Average Rating:

.

Death in Venice

Childrens Toy Shop > VHS > Gay and Lesbian
starring: Dirk Bogarde, Romolo Valli, Mark Burns, Nora Ricci, Marisa Berenson
directed by: Luchino Visconti

January 01, 1980
"Death in Venice" (1971) is Visconti's version of the short story of the same name written by Thomas Mann. There are a few changes, but I think that the film is true to the spirit of the story. Did I love this movie? No, but I'd watch it again, because I was impressed by it.

The main character is Gustav von Aschenbach (Dirk Bogarde), an old and famous composer that visits Venice in order to rest, and stays at a splendid hotel. There he sees Tadzio (Bjorn Andresen), a young boy he cannot help but admire. Gustav slowly becomes obsessed with Tadzio, and starts to follow him and his family around the city, admiring him from afar. Has Gustav fallen in love with the boy, or with the fact that he is the personification of beauty and youth, ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

Personal Best

Childrens Toy Shop > VHS > Gay and Lesbian
starring: Mariel Hemingway, Scott Glenn, Patrice Donnelly, Kenny Moore, Jim Moody
directed by: Robert Towne

May 21, 1996
I was lucky that I began seeing films when I did. The beginnings were auspicious - "Far from the Madding Crowd", "Butch Cassidy", "If ...." - but, much as I thought all of these were wonderful films, much as all but "If ...." have stayed with me all this time, I never viewed any of them but once until the advent of DVD, and I'd qualify none as "my favourite film". My favourite film is on offer right here, and it was something I saw four times on its first run.

One thing about "Personal Best" that has, I think, inhibited its recognition is the fact that nobody much has really seen it for what it is. Coming out in 1982, a year after "Chariots of Fire" had taken North America by storm (I've never figured that out yet), "Personal Best" was ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

Deathtrap

Childrens Toy Shop > VHS > Gay and Lesbian
starring: Michael Caine, Christopher Reeve, Dyan Cannon, Irene Worth, Henry Jones
directed by: Sidney Lumet

April 19, 1989
Deathtrap is a truly underrated thriller. While it starts off slow considering most audience standards, it quickly dissolves into a clever, suspenseful, and ingenious comedy thriller. While the first act fares better than the second, the film is fun throughout, taking the audience on a ride of "Who is working against whom and why?" While not always surprising, it's an engrossing little puzzle to try and figure out, and the climax is a suspenseful nail biter. Ira Levin has brought us some true classics (The Stepford Wives, Rosemary's Baby) and this should be among them. It is a twisted good time. Highly recommended to mystery fans.

Average Rating:

.

Ritz, the

Childrens Toy Shop > VHS > Gay and Lesbian
starring: Jack Weston, Rita Moreno, Jerry Stiller, Kaye Ballard, F. Murray Abraham
directed by: Richard Lester

July 02, 1992
This is one of those movies that I play over and over for friends and those who have never heard of it.... and they LOVE it. I can't say more than is already said by other reviewers.... you just HAVE to see it and you will know what we all mean. IT'S a real treasure!!

Average Rating:

.

Nijinsky

Childrens Toy Shop > VHS > Gay and Lesbian
starring: Alan Bates, George De La Pena, Leslie Browne, Alan Badel, Carla Fracci
directed by: Herbert Ross

November 16, 1994
I'm not going to write too much about this exceptional film- The reviewer before me has already done a superb job. I will say this: I saw Nijinsky upon its first release in 1980, and I was impressed enough to return to the theatre again, to see if my original impressions were accurate. I was both enchanted and more than pleased by the entire production. I've read the definitive 1970 biography Nijinsky by Richard Buckle (in fact I still own it), and this film is as close as you will ever get to seeing a portrait of his time. Not only the man, but his peers, and events that shaped and inspired his turbulent vision are portrayed with great care and thought. The colors of the film are vibrant and rich, and true to the art of Leon Bakst, principal designer to the ballet troupe. ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

