The Celluloid Closet
Jan 30, 1996 | IMDB 7.2
102 min Watch NowDocumentary, History
What "That's Entertainment" did for movie musicals, "The Celluloid Closet" does for Hollywood homosexuality, as this exuberant, eye-opening movie serves up a dazzling hundred-year history of the role of gay men and lesbians have had on the silver screen. Lily Tomlin narrates as Oscar-winning moviemaker Rob Epstein ("The Times of Harvey Milk" and "Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt") and Jeffrey Friedman assemble fabulous footage from 120 films showing the changing face of cinema sexuality, from cruel stereotypes to covert love to the activist triumphs of the 1990s. Tom Hanks, Susan Sarandon, Whoopi Goldberg, Tony Curtis, Harvey Fierstein and Gore Vidal are just a few of the many actors, writers and commentators who provide funny and insightful anecdotes.
MOVIE COMMENTS
SIMILAR MOVIES
Finding Forrester
Hollywood Unmasked 2
The Sound of Identity
Hollywood Haunts
Muxes
Afro Promo
Siamo qui
The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat
Are You Proud?
Out of the Closet, Off the Screen: The Life of William Haines
History on the Run: The Media and the '79 Election
Nothing Like The Sun
Sunny Night
Affirmations
Race d'Ep!
Terenci: la fabulación infinita
Feed Them to the Cannibals!
Warriors of the Discotheque
Peter Hujar's Day
Battle of Soho
SIMILAR MOVIES
Finding Forrester
IMDB 7.1 | Dec , 2000
Gus Van Sant tells the story of a young African American man named Jamal who confronts his talents while living on the streets of the Bronx. He accidentally runs into an old writer named Forrester who discovers his passion for writing. With help from his new mentor Jamal receives a scholarship to a private school.Hollywood Unmasked 2
IMDB 0 | Jul , 2006
Is it possible that the most popular actors and actresses of the 20th and 21st centuries have been, and are, being possessed by demons? Listen to the confessions of the Hollywood elite as they describe how they are truly energized by demonic spirits for their performances. Journey with us again as we pull back the curtain even further on the most powerful mind-shaping institution in the world. Hollywood Unmasked 2 will reveal more hidden truths that were unknown to the average viewer… until now. Presented by Dr. Jason D. Kovar, this video will never allow you to look at casual entertainment the same way again.The Sound of Identity
IMDB 7 | Aug , 2020
In the spotlight of global media coverage, the first transgender woman ever to perform as Don Giovanni in a professional opera, makes her historic debut in one of the reddest states in the U.S.Hollywood Haunts
IMDB 0 | Oct , 1999
The thriving epicenter of American entertainment, Hollywood is the land of glitz and glamour - a place where stars are born, and dreams come to life. Yet, for every dream realized, another dies. The annals of Hollywood history are replete with stories of lives gone wrong, death, and tragic misfortune. Many believe that the spirits of these unfortunate souls still inhabit the "city of angels." In the "Land of Shadow and Light," perhaps restless souls still do wander the famed streets of Hollywood. In this stirring video, you can venture to the city's most popular locations - among both the living and the dead.Muxes
IMDB 7 | Dec , 2016
In the indigenous communities around the town of Juchitán, the world is not divided simply into males and females. The local Zapotec people have made room for a third category, which they call “muxes” - men who consider themselves women and live in a socially sanctioned limbo between the two genders.Afro Promo
IMDB 0 | Jan , 1997
Co-curated by Jenni Olson and the late Black gay activist Karl Knapper, this entertaining showcase of vintage movie trailers traces the evolution of African American cinema through its most crucial period, 1952-1976. Filled with insights on race and social dynamics, this fascinating compendium of coming attractions explores an extensive range of stylistic approaches—Blaxploitation, Comedy, Music Bio, Plantation Drama and more—offering an outrageous joyride through motion picture history. Beyond mere camp, these marvelously condensed gems crystallize a range of African American identities and personalities, tracking the meteoric careers of Sidney Poitier, James Earl Jones, Billy Dee Williams, Richard Pryor, Pam Grier and others through their bold performances in movies both hugely popular and practically forgotten. Afro Promo provides a compact glimpse at the representation of African Americans through twenty-five dynamic years of American cinema history.Siamo qui
IMDB 0 | May , 2024
Activists of the LGBTQ+ association Rain Arcigay Caserta come back living in a property given to them in concession, confiscated from the Camorra in Castel Volturno. The goal is to reconnect with the local inhabitants and propose a new idea of sharing and regenerating the park.The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat
IMDB 7.1 | Jun , 1896
A group of people are standing along the platform of a railway station in La Ciotat, waiting for a train. One is seen coming, at some distance, and eventually stops at the platform. Doors of the railway-cars open and attendants help passengers off and on. Popular legend has it that, when this film was shown, the first-night audience fled the café in terror, fearing being run over by the "approaching" train. This legend has since been identified as promotional embellishment, though there is evidence to suggest that people were astounded at the capabilities of the Lumières' cinématographe.Are You Proud?
