinema play that others of the genre did, not even making it into any notable awards circuits. It’s like we’re still uncomfortable with viewing a gay couple without pain or hardship, without a difficult ‘coming out’ story. God’s Own Country flies in the face of these supposed ‘necessities’ for a gay romance, by having the defiance to simply allow its main characters to be, and to be in love.

Mia sherry

gay characters + modern horror horror is seeing an unprecedented spike in lgbt+ characters, but gillian doyle is interested as to what the future holds.

Horror doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to gay characters. Your choice is usually between subtext or evil murderous lesbians, and that’s true well into the 2000s. This is unfortunate, because horror is a great genre for exploring LGBT themes. It’s full of stories where the plot hinges on a realisation that the world around you is not what you thought it was, and is more dangerous than it once appeared, which doesn’t sound terribly unlike realising that you’re gay. So looking at the landscape of modern horror, have things really changed?

of a swooning Ben when the object of his affection graces him with a laugh, and similarly distraught shots when he sees her alone with Bill. We don’t get so much as a close-up of a confused Richie after an interaction with Eddie, and it’s a failure of the series. The audience isn’t told the significance of Richie’s actions - really, you should watch Chapter Two before Chapter One to really understand how Richie feels. But in Chapter Two, Richie’s feelings don’t really feel like part of the story.

understandable. It’s also based on an existing work, and everyone knows by now that the new trend of adapting existing works and making them more diverse can draw harsh online backlash.

When adapted, you have to do some fiddling with IT, and linkHowever, it’s by no means per- ing Richie’s coming out with the fect. Watching the first part of final battle would have made the series, Richie’s actions make the change serve a purpose. Just sense because of his crush on Ed- imagine it: Richie, barely holding die – when he first sees It, Richie it together after watching Eddie is more concerned with calming a die, takes out all his rage at IT. IT frightened and injured Eddie than once again threatens him with a his own safety, and he constantly not-so-subtle dig at his sexuality, teases him, which a known signi- and it only makes him angrier, unfier of teen boys who don’t know til he states in front of his friends how to talk about their feelings. that yeah, he is gay, but more IT: Chapter Two (2019) included a But the visual language of the film importantly, he hates this stupid gay main character, and that’s no doesn’t support this, especially in goddamn clown. Keep the same small thing. The first installment comparison with Ben’s similarly dialogue from the film among the did incredibly well financially, and unrequited feelings for Bev. An- rest of the Losers – “there’s more playing it safe would have been drés Muschietti gives us close-ups than one way to make someone

small” - and they gather around their friend, holding his hand, patting his back, and mocking the world’s worst clown. A much more elegant summation of the film’s

sive reveals, leaving the viewer uncomfortable and un-catered to, (which is not an unknown feeling for gay horror fans), and in the final shot, we see the two women both changed by their horrendous ordeal, but ultimately triumphant, and able to work together. Their With The Perfection (2018), we see sexualities aren’t the main focus a more cohesive story where the of the plot, but they aren’t an afcharacters’ sexualities weren’t de- terthought either. cided on halfway through the project. Despite the gory nature of the Although modern horror should film, neither of the women-loving be a place where LGBT people women at the film’s centre end up can see enthralling stories about dead, already an achievement for themselves, that isn’t really the those tired of the ‘Bury Your Gays’ case right now. There’s only so trope. Despite the film containing many times a person can watch Charlotte’s first time with a wom- What Keeps You Alive, a film that an, she doesn’t end up with a man (without spoiling anything) manby the end, another common cli- ages to have its cake and eat it too ché. in regards to some problems with gay horror films I’ve already menthemes than the defeated mani- At the same time, the story tioned in this article. We can only festation of the Loser’s childhood doesn’t go too far in trying to pro- hope that, as horror films are betrauma, whimpering “all grown vide ‘positive representation’ by coming more socially aware in the up” as he dies. Instead, Richie nev- making the characters unrealistic wake of The Babadook and Get er comes out to his friends, and and boring - neither of the women Out, that gay characters will be inwhile Ben and Bev ride off into are unhinged maniacs, but they’re cluded in that. the sunset, Richie is left carving not perfect either. The Perfection the name of a kid he crushed at is, ultimately, a story about womGillian Doyle age 12 into a bridge. The problem en coming together to defeat the here was that they didn’t commit old order. The non-linear narrative to making Richie gay. After the first leaves room for three or four mas-

