Homosexuality in Film

It seems to me that gay movies suck. Every single film with homosexual character or an issue in its plot was pretty much a wasted couple of hours. But recently I watched "Mambo Italiano" and was quite impressed. It was cute, the characters were not stereotypical, there was a serious issue wrapped in a sad story and then delivered with a side serving of humor. Brilliant.

Do any of you remember any good movies with a gay theme?

You might want to see a little masterpiece known as "The Conformist."

And about half the films by Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

Actually, I can think of plenty with gay themes or overtly gay plots:

The Birdcage
Boys Don't Cry
Interview With the Vampire
Dog Day Afternoon
American Beauty
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Crying Game

I thought of these just off the top of my head. Birdcage is wonderful because it's funny without ridculing homosexuals as it portrays gay stereotypes and the stereotypes of conservatives, politicians, etc. All of these films and more have homosexual undertones or overtones and are wonderful films. I'm not offended by your "gay movies suck" statement but I think it is a dumb overgeneralization.

Well, I agree with the rest of you that males can have a bond and admit they love one another in a brotherly way without it even being close to gay. It bothers me, too, when people label guys as being gay if they have a close bond of friendship in any film. Keep in mind, J.R. Tolken was a devout Christian and in the Christian religion, the gay lifestyle is utterly forbidden. I don’t think he ever wrote the characters to portray a gay lifestyle, he was simply showing a strong bond of friendship between two men.

This whole homophobic gay thing in society today gets on my nerves, too. Even for someone like me, living alone and not dating as of now, many idiots want to label me as gay. It truly pisses me off because I have no attraction to a mans’ hairy ass and I find no sex appeal in the same sex. I’m still aroused by the beauty of the female and always will be, but in today’s world it is as if you are always walking on egg shells when it comes to a sexual preference. And honestly, I don’t like joking about it either because I feel I need to be defensive about being a straight guy. I mean, God forbid you might like the color pink, you might like the Volkswagon Bug, you might like mushy drama films, or you might enjoy foo-foo drinks; all of which can label a straight guy as being gay. I personally loath people who decided to label us this way and would be happier pissing on their grave when they are long dead!

You can't dismiss every portrayal of male friends in film such as LOTR as gay. It makes for a funny parody but it can't be seriously considered that the filmmakers were trying to get us to think that way. I agree with jayburd on this one. Were the boys in Stand By Me, the Goonies, October Sky or the Sandlot gay? Were Buzz and Woody gay (no pun intended on their names here)? How come female friends are not considered as lesbians as portrayed in such films as Beaches or Fried Green Tomatoes? Are men not allowed to bond with other men in any fashion without being seen as lovers? I think this is a narrow-minded perspective that needs to be broadened; all this homophobia is getting on my nerves. While I'm sure Eddie's comment was meant all in good fun, I just hope no one really and seriously thinks this way. I'm disappointed in myself, since I despise homophobia and racism and yet I spread and laugh at jokes at their expense, so in this case I will take a perhaps liberal stand in their defense.

Dude, when you watch "LOTR 3" and all those little boys are jumping on a white bed basked in sunlight, you know that some strong same-sex lovin' is aboundin'.

If you can find it, "A Special Day" with Sophia Loren as a housewife and Marcello Mastroianni as her neighbor hiding his homosexuality amidst a historic meeting between Mussolini and Hitler.

I've heard that, too. Both from homophobes and from the gay community itself. It bugs the hell out of me that some people dismiss the LOTR trilogy as "gay" while others embrace it for the same reason. In both cases they're wrong.

It is possible for two men to love each other without there being any sexual attraction. Not only is it possible, it's quite common. I've noticed that this is a concept both homosexuals and those who fear them are loath to acknowledge.

Sorry if I offended anyone, but it's hard not to get political in a thread like this...

From what I hear, even the Lord of the Rings trilogy has gay undertones; especially between the characters of Pippen and Merry.

Longtime Companion is a must see...a truly great film about the early days of the AIDS epidemic. All the characters are realistically portrayed. An emotionally powerful film I believe is not only a great movie with a gay theme, but also happens to be one of the best films of the 90'a.