IMDB 2.5 | Jul , 2019
Are You Proud? is a vivid and engaged docu-celebration of the LGBT rights movement from the partial victory of the 1967 Sexual Offences Act to Stonewall, the Gay Liberation Front , the AIDS crisis, Legal Marriage and finally the 2016 Pulse night club shooting. The film gives an extensive history of the course of LGBT rights campaigning, but it also shows how much more work there is to be done.Out of the Closet, Off the Screen: The Life of William Haines
IMDB 5.8 | Jun , 2001
Chronicles the life of William Haines, Hollywood's first openly gay movie star, who sacrificed his career to live openly with his lover.History on the Run: The Media and the '79 Election
IMDB 0 | Jul , 1979
This documentary examines the media's coverage of the Canadian federal election of May 1979. Filmed over a 3-week period, it takes a fascinating look at journalists in action and the politicians who attempt to manipulate the media.Nothing Like The Sun
IMDB 2.7 | Jun , 2018
In 1949, Alice Mitchell works as a prostitute on the street. After her situation worsens, she unsuccessfully attempts to reconcile with her estranged family over her homosexuality. She grows infatuated the daughter of a Christian household, Annabel. But she ultimately decides to give up the relationship in order to make peace with her parents.Sunny Night
IMDB 0 | Oct , 2017
On 25th December 2011 the Georgian Patriarch Ilia II described his 34 year-long leadership as head of the Georgian Orthodox Church as a ‘sunny night’. Beginning in 1989, and going up to the present, the film essay Sunny Night tells of political and social events since Georgian Independence. A variety of formats and sources, disparate images and voices report on protests, recommencements, uproars and wars, and religious identity that centres around the dominant religion of the nation. In the midst of the ongoing shifts and the various state of affairs, the patriarch stands out as the only constant figure. Meanwhile the sermonised religion begins to take on radical forms, going as far as priests forming front row human-chains, leading protests of several thousand orthodox believers chasing a handful of LGBT activist throughout the streets of Tbilisi in May 2013.Affirmations
IMDB 5.6 | Jun , 1990
A look at what it's like to be gay and black in America.Race d'Ep!
IMDB 4.8 | Oct , 1979
"Race d’Ep!" (which literally translates to "Breed of Faggots") was made by the “father of queer theory,” Guy Hocquenghem, in collaboration with radical queer filmmaker and provocateur Lionel Soukaz. The film traces the history of modern homosexuality through the twentieth century, from early sexology and the nudes of Baron von Gloeden to gay liberation and cruising on the streets of Paris. Influenced by the groundbreaking work of Michel Foucault on the history of sexuality and reflecting the revolutionary queer activism of its day, "Race d’Ep!" is a shockingly frank, sex-filled experimental documentary about gay culture emerging from the shadows.Terenci: la fabulación infinita
IMDB 6 | Sep , 2023
An account of the life and work of the charismatic Spanish writer Terenci Moix (1942-2003).Feed Them to the Cannibals!
IMDB 3.5 | Jan , 1993
Originally broadcast on ABC's True Stories in 1993, Feed Them to the Cannibals tells the story of Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. It was the first time cameras were allowed at Sleaze Ball and the Mardi Gras Party.Warriors of the Discotheque
IMDB 5.3 | Aug , 2015
The place is the notorious Starck Club (so called because it was the first major project designed by Philippe Starck in the US.) The Starck Club opened in Dallas in 1984 and not long after hosted the 1984 national Republican Convention. Ironically, it was actually legal to buy MDMA aka ecstasy there, people would put it on their credit cards. The DEA stepped in and made it a category 1 drug on July 1, 1985... In a time when ecstasy was legal & guyliner was cool.Peter Hujar's Day
IMDB 0 | Jul , 2025
A recently discovered conversation between photographer Peter Hujar and his friend Linda Rosenkrantz in 1974 reveals a glimpse into New York City’s downtown art scene and the personal struggles and epiphanies that define an artist’s life.Battle of Soho
IMDB 3.5 | May , 2017
In November 2014 the Iconic club Madame Jojos closed its doors. This event being interpreted by many as the death knell of Soho.The gentrification of Soho affects the LGBT community and its Drag Queen sub-culture, but the cabaret atmosphere of the entire neighborhood in enormous ways. This active pursuit to destroy a bubbling and vibrant part of the city's heart is viewed by many as an atrocity akin to turning the lights off on Broadway. Over 3rd of London's music venues have been closed in recent years and no one noticed. An active movement to bring a halt to this disaster has begun to unfold with one organization after another emerging to fight for Soho. Organizations made up of citizens and celebrities have sprung up to combat this onslaught. Will they win this battle and save Soho?