Their sexualities aren’’t the aren main focus of the plot, but they aren’ aren’t an afterthought either.

film came out, Muschietti had a conversation with the actor playing Richie, Bill Hader, to decide whether they were going to do that. That’s not the time to figure that out, the time to figure that out is before making the first film.

THe unexpected icon

Romy & Michelle’s High School Reunion Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion is not a film to be judged by its cover. It plays into the ‘dumb blonde’ stereotype for sure, but unlike many other films that do so, it is firmly on the side of its quirky, fair-haired protagonists, played by Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow respectively. It functions as a sillier, more self-aware version of Legally Blonde or Clueless, and in the same vein as those films, it’s female friendship and unashamed self-expression that save the day in the end.

It feels almost impossible to not love Romy and Michelle after only five minutes of witnessing their delightfully awkward dancing, childlike eating habits, eccentric outfits and extremely quotable dialogue . Their outfits, made by Michelle in the film and legendary costume designer Mona May (Clueless, Enchanted, The House Bunny) in reality, are stunningly camp and indicative of the amount of fun Romy and Michelle have while free to embrace their true selves in each other’s company. They also happen to be the perfect visual accompaniment to the copious amounts of candy consumed by the pair; “All I’ve had to eat for the past six days are gummy bears, jelly beans and candy corn”-- “God, I wish I had your discipline!”.

Beyond its titular duo, Romy and Michelle has plenty of iconic characters to offer, most notably Heather Mooney, inventor of quick-burning cigarette papers: “twice the taste in half the time for the gal on the go”. Her sarcasm and dry humour make her an unforgettable part of the film, and most likely part of the inspiration for Janis in Mean Girls seven years later.

She also serves as a strange kind of role model for Romy and Michelle, despite not being very friendly with them, because she never once doubts her own style and stays true to who she is throughout.

With mainstream acceptance still far beyond the horizon for many gay people in the 90’s, it’s no wonder this film has been embraced by the LGBT community

This is the ultimate message of Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion: self-acceptance.

Our protagonists’ collective experience with high school bullies leaves them forced (in their eyes) to suppress their true selves to the point of extreme unhappiness. It’s only when they accept the differences between themselves and the former ‘popular kids’ that their friendship is mended, as they return in their iconic metallic dresses to face the ‘A Group’ and deliver a perfectly satisfying revenge speech.

With mainstream acceptance still far beyond the horizon for many gay people in the 90’s, it’s no wonder this film has been embraced by the LGBT community. It might also have something to do with the interpretive dance to ‘Time After Time’ with Alan Cumming, though. Either way, Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion is a hilariously quotable celebration of friendship and individuality that will always be worth a watch.

Grace McEntee

review

vivarium 2020 / dir. lorcan finnegan / sci-fi mystery Vivarium is the story of a young couple, played by Imogen Poots and Jesse Eisenberg, who find themselves trapped in a mysteriously endless suburban estate following a house viewing. Soon realising they are the subject of a sick experiment by unseen extra-terrestrial overlords, they resort to their only given means of escaping the labyrinth; raising the ‘baby’ that arrives on their doorstep as their own.

