what's old is new - finally on dvd...

[dean_martin]

The Boys in the Band (1970) was released on dvd last month. Although it drags in places and I'm not really qualified to comment on its current relevancy, upon first viewing over 20 years ago it captivated me - hadn't seen anything like it up to that point.

It's been on sale at barnesandnoble.com - a little cheaper than amazon even with tax.

[Worf101]

So do you think the movie stands the test of time in this post "Brokeback" world? I wonder how many of the cast were/are gay and how many of them survived the pandemic. I've only seen the film once on HBO or Showtime and that was years ago. Wonder why it took so long.

Da Worfster

[dean_martin]

I've only skimmed the surface in researching the stories around the film, but I do recall that at least one of the cast members was a very early casualty of AIDS. I gathered that those early days were frightening. I also remember reading that each of the main character's (Michael's) friends represent a part of his personality and in that respect I think the film transcends some of the stereotypes depicted by the friends. With that point of view in mind, I think it does stand the test of time.

As entertainment, I enjoyed the tension, the "I can read you like a book" back-biting, the individual performances and the way the tension and drama suddenly escalate upon Harold's arrival at the party.

My copy is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I may have more to add after watching it again. The last time I sat down and watched it all the way through was in '94 or '95. I was living in Montgomery, AL at the time which, on the surface, was an extreme right-wing town simmering with racial tension and homophobia due to the antics and outspokeness of its mayor. Interestingly, that surface tension seemed to feed a very active underground, particularly in the gay community. For example, my friends and I were able to see some of the best drag shows ever in Montgomery of all places, but in doing so we risked being placed on the mayor's "list" which was generated by him having police officers cruise the parking lots of the gay clubs and write down tag numbers. My friends and I were bright-eyed law students taking constitutional and criminal law and procedure so we couldn't imagine how the mayor could do anything with such a list. Plus, those antics seemed to really fuel the "underground" making it a fun scene.

Paying close attention to The Boys in the Band at that time in my life also made me appreciate even more some of the friends I had at an earlier time when I first went to college in the mid 80s.

I guess the bottom line is I can relate the film to certain times in my life so I'm not sure whether my opinions on the film's significance today are valid or relevant.