90s gay film
The Gayest Movies That Aren’t Actually Gay, from ‘Barbie’ and ‘Burlesque’ to ‘Venom’ and ‘Road House’
With editorial contributions by Alison Foreman, Lattanzio, Jude Dry, Tom Brueggemann, and Mark Peikert.
‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939)
What it is: If you’ve been living under a Kansas farm dropped on you by a twister and need an explainer, ‘The Wizard of Oz’ is MGM’s iconic musical adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s classic children’s manual, starring Judy Garland as a prairie girl exploring a magical world of adventure.
Why it’s gay: Well, consider how ‘Friend of Dorothy’ is a widespread slang term for homosexual men and that should be sufficient explanation. But if you need more convincing, ‘The Wizard of Oz’s’ campy, colorful musical story has long been interpreted through a lgbtq+ lens, as a metaphor for LGBT people who venture outside of black-and-white middle America for homosexual communities in cities prefer New York or San Francisco. There are so many moments and characters in the film that come across now as unintentional nods to the queer
Before playing queer characters became surefire Oscar bait, movies about LGBTQ+ existence were scarce and underseen — but those that existed were still powerful. In 1993, Tom Hanks won an Oscar for his portrayal of a lawyer fighting a battle against his control employer, having been dismissed due to his sexuality and for being HIV positive, in Philadelphia. A new era of effusively gay 1990s cinema was, by this aim , already in motion, but they were operating on a less mainstream level than the awards-friendly big studio features.
Many have, over moment, crafted huge legacies: Paris is Burning remains a gender non-conforming classic over 30 years later, despite being criticised for its probing and cishetero-friendly framing by many who arrive in it. And despite its (assumedly) hetero leads, My Own Private Idaho holds a particular place in many queer hearts.
But what about the underground movies, the shallow budget affairs, that didn’t get the love they deserved back then? Skillfully, here are 10 of them you can catch up with and stream in present day.
1. Butterfly Kiss (1995)
This sapphic romantic-thriller was the big screen directorial debut of prolific British filmmaker Michael Winter
The Rectangular View
If you’re looking for something decent to observe for Pride, you’re sure to detect it in this list of the best queer movies from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. Some of the films listed are modern gay classics, others are veiled gems.
The Boys in the Band (1970)
The Boys in the Band directed by William Friedkin is a must-see for anybody interested in gay cinema. It’s not an easy film to watch, but it’s an honest depiction of the heartfelt damage caused from living in the closet.
You can decipher my review of The Boys in the Band here.
The Hunger (1983)
The Hunger is a sexy bisexual vampire horror starring Catherin Deneuve, David Bowie, and Suan Sarandon. Bowie plays a vampire who is rapidly aging, Deneuve is Bowie’s wife and Sarandon is the woman Deneuve is planning to use as Bowie’s replacement.
The Hunger is hip, stylish, highly stylized, and sexy.
An Early Frost (1985)
An Early Frost is a made for TV movie, and the first motion picture made by a major studio to talk about AIDS. It has a top-notch cast and was viewed in 34 million households across the Merged States when it aired
Ahead of Glorious Call Me By Your Name, Here are 9 LGBT Coming-of-Age Films From the ’90s
The LGBT coming-of-age movie has come a lengthy, long way. In 2016, the world watched in astonishment (and some initial confusion) as Moonlight won the Academy Award for Best Picture. It was an incredible moment in which African-Americans and LGBT people saw a story about their communities embraced by mainstream culture. A year and half later, another LGBT coming-of-age clip, Call Me by Your Name, is a powerful front-runner in this year’s fast approaching awards season. The ways in which sexual orientation or gender expression initiate us into the adult world seems, at last, to hold gained the stature of a universal story.
LGBT coming of age movies came of age themselves in the 1990s. Prior to then, they weren’t unheard of, just too few and far between. Once the 90s arrived, however, both gay and non-gay filmmakers took full advantage of newfound cinematic and societal freedoms. Here are nine from the 90s – among many others – that merit a glance back.
Paris Is Burning(1990). This groundbreaking documentary explores Harlem’s once-underground ball scene, in w
Best LGBTQ+ Movies of the '90s, Ranked
LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream cinema has arrive a long way since the '90s. Now, we see more and more queer films being awarded at the Oscars, reaching wider audiences, and achieving international acclaim and victory. Streaming services are constantly adding more inclusive titles, such as Horseplay, Fanfic, Lonesome, and You Can Live Forever. This is partially due to the '90s being a stepping stone and marking a change in filmmaking, with LGBTQ+ content becoming more mainstream through flicks such as The Birdcage and Philadelphia.
While films such as those mentioned previously were achieving more commercial triumph, there was also a surge happening in less accessible works through the rise of New Lgbtq+ Cinema, a movement of LGBTQ+ movies that produced impactful titles, thus paving the way for more popular content. From Heavenly Creatures to Paris is Burning, here are the best LGBTQ+ movies of the '90s.
Updated June 2023: If you are interested in queer cinema, you're in luck. This article has been updated with additional content and entries by Mona Bassil.
11 Celestial Creatures
Directed by Peter J