Do I Sound Gay?
Out journalist David Thorpe's anxiety over sounding gay—an anxiety that has long been a subconscious problem with Our People and historically a source of derision from straight culture—is explored in Thorpe's fast-paced, breezy documentary Do I Sound Gay?
After a breakup with his boyfriend and facing a bit of a midlife crisis, Thorpe decided that his effeminate sounding voice might be part of his problem in attracting the man of his dreams. Deciding to film his journey, Thorpe starts with a visit to a speech therapist in an attempt to "de-gay" his speaking voice and proceeds to interviews with a wide assortment of folks—famous and not-so—on their feelings about the stereotypical gay man's voice.
The journey includes funny and thoughtful insights from Margaret Cho, Dan Savage, George Takei, Tim Gunn, Don Lemon and, most tellingly, author and humorist David Sedaris. Sedaris' rare on-camera interview—a nice coup for Thorpe—is the highlight of the film, which intersperses Thorpe's speech therapy sessions with a fair amount of kvetching on camera. Sedaris confesses that he has carried guilt and embarrassment over his "gay"-sounding voice, and suspects that other gay men have as well.
The film also includes a brief historical overview with clips from The Boys in the Band and other movies and TV shows with prominent gay characters lisping in stereotypical fashion. In addition, several of the talking heads ruminate on the impact of the typical "gay voice" with its perfectly enunciated speech and lilting cadence on culture.
The movie raises some interesting questions about internalized homophobia within our community over gay speak but its scratch-the-surface approach to such a deeply rooted stereotype and too many on-camera moments from Thorpe himself ( his guilt quickly wears out its welcome ) erodes the movie's ultimate impact. Do I Sound Gay? is most successful—and this is not insignificant and makes for an excellent stand-alone reason to see the movie—as a starting point for deeper conversations about this worthy, often overlooked topic within LGBTQ culture. Do I Sound Gay? is available VOD and will play exclusively in Chicago at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St., beginning Friday, July 24. http://www.siskelfilmcenter.org/doisoundgay
Black Alphabet Film Festival Highlights
The Black Alphabet Film Festival ( BAFF )—which is dedicated to showcasing Black LGBTQ cinema—returns for the third year July 23-26 with screenings on the campus of the University of Chicago and the Center on Halsted.
More than 35 features and shorts will be showcased during the festival, many of them Chicago premieres. Highlights include The Year We Thought About Love, Ellen Brodsky's behind-the-scenes documentary about the Boston-based True Colors OUT Youth Theater ( a troupe of young queer performers ) as it prepares a new production. The Same Difference, from director Nneka Onuorah, explores gender roles and discrimination within the African-American lesbian community while P.J. Raval's powerful documentary Before You Know It ( Reeling's Best Documentary prize winner in 2013 ) delves into the unique issues facing LGBTQ seniors.
Shirley Clarke's 1967 Portrait of Jason is a bona fide classic of LGBT cinema, offering a mesmerizing on-camera monologue from its endlessly fascinating subject—Jason Holliday, a prostitute and sometime entertainer. The film, which was restored in 2013, received such attention and critical acclaim that it has now become the subject of a feature film about its making—Jason and Shirley—in which filmmaker and subject confront each other. Visit the fest's website for complete line-up and to purchase advance tickets. www.blackalphabet.org
Recently restored
The Siskel Film Center's Recently Restored series—dedicated to screening both Hollywood classics and unsung films—has been running throughout the month of July and continues through early August.
Several of the films in the line-up are of LGBT interest, including 1959's Suddenly Last Summer ( July 26, 30 ), Gore Vidal's reinterpretation of Tennessee Williams' melodramatic play about the suspicious death "last summer" of a closeted gay man witnessed by his gorgeous cousin ( portrayed by the gorgeous Elizabeth Taylor ). Katharine Hepburn, Montgomery Clift and Mercedes McCambridge co-star. 54: The Director's Cut ( July 31, Aug. 2-3 )—Mark Christopher's 1998 film about the infamous Studio 54 disco with its sensational performance by Mike Myers as gay club owner Steve Rubell—restores the storyline of its bisexual protagonist ( played by dreamy Ryan Phillippe ), a busboy at the club involved with fellow employees Breckin Meyer and his luscious wife, Salma Hayek.
The Maysles brothers seminal documentary 1975 documentary Grey Gardens ( Aug. 1, 5 )—a portrait of mother and daughter Big Edie and Little Edie Beale living in their decaying mansion in tony East Hampton—is always worth taking in, as is Douglas Sirk's 1959 kitsch masterpiece of motherhood and race relations, Imitation of Life ( Aug. 1, 6 ), with Lana Turner, Sandra Dee, wooden but hunky John Gavin as the object of both their affections, Juanita Moore and Susan Kohner. Complete listings, show times and advance tickets are at http://www.siskelfilmcenter.org/recentlyrestored.
Gay Daniel Day-Lewis, beautiful Black Stallion
In 1985, British director Stephen Frears became the indie darling with his warm, thought-provoking and surprisingly romantic drama My Beautiful Laundrette. Based on Hanif Kureishi's richly textured script, Daniel Day-Lewis plays a gay skinhead who falls in love with his childhood friend, a Pakistani man who opens an upscale laundromat in order to impress his class-conscious family. The Criterion Collection has just released a restored version on Blu-ray and DVD with a raft of newly created special features. http://www.criterion.com/films/28044-my-beautiful-laundrette
Criterion has also released a restored version of Caleb Deschanel's 1979 masterpiece The Black Stallion, surely one of the most beautiful films ever made. The simple story relates the bond between a boy and a fierce, wild horse who are the only survivors of a shipwreck. Featuring tremendous acting from child actor Kelly Reno, Teri Garr as his mother and Mickey Rooney ( in an Oscar nominated performance ), the movie casts a dreamy, lyrical spell helped along by Carmine Coppola's gorgeous score ( also Oscar nominated ). The Criterion version includes a batch of new special features as well. Both are highly recommended. http://www.criterion.com/films/28685-the-black-stallion
Upcoming movie calendar
Highlights from films opening in Chicago, July 24 and July 31 ( or available digitally )
Lila & Eve ( open now )—When Viola Davis' son is murdered, she joins a support group and meets Jennifer Lopez as another mother, grieving over the death of her daughter. When justice proves elusive, the two women join together to seek revenge on their own. The movie, directed by Charles Stone ( Drumline ) works better as a drama rather than thriller, thanks to Davis' tremendous performance. The movie is available VOD and is playing exclusively in Chicagoland at the South Barrington 30. http://www.lilaandevemovie.com/
The Black Alphabet Film Festival ( BAFF ) ( 7/23—7/26 )—See listing details above.
Southpaw ( 7/24 )—Jake Gyllenhaal bulked up for this portrait of a boxer whose personal life falls apart as his career gains momentum.
Irrational Man ( 7/24 )—Woody Allen's latest, a mystery drama, stars Joaquin Phoenix as a philosophy professor involved with Emma Stone, who is one of his students. Parker Posey and Jamie Blackley co-star.
Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation ( 7/31 )—Tom Cruise returns for a fifth go round of this mega action thriller centering on the elite IMF organization, reassembled after disbanding to bring down a shadowy evil organization called The Syndicate. Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson and Ving Rhames co-star.
