Review of The Celluloid Closet (1996) by Lady D — 27 Dec 2007

I'm shocked that no one on my list has seen this. I DVr'd it off of Logo and we watched it tonight.

You know, it's funny... In the heterosexual world a generation is 20 or 30 years, but in the gay world a generation lasts more like 5 to 7 years...so I've only experienced a few generations.

The Celluloid Closet (perfectly narrated by Lily Tomlin) gave me so much insight into how the world (US via Hollywood) was for gay people before I ever came along.

And, this made me laugh, as it pointed out gay subtext in film from the 1910s to 1994ish (it was made in 1995), I laugherd because I had seen scenes I was sure had gay undertones, but then dismissed it assuming I think everything is gay ;-).

And it also made me happy...that Hollywood and perception of gay people in America has changed even more, for the better, in the years since this documentary was made.

Good for everyone to see, even heterosexuals. It'll make you think, and give you a historical perspective. I can guarantee it'll make you think of things in ways you never have before.