Post by klep on Jun 4, 2018 6:50:13 GMT -6
MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 6/4: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
PRIDE WEEK!
It's hard to be queer and out and proud, and it was even harder back in the 90s. There may have been relatively safe enclaves in the larger cities but venturing outside them carried a great deal of risk - not just of verbal abuse, but of real threat to life and limb. And while things have gotten better in the past few decades, that threat still exists today.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert follows a crew of drag queens as they leave the relatively safe confines of their Sydney enclave to take on a month of shows at a resort hotel in Alice Springs. Their journey takes them through the Australian outback, into country that largely greets them with alternately bemusement and contempt.
In Sydney, female impersonators Tick a.k.a. Mitzi (Hugo Weaving) and Adam a.k.a. Felicia (Guy Pearce), and female-presenting trans woman Bernadette (Terence Stamp) have a warm, supportive community. But on the road, things are different. After an afternoon of parading around one town, they seemingly have an ideal confrontation - a hostile woman accosts them at a bar backed by a seemingly unfriendly crowd, but some withering retorts shuts her down and leads to a fun night of drunken revelry. But the next morning they awaken to the unpleasant surprise of Priscilla (the bus) having been vandalized with hateful language. It's a bitter wake-up call from the fun they'd been having, a reminder that society does not truly accept them.
Alone on the open road though they can be themselves, freely and without fear of judgement. Felicia in particular luxuriates in perching on the roof of the bus in extravagant costumes, performing for the world as they cruise the lonely highway. But these moments of freedom are interspersed with regular reminders of the threat of the world around them. When Priscilla breaks down a couple of ranchers seem willing to help Bernadette, but they speed off as soon as they see Mitzi and Felicia in full regalia. The mechanic Bob (Bill Hunter) is friendly and welcoming, but his town is indifferent and the people of the next town over almost kill Felicia. Perhaps ironically the film presents humanity as a far greater threat than being lost in the Australian outback. Really the only truly friendly group of people they encounter on the road between Sydney and Alice Springs is the aborigines who find them in the desert and get them help. Similarly outcast and persecuted, the aborigines welcome the trio with open arms, trading performances and even doing a little drag themselves.
But for all the pride they have in themselves, that hatred and suspicion from outside still has deep effects. When they get to Alice Springs we learn that part of the reason for the trip is for Tick to meet his son. He's married to the resort's boss Marion (Sarah Chadwick), she's gay too, it's a whole thing. It's something he wants but also something he's terrified by. How is an old queen supposed to raise a kid, he asks Bernadette earlier in the journey. A lifetime of persecution has caused Tick to disbelieve his own suitability to be a father - he feels he has to suppress his true self around Benji (Mark Holmes) and is mortified when Benji sees him in costume. Even after everyone insists it's ok, Tick still goes out on a day trip with the whole group in heteronormative attire.
But a heart to heart with his son finally drives it home. Marion has raised this kid right, he's open and welcoming and just wants his dad to be happy. Relieved from his fears, Tick finally feels free to embrace himself again, joining his friends in full costume as they go up to watch the sunset - a cock on a rock in a frock.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 6/11: Victor/Victoria
GENDER NON-CONFORMING WEEK!
Our celebration of queerness continues with Victor/Victoria, a movie about a woman who passes as a man in order to find work as a female impersonator. Julie Andrews got her third Oscar nomination for this film, and we'll be discussing it next week! Victor/Victoria is available for rent on Amazon Video, though it is not free for Prime members.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 5/31: Deadpool 2
Last week's podcast on self-aware sequels concluded with the new Deadpool 2, the followup to 2016's surprise smash hit. We'll have a thread for discussion up on Wednesday. Deadpool 2 is still in theaters.
PRIDE WEEK!
It's hard to be queer and out and proud, and it was even harder back in the 90s. There may have been relatively safe enclaves in the larger cities but venturing outside them carried a great deal of risk - not just of verbal abuse, but of real threat to life and limb. And while things have gotten better in the past few decades, that threat still exists today.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert follows a crew of drag queens as they leave the relatively safe confines of their Sydney enclave to take on a month of shows at a resort hotel in Alice Springs. Their journey takes them through the Australian outback, into country that largely greets them with alternately bemusement and contempt.
In Sydney, female impersonators Tick a.k.a. Mitzi (Hugo Weaving) and Adam a.k.a. Felicia (Guy Pearce), and female-presenting trans woman Bernadette (Terence Stamp) have a warm, supportive community. But on the road, things are different. After an afternoon of parading around one town, they seemingly have an ideal confrontation - a hostile woman accosts them at a bar backed by a seemingly unfriendly crowd, but some withering retorts shuts her down and leads to a fun night of drunken revelry. But the next morning they awaken to the unpleasant surprise of Priscilla (the bus) having been vandalized with hateful language. It's a bitter wake-up call from the fun they'd been having, a reminder that society does not truly accept them.
Alone on the open road though they can be themselves, freely and without fear of judgement. Felicia in particular luxuriates in perching on the roof of the bus in extravagant costumes, performing for the world as they cruise the lonely highway. But these moments of freedom are interspersed with regular reminders of the threat of the world around them. When Priscilla breaks down a couple of ranchers seem willing to help Bernadette, but they speed off as soon as they see Mitzi and Felicia in full regalia. The mechanic Bob (Bill Hunter) is friendly and welcoming, but his town is indifferent and the people of the next town over almost kill Felicia. Perhaps ironically the film presents humanity as a far greater threat than being lost in the Australian outback. Really the only truly friendly group of people they encounter on the road between Sydney and Alice Springs is the aborigines who find them in the desert and get them help. Similarly outcast and persecuted, the aborigines welcome the trio with open arms, trading performances and even doing a little drag themselves.
But for all the pride they have in themselves, that hatred and suspicion from outside still has deep effects. When they get to Alice Springs we learn that part of the reason for the trip is for Tick to meet his son. He's married to the resort's boss Marion (Sarah Chadwick), she's gay too, it's a whole thing. It's something he wants but also something he's terrified by. How is an old queen supposed to raise a kid, he asks Bernadette earlier in the journey. A lifetime of persecution has caused Tick to disbelieve his own suitability to be a father - he feels he has to suppress his true self around Benji (Mark Holmes) and is mortified when Benji sees him in costume. Even after everyone insists it's ok, Tick still goes out on a day trip with the whole group in heteronormative attire.
But a heart to heart with his son finally drives it home. Marion has raised this kid right, he's open and welcoming and just wants his dad to be happy. Relieved from his fears, Tick finally feels free to embrace himself again, joining his friends in full costume as they go up to watch the sunset - a cock on a rock in a frock.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 6/11: Victor/Victoria
GENDER NON-CONFORMING WEEK!
Our celebration of queerness continues with Victor/Victoria, a movie about a woman who passes as a man in order to find work as a female impersonator. Julie Andrews got her third Oscar nomination for this film, and we'll be discussing it next week! Victor/Victoria is available for rent on Amazon Video, though it is not free for Prime members.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 5/31: Deadpool 2
Last week's podcast on self-aware sequels concluded with the new Deadpool 2, the followup to 2016's surprise smash hit. We'll have a thread for discussion up on Wednesday. Deadpool 2 is still in theaters.