film excellently, each highlighting different nuances and coping mechanisms symptomatic of their psychological deterioration. Poots in particular is fantastic, and her interplay with their ‘son’ anchors sequences that at times feel a tad too long. It really is their film, although child actor Senan Jennings is also brilliant; never as much as in this film will you absolutely detest a child character. Jennings conveys the creepiness of trying to emulate human behaviour with Director Lorcan Finnegan delivers a equally hilarious and bone-chilling mostly captivating look at psycho- results. logical terror, and benefits from doing so in such a unique setting. The film’s tone can feel erratic at The symmetrical, uniform aesthet- times. Earlier on in the film, Finic of the housing estate in which negan delights in pointing out the they find themselves trapped is insanity of the concept at hand, chilling, tapping into classic fears doling out plenty of tongue-inof isolation in the suburbs. The un- cheek foreshadowing, like ‘qualending maze of green 2-bedroom ity family homes forever.’ It also homes is essentially a character of its own, looming large through- “Director Lorcan out. Mind-bending sequences of their attempts to escape are the Finnegan delivers stand-out, lending the viewer the a mostly captisame sense of dread and paranoia vating look at that our protagonists endure.

Poots and Eisenberg carry the

psychological terror”” terror

doesn’t shy away from poking fun at the film’s creepy characters: one sequence involving the housing estate’s pseudo real estate agent had me in stitches. Pretty quickly afterwards, however, proceedings turn dour, and humour is left to the side in order to delve into the dire consequences of their circumstances. Notable as well is the pacing of the film; Vivarium feels longer than it is, replicating the elongated sense of time the characters have in the labyrinth.

Whether this is intentional or not, it does itself no favours.

Vivarium is at its strongest when staying true to its namesake. Focusing on the impact of complete isolation from one’s natural habitat and the psychosis associated with being under observation, the film soars. Some of the excellent tone-setting of the first half is undermined by a sharp turn towards grave seriousness, but Vivarium is still a fascinating character study, complemented well by its brilliant sci-fi/horror twist.

luke bradley

review

toni morrison: the pieces I am 2019 / dir. timothy greenfield-sanders / doc It’s been less than a year since Toni Morrison’s death at the age of 88: an event which resulted in an outpouring of public grief from her wide and diverse base of readers.

The Pieces I Am is a documentary about Morrison, compiled from interviews with the author herself and several of her colleagues and contemporaries. These include Angela Davis, whom Morrison worked as an editor for, Morrison’s own editor Robert Gottlieb, Oprah Winfrey, and several others.

The documentary premiered at Sundance in January 2019, several months before Morrison’s death, and does a good job at introducing her to its viewers. We start from Morrison describing her burgeoning love of language as a child, her writing method, the topics her early books covered, and the trajectory of her career. The documentary brings us up to the point when she won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993. I should note that there are spoilers to her early novels, especially Beloved, here.

The interviews are assembled together well, with a clear skillful-

ness in terms of pace and flow.

There are no chapters or clear divisions in the documentary, but the movement from one topic to the next feels natural and smooth. The heart and soul of the documentary is, of course, Morrison herself. Her description of the writing process and her advice for young writers is well worth hearing.

pers published opinion pieces that suggested that she was chosen as winner out of “political correctness”. Another interviewee notes that you could only hold that opinion if you’d never read any of Morrison’s work. If so, why did this documentary feel these ignorant voices had to be heard and repeated?

This documentary is founded almost entirely on interviews, and as such, there were some problems with superfluity on the visual side.

At times, what was happening on screen amounted to a high definition PowerPoint presentation, with the camera slowly zooming in Morrison’s work didn’t emerge and out of different photographs out of a vacuum. She wrote in op- as jazz music plays innocuously in position to a tendency in literature the background. that defined serious work as that which describes the experience Overall, The Pieces I Am is a pleasof middle class white people. I antly structured introduction to don’t think this context should Toni Morrison. I left the cinema be ignored, but I did find it a little with an eagerness to go read her disappointing that the documen- novels. Despite this, the sometary devoted time to examining what dry way it’s presented visuthe backlash Morrison received as ally makes it seem more suited to she became an acclaimed author. Netflix than the big screen.

After she was awarded the Nobel Prize, for example, some newspaBen Pantrey

“The interviews are assembled together well,, with a clear well skillfulness in terms of pace and flow.” flow.”

review

dark waters 2020 / dir. todd haynes / legal thriller A banana peel will take 2-5 weeks to decompose. A cardboard box will take around 3 months to decompose. Plastic Bottles can decompose between 500-1000 years. But PFOA cannot decompose naturally. And you probably have no idea what that is.

