Review of The Celluloid Closet (1996) by Mark O — 07 Dec 2009

Very interesting look at the cloaked "Gay" characters in so many familiar roles. I watched this movie on the recommendation of a heterosexual co-worker, quite a few years my senior. He and his wife loved this film, they saw older movies and TV shows with a whole new perspective on the characters they so enjoyed, but never gave much thought to. This delighful couple, while heterosexual, had a good deal of Gay friends and colleagues.

This documentary-style, historical look at Films & TV, scrutinizes some characters, both male and female, in leading, supporting, or even light-hearted, walk-on cameo roles. The narration of certain scences are done by some notable stars in their own right, including, Lily Tomlin and Shirley Mclain.

The objective of this film is to point out obviously Gay characters in many classic TV, movies and films. It does so in a sympathetic way, but also levels critisizm of the motion picture industry for the often cheap-laughs had at the expense of the Gay Community. Worse yet, during certain periods in our nations history, Gays and Lesbians were not viable characters unless they met an untimely demise, or had the holy-crap beat out of them by s bunch of so-called, "Good Guys".

The Celluloid Closet is worth a watch; very thought provoking.

Despite this film being recommended to me by a Hetero couple, I suspect the Gay Community will enjoy this look at hidden Gays in movies more than the straight.

I would give it a â??Must-Seeâ?? for the Gay Community and for Film-Buffs/Students.

Three stars for people of above-average intellect, who understand The Gay population is the last group of people whom get second-class treatment, rights and in many States it's still legal to descrimnate agaist them. Some of that descrimnation may have been influenced by the subliminal messages in these old movies!