Some that may have flown under the radar (or is that gaydar?)...

Few people seem to be alert to these intriguing films w/ gay themes or undertones:
The Dying Gaul: Campbell Scott, Peter Saarsgard, and Patricia Clarkson in a sly, somewhat wicked film by Craig Lucas. Very well made, well acted (with that cast, what else?) and very disturbing.

The Best Way: Patrick Dewaere and Patrick Bouchitey are counselors at a boy's summer camp in 1960's France. Moments of sexual tension that make one hold one's breath. A very impressive debut film by former Truffaut assistant, Claude Miller

Thieves: Daniel Auteuil and Catherine Deneuve compete for the affections of some unmemorable young woman. As this is an Andre Techine film, don't expect to laugh (or even smile). It is well done, however.

Menage or Tenue de Soiree: A farce from Bertrand Blier that explores the mysteries of attraction. Hunky thug Gerard Depardieu experiences a coup de foudre while breaking into the home of mousy Michel Blanc and Miou-Miou, and it isn't the pretty wife who snares his heart. I believe this film was from the late '80's when Depardieu was watching his diet a bit more stringently.

Victim: A very important film from Great Britain that explores a time when gays were targeted heavily by blackmailers. A very handsome Dirk Bogarde plays a married barrister who's closeted life (as were the lives of just about eveyone at that time, I guess) causes the death of a young man. It may seem preachy by today's standards, but given the social context, it's a pretty gutsy movie.

Tags: foreign, underappreciated/little seen

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Permalink Reply by Will on July 20, 2008 at 1:17pm: Man, we see eye to eye on that one.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by mighty on July 20, 2008 at 4:27pm: It was one of those films, I just didn't see what the big deal was and it felt too made for tv movie of the week.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Headcheese on July 20, 2008 at 5:21pm: But it was Sweet!!! lmao; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by mighty on July 20, 2008 at 6:06pm: It was. I have said this to others and I do contradict myself by saying so, but I am so sick of mediocrity in LGBT Films. It isn't too often that I find films in this genre that I really like. The last two I watched that I liked and many would disagree, were "The Year of 13 Moons" and "Querelle". Both directed by Fasbinder. Some could say that 13 Moons play into the stereotype of the tragic transgendered, but the reasons are different.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Will on July 20, 2008 at 6:23pm: Your description of Eden is apt, and I concur as well w/ the level of achievement in LGBT films. I do have a problem w/ RWF, but the kind of discussion that would require would monopolize the discussion for each of us to state our positions.
Thanks for affirming some of my thoughts.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by meow meow on July 21, 2008 at 7:19pm: Well, I'm just happy that there is more for us to choose from than in the 80's early 90's when there were only one or two good gay films that everyone had seen...
It's funny how a lot of earlier films that were so much more offensive in context -because there were so few positive images of LGBT in film- are now sort like cultural icons now... I mean The Castro Theater' recently gave a showing of Cruising
One of the films that I liked (but didn't admit to at the time), Wild Side
, just became available on Netflix. The way I remember it, Anne Heche is a hooker that beats Christopher Walken. Christopher Walken sodomizes this one dude. That dude sodomizes Anne Heche. Anne Heche and Joan Chen (Walken's Wife) have really hot sex. What can I say, I really enjoyed it.
Recently I watched the Best of Boys in Love on Instant-Watch. It's a collection of short films, some are OK. I really liked the last one -nice boy on boy action!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by mighty on July 21, 2008 at 7:35pm: I am trying to remember the name of this lesbian nun movie and I don't remember the name. I do know it is Sister something or The Betrayl of Sister something. I know not very helpful. I guess at the time it was released lesbians were outraged b/c of the portrayel. Does anybody know the name? I know I am as vague as possible.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Will on July 22, 2008 at 2:53am: If it was quite a while back, it might have been The Lady of Monza, starring the very limited Anne Heywood (The Fox, and a laughable transgender tale: I Want What I Want [ad copy featured pictures of Heywood before and after w/ captions: "This is Roy, This is Wendy"). Like Pia Zadora to follow her, Heywood was married to older guy (Raymond Stoss) w/ megabucks. The Fox was possibly the only film of any merit that he set up the financing for to placate his wife.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by mighty on July 22, 2008 at 3:12pm: I found out the name of it. It's called the Killing of Sister George.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Will on July 22, 2008 at 3:32pm: Honestly, I thought that at first, but you mentioned nuns. Sorry.
Regards,
Will; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by mighty on July 22, 2008 at 4:09pm: All I could remember from my b-day party was someone mentioning this movie and from the title I thought it might be about a lesbian nun. All I know is it caused an outrage by the lesbian community when it first came out.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by meow meow on July 23, 2008 at 1:46am: OK- I just put The Killing of Sister George on my queue. The description says it was originally rated X.; ▶ Reply to This