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The Lavender Screen: The Gay and Lesbian Films--Their Stars, Makers, Characters, and Critics
A fascinating glimpse into the beginning and development of gay- and lesbian-themed films, from Maedchen in Uniform in 1931 to such current films as Philadelphia and Wilde, provides reviews and evaluations, and details the director's attitude toward public response and criticism. Original.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 21, 2012
The silver screen, writes Boze Hadleigh, is a cornucopia of "minor gay characters, references, and plots."
In its discussion of more than 100 such films,"The Lavender Screen" emphasizes the period after 1959 when gay and lesbian characters became more visible when the Production Code's gay ban was lifted in 1961.
Each chapter, grouped around a single theme such as "Hunks," "Older Men, Younger Men," "Lesbians You Love To/Or Hate," and "Dress Rehearsal," ends with critical comments from the gay and mainstream press, both American and foreign. The most annoying critic included, whose remarks are frequently quoted, is the elitist, homophobic John Simon.
For those who have not seen all or any of the films under scrutiny, there is one problem: Hadleigh tells too much of the plotlines, often giving away the ending.
But that aside, the book deserves a place on the bookshelf or near the VCR for quick reference, even though it is not as scholarly, opinionated, and comprehensive as its predecessor, "The Celluloid Closet," Vito Russo's magnum opus. This book was written with the layman in mind.
Three of "The Lavender Screen"'s highlights are Hadleigh's willingness to name gay names, the behind- the- scenes anecdotes,and its extensive bibliography.
My slightly condensed review was originally published in the Lambda Book Report (March/April 1993).
In its discussion of more than 100 such films,"The Lavender Screen" emphasizes the period after 1959 when gay and lesbian characters became more visible when the Production Code's gay ban was lifted in 1961.
Each chapter, grouped around a single theme such as "Hunks," "Older Men, Younger Men," "Lesbians You Love To/Or Hate," and "Dress Rehearsal," ends with critical comments from the gay and mainstream press, both American and foreign. The most annoying critic included, whose remarks are frequently quoted, is the elitist, homophobic John Simon.
For those who have not seen all or any of the films under scrutiny, there is one problem: Hadleigh tells too much of the plotlines, often giving away the ending.
But that aside, the book deserves a place on the bookshelf or near the VCR for quick reference, even though it is not as scholarly, opinionated, and comprehensive as its predecessor, "The Celluloid Closet," Vito Russo's magnum opus. This book was written with the layman in mind.
Three of "The Lavender Screen"'s highlights are Hadleigh's willingness to name gay names, the behind- the- scenes anecdotes,and its extensive bibliography.
My slightly condensed review was originally published in the Lambda Book Report (March/April 1993).
February 8, 2010
This is a very broad book, that really holds no surprises. BUT! It is well written, and if you knew nothing of gay and lesbian cinema it would be a good start. The edition I have tends to focus very much on mainstream cinema, and kind of ignore the indies (which is what I find to be REALLY about gay life--mainstream cinema isn't about real life at all mostly. . .but anyway). If you don't know where to start in gay cinema, this is a good touchstone, but there are MANY many better (and smarter) movies out there.
February 13, 2016
A nice tome on LGBT cinema in an easy to read format with numerous photos. I never knew there was a biopic of "Ninjinsky"; after "The Lavender Screen" brought it to my attention, the DVD was ordered for a local University library. "Midnight Express" didn't deserve a mention; what that film featured was a brief gay kiss that was rebuffed by its heterosexual recipient.
Glaring omission were the films of Andy Warhol and Rainer Fassbinder.
Glaring omission were the films of Andy Warhol and Rainer Fassbinder.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews