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The Celluloid Closet (1995) Certificate 15

The Celluloid Closet

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Rated 3.5 stars
Average rating
(68%)
 
Starring: Lily Tomlin | Tony Curtis | Susie Bright | Arthur Laurents | Armistead Maupin | Whoopi Goldberg | Gore Vidal
Director: Robert Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Studio: DRAKES AVENUE
Run time: 101 mins
Genres: Documentary
Languages: English
Released: May 04, 2009

Based on Vito Russo's groundbreaking 1981 work of film history, The Celluloid Closet gathers clips from dozens of mainstream Hollywood films to illustrate how the movies have dealt explicitly -- and more importantly, implicitly -- with gay and lesbian themes.

Highest rated reviews

9 out of 9 people found the following review helpful:

Rated 5.0 stars
"The Celluloid Closet": Lest we forget

A Customer from Glasgow, 18th May, 2009

Perhaps slightly lost on today's audience. I first saw it in the 90s when it came out, I was still searching for depiction of queer life whilst in the process of discovering my own identity. At the time there was a renaissance of sorts, of the genre and the western world was about to be bombarded with new images in what would be termed by Time magazine 'The Gay Nineties'. To watch the film is to look back at cinema and take notice of the changes that have taken place in the last 80 odd years. A better quality of life as a sexual minority in our culture now, is a testament to the real changes in our society which are there depicted. It is a moving cinematic experience, a celebration of the evolution of queer images and portrayals in films and in their audiences. On top of that the narration by Lily Tomlin and interviews with such stars as Susan Sarandon, Whoopi Goldberg and Shirley MacLaine and such queer icons as Quentin Crisp, Harvey Fierstein and Susie Bright. It is thought provoking and moving in equal measure. I would recommend it to any age group and would add that it might be very beneficial to any young people who are discovering themselves and feeling the pressures of being different. Definitely worth a watch. Top marks from me.

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1 out of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Rated 3.0 stars
informative

gav c from norfolk.UK, 28th November, 2009

interesting and informative...a rainy sunday afternoon movie.

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Rated 4.0 stars
Good doc about LGBT people in film

yagdsa from from , 2nd October, 2011

good documentary about LGBT people in Film - Although it is quite a dated film i still found it really interesting to look at the history of how LGBT people have been portrayed in film since film started really. I would have liked to see more on the portrayal of BME LGBT people in film but i guess due to the time that this was made either there were not any or it wasn't as prominent who knows. Overall a good watch.

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Rated 4.0 stars
A Little Dated Now

OscarFreak from , 15th May, 2011

I first saw this film in Sydney in the mid 90's and its impact on the audience was I never knew that. Now unfortunately it is still informative but with the changes that have taken place in the prevailing years it looks stilted at times, but having said that is still very watchable. Oh for a directors cut version of Spartacus with the bathing scene included!

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Most recent reviews

Rated 5.0 stars
It needs updating - not a critique!

SisterKaff from from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, 4th May, 2011

This film is quite an education, I've seen Celluloid Closet four times now, and still it's fresh, funny, sad and inspiring and ... well it needs an update.

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Rated 4.0 stars
Informative and Interesting

sailbatten from , 22nd March, 2010

It is important that we keep reviewing films like this. Good for everyone see how it was in the past and how easy it is now

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