L' Homme blessé

Childrens Toy Shop > VHS > Gay and Lesbian
starring: Jean-Hugues Anglade, Vittorio Mezzogiorno, Roland Bertin, Lisa Kreuzer, Claude Berri
directed by: Patrice Chéreau


"L'Homme Blesse" is a deeply affecting portrait of human loneliness and alienation that transcends its grittily realistic depiction of the French gay underworld of street hustlers and sex in dark corners. Its themes of isolation, unrequited love and the search for meaningful connections are universal, and are displayed in this film with enormous sensitivity and power.

The main character's struggle is one that most of us have encountered; that being, loving someone who is clearly not right for us, who is trouble with a capital T, and who will eventually lead us down a dark and destructive path. But the character's gnawing hunger for affection and belonging blinds him to those simple truths. In one scene, the character, who turns street hustler and thief to please the one ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

Taxi zum Klo

Childrens Toy Shop > VHS > Gay and Lesbian
starring: Frank Ripploh, Bernd Broaderup, Orpha Termin, Peter Fahrni, Dieter Godde
directed by: Frank Ripploh


"L'Homme Blesse" is a deeply affecting portrait of human loneliness and alienation that transcends its grittily realistic depiction of the French gay underworld of street hustlers and sex in dark corners. Its themes of isolation, unrequited love and the search for meaningful connections are universal, and are displayed in this film with enormous sensitivity and power.

The main character's struggle is one that most of us have encountered; that being, loving someone who is clearly not right for us, who is trouble with a capital T, and who will eventually lead us down a dark and destructive path. But the character's gnawing hunger for affection and belonging blinds him to those simple truths. In one scene, the character, who turns street hustler and thief to please the one ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

Fox and His Friends

Childrens Toy Shop > VHS > Gay and Lesbian
starring: Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Harry Baer, Evelyn Künneke, Elma Karlowa, Kitty Buchhammer
directed by: Rainer Werner Fassbinder

January 01, 1998
FOX AND HIS FRIENDS is one of Fassbinder's most poignant and accessible works. The story and performances are direct, and the look of the film is polished. Yet it also deals powerfully with some of his central themes, such of the search for love, and exploitation in its many forms (both homosexual and heterosexual). Wellspring Media has released a pristine DVD of the film, from a carefully restored print. If offers both a vivid new Dolby 5.1 soundtrack, as well as the original stereo, plus filmographies and Web links.

Fassbinder is very effective at shattering, or at least twisting, stereotypes in his films, whether they concern people from a "different" class (MERCHANT OF FOUR SEASONS), race (ALI: FEAR EATS THE SOUL), age (MOTHER KUSTERS GOES TO HEAVEN), or physical ability ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

As Is

Childrens Toy Shop > VHS > Gay and Lesbian
starring: Colleen Dewhurst, Robert Carradine, Jonathan Hadary, Doug Annear, Joanna Miles
directed by: Michael Lindsay-Hogg

January 20, 1993
I saw the original Broadway play years ago but frankly the movie is much better. Now that we're 20+ years into the AIDS pandemic, it's a little shocking to go back and see how things were in the beginning. However, all is handled nicely and what makes this movie a must see are the actors. Jonathan Hadary is spectacular but the best gem in this movie is Colleen Dewhurst. You will fall in love with her as she explains life. Rent it. Buy it. See it.

Average Rating:

.

Waiting for the Moon

Childrens Toy Shop > VHS > Gay and Lesbian
from: Fox Video

September 23, 1987
I have seen some bad movies in the past but this goes right to the top of the list, I would honestly ask for my money back if I could. I had a friend over to watch this movie with me and we were both fighting to stay awake. I have read books and articles on Gertrude Stien and Alice B Tolkas in the past and thought we about to enjoy a film about these two interesting people and their friends but between the very bad combination of fact and fiction and the jumping back and forward in time this was an absolute disaster.