Thursday, January 26, 2012
TIME CAPSULE
Today's gay film is the East German
This is the first gay film to be made in the People's Republic. The day it was released, the Berlin Wall came down. Out and down.
A teacher comes out and faces all the dilemmas and conflict that I personally remember. He has a previous history of gay action, relationships but pushes that down. He meets a girl and begins a serious affair with her. She becomes pregnant.
In the meantime, he meets the old flame and finds himself back in the bars where he finds a young man and both fall into infatuation.
The shit hits the fan. There is even a disapproving mother.
It is a fine film.
All the gay stuff rings very true. When he first goes to the bar, there is a party going on. Everyone in costume. Drag, butch, the whole thing. He is freaked out but stays. The atmosphere of the party is very intimidating but he stays. It being a German party it is even a bit more outré. Think Cabaret.
Many many faces are shown throughout the film of the full gamut of gay personas. In other words "people". An older man tells his experience as a gay man during the Hitler period. So we see a continuum. Back to that terrible time, to the time of the film. And we know the rest of the story until today.
It is of its time but never once does it look dated. To the extent that the world has changed, gay life and straight's reaction to it, is beside the point. This is where we come from. And it is universal.
And it is realistic. Love from the first date isn't enduring love. Everyone who looks liberated is not. The courage to change and be yourself is front and center.
This film is not on the favorite list. It has barely appeared here. But Netflix has it. I will give it a 4 out of Netfliix5.