Mark Ruffalo’s latest film Dark Waters tells the story of Rob Bilott, a lawyer who’s spent more than 20 years fighting the DuPont company’s illegal dumping and unsafe practices regarding PFOA. PFOA is one of the unregulated ‘forever chemicals’ that can exist indefinitely in the environment and has been linked with kidney cancer, testicular cancer, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, and preeclampsia. It is found in stain resistant carpets, Teflon pans, and even tap water.

It is also currently in the blood of 99% of Americans.

“Dark Waters works twofolD... as a warning of the dangers of forever chemicals and as a thrilling and terrifying David and Goliath story” story” the corporations that create them.

The didactic nature of the film can be overbearing, with the characters literally sitting down and discussing the science behind PFOA (complete with drawn out diagrams at times!). However, due to the topic, this information is necessary and adds to the pervasive sense of dread throughout the film. This atmosphere is handled expertly, with the entire cinema hanging on a knife’s edge during phone calls and courtroom scenes.

In fact, I recall a moment halfway through the film when a shiver went down my spine: I began to Dark Waters works twofold as a think about how many Teflon pans film, both as a warning of the danI had in my kitchen and how quickgers of forever chemicals and as a ly I could get rid of them. In short, thrilling and terrifying David and regarding selling the danger of Goliath story both against this inPFOA, the film just works. visible, indestructible threat, and

However, I struggle on whether I actually liked the film. As the genre of David vs Goliath films go, Erin Brockovich, Spotlight, and The Big Short all work better. Dark Waters attempts to make interesting shot choices at points, but it is clear the emphasis is not on this aspect of the film. Ultimately it is the (at times unbelievable, but absolutely) true story that carries the film.

Dark Waters and its promotion does an incredible job at showcasing an issue close to Ruffalo’s heart. You will feel a palpable fear of what lies unseen, undetected and unregulated in the deep dark waters and be convinced to join the fight against forever chemicals. But the line between didacticism and narrative is drawn thin, and holds me back from loving Dark Waters completely.

Niamh muldowney

the top 25

LGBT FILMS (a handy checklist)

LGBT cinema is a legacy that is hard to trace. Some of the first motion pictures ever produced by human beings show cross-dressers, male-on-male kisses, and strangely (unintentionally) subversive portrayals of gender.

This list charts the most important films of the LGBT cinema canon under five distinct headings: films about women loving women, films about men loving men, films about transgender people, LGBT documentary features, and “Old but Gold” - a category dedicated to LGBT films that are exceptionally dated, but present the LGBT experience in a positive

and refreshing light.

It’s near impossible to traverse queer cinema as a whole without encountering problematic portrayals along the way. Where possible, this list has strived to avoid films where transgender characters are played by cisgender (or “non-trans”) performers. We have also tried to avoid productions in which actors were physically or psychologically abused on set.

Thus, this list will not feature the likes of The Danish Girl (2015), Dallas Buyers Club (2013), or Blue is the Warmest Colour (2013).

That’s not to say that this list is free of issue - the severe lack of

representation in certain areas has proven difficult to work around (please, if you’re reading this, make a film about a transgender man with an actual transgender man).

I hope that this list gives you an insight into the lives of LGBT people on screen, and that you get your fix of good movies while you’re at it. Print or tear this out, check off the boxes as you see each one, and at the end, you’ll have one hell of a knowledge of queer history, experience, and love.

Hiram Harrington

FIVE FILMS ABOUT.... .... WOMEN WHO LOVE WOMEN The Watermelon Woman (1996)

Dir. Cheryl Dunne | The first black lesbian-directed film. An aspiring black lesbian filmmaker researches an obscure 1940s black actress known as the Watermelon Woman.

But I’m A Cheerleader (1999)

Dir. Jamie Babbit | A high school cheerleader is sent to conversion therapy camp by her parents, where she falls for a rebellious and unashamed teen lesbian.

Carol (2015)

Dir. Todd Haynes | In the 1950s, a department store worker encounters the beautiful Carol and falls passionately for her.

The Handmaiden (2016)

Dir. Park Chan-Wook | A woman is hired as the handmaiden of a Japanese heiress with the aim of stealing her vast inheritence.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

Dir. Celine Sciamma | In 1770 France, an artist is hired to paint a portrait of a young bride-to-be without her knowing.

FIVE FILMS ABOUT.... .... MEN WHO LOVE MEN Philadelphia (1993)

Dir. jonathan Demme | A young lawyer suffering with AIDS files a wrongful dismissal case against his former employer.

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Dir. Ang Lee | Two shepherds develop an intense emotional and sexual relationship that becomes complicated when both of them get married to their respective girlfriends.

The Way He Looks (2014)

Dir. Daniel Ribeiro | The life of a blind teenager is changed forever with the arrival of a new boy at school, who he quickly develops romantic feelings for despite his best friend’s concern.

Moonlight (2016)

Dir. Barry Jenkins | The first gay Best Picture Oscar-winner. We meet Chiron at three distinct phases in his life as he grows up a gay African-American man in Miami.

Call Me By Your Name (2017)

Dir. Luca Guadagnino | In 1980s Italy, a precocious teenager begins a relationship with his father’s new doctoral student.

FIVE FILMS ABOUT.... .... TRANSGENDER PEOPLE Paris Is Burning (1990)

Dir. Jennie Livingston | A documentary focused on the ball queens of New York City and their “house” family culture.

Ma Vie En Rose (1997)

Dir. Alain Berliner | A young transgender child decides to live openly as a girl, but faces a severe lack of acceptance from her parents as she does.

Boys Don’t Cry (1999)

Dir. Kimberly Pierce | Based on a true story, Brandon Teena adopts a male name and identiy. Running from his troubled past, he becomes romantically involved with a single mother.

Tangerine (2015)

Dir. Sean Baker | After learning her boyfriend-slash-pimp cheated on her while she was in jail, a sex worker and her best friend team up to find him and teach him a lesson.

A Fantastic Woman (2017)

Dir. Sebastian Lelio | A transgender woman’s life is thrown into tumoil and intense scrutiny following the death of her partner.

FIVE FILMS ABOUT.... .... LGBT+ DOCUMENTARY The Times of Harvey Milk (1984)

Dir. Rob Epstein | This follows the charismatic Harvey Milk from his camera store-owning days, to his time as California’s first openly gay public official, to his untimely assassination.

The Celluloid Closet (1995)

Dir. Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman | An examination of the historical contexts that gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people have occupied in cinema history.

Paragraph 175 (2000)

Dir. Jeffrey Friedman & Rob Epstein | A harrowing account of the persecutions of homosexuals during the Nazi Third Reich.

How to Survive a Plague (2012)

Dir. David France | The story of Act-Up and other AIDS activists in their fight to bring attention to the disease in the 1980s.

Disclosure: Trans Lives On Screen (2020)

Dir. Sam Feder | An in-depth look at Hollywood’s depiction of transgender people and its impact told through interviews with trans artists, activists, and performers.

FIVE FILMS ABOUT.... .... OLD BUT GOLD LGBT STORIES Pink Flamingos (1972)

Dir. John Waters | An exploitation comedy in its most obscene form, this film follows a bizarre woman in her wild, crude, and sickening competition to be named the filthiest person alive.

Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)

Dir. Hector Babenco | A Latin-American revolutionary and a transgender woman share a prison cell. Though initially repulsed by each other, the two form an unlikely friendship.

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (2000) Dir. Stephan Elliott | Two drag queens and a transgender woman bring their act across the Australian outback when they are offered a gig by an estranged wife.

The Birdcage (1996)

Dir. Mike Nichols | The owner of a gay nightclub and his partner must pretend to be a straight couple in order to impress the conservative parents of his son’s fiancÊ.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)

Dir. John Cameron Mitchell | A genderqueer German rock singer tells the story of her search for fame, fortune, and love through music.

If you liked what you saw, write for us in 2020/2021!

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