Free Movies You’ll Probably Skip

Posted on Comments

Without comment:

Thursdays this summer at the Atlas Performing Arts Center [in Washington, D.C.] will be Gay 101 – a series of films one must see to be a card-carrying gay man. While most are not gay-themed, all are embraced by the gay and lesbian community. Classics such as All About Eve, and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? will share the screen with campier choices including Mommie Dearest and Valley of the Dolls.

The films will be screened in the Sprenger Theatre, the Atlas’ largest black box space. . . . “We want the Atlas to be a fun destination for the Capitol Hill and H Street Northeast community this summer. We like to think of it as an indoor version of an outdoor movie festival.” said Scott Kenison, Chief Operating Officer of the Atlas. “Only our festival will have air conditioning and best of all, no mosquitoes!”

Schedule:

July 1   Breakfast at Tiffany’s
July 8   Auntie Mame
July 9   Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
July 15   La Cage Aux Folles
July 22   Valley of the Dolls
July 29   Where the Boys Are
Aug 5   All About Eve
Aug 12   Suddenly, Last Summer
Aug 19   Cabaret
Aug 26   Mommie Dearest
Sept 2   Steel Magnolias

34 comments

  3. Moe, you beat me to it.

    And why isn’t “A Single Man” listed? A movie by, for and about gays! What’s a fella got to do to earn his gay card, anyway?

    It’s got Julianne Moore in it, too.

    So that must be worth something.

  4. Moe, you beat me to it.

    And why isn’t “A Single Man” listed? A movie by, for and about gays! What’s a fella got to do to earn his gay card, anyway?

    It’s got Julianne Moore in it, too.

    So that must be worth something.

  17. I’ve seen 6 of these. With the exception of All About Eve, I consider none of them masterpieces, but they were all interesting.

  18. I’ve seen 6 of these. With the exception of All About Eve, I consider none of them masterpieces, but they were all interesting.

  21. Seen them all, and think most are exceptional.

    The only reservations might be about the poor conversion of Suddenly, Last Summer from stage to screen, and I wouldn’t say Valley of the Dolls is any great movie, although it was fine social comment at the time it was made.

    I’d also question the inclusion of Steel Magnolias. Perhaps Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil instead?

    Moe ~ Made me do a spit-take with that, you rotter . . .

  22. Seen them all, and think most are exceptional.

    The only reservations might be about the poor conversion of Suddenly, Last Summer from stage to screen, and I wouldn’t say Valley of the Dolls is any great movie, although it was fine social comment at the time it was made.

    I’d also question the inclusion of Steel Magnolias. Perhaps Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil instead?

    Moe ~ Made me do a spit-take with that, you rotter . . .

  28. I assume Mr. Beamer has not seen CABARET (the other masterpiece in that group beside the one he names).

    I must say, other than the fact its a musical starring Liza Minnelli (aside: what kinda gay film festival has not a single Judy title), what exactly is gay-friendly about CABARET? It portrays Nazism as both a product of and a reaction to permissive sexuality, including the lavender variety. I saw it again about a year ago and Sally Bowles is a 2010-typical flighty libertine party girl revelling shallowly in the deep moral muck surrounding her. I couldn’t believe I was watching a 40-year-old film set 40 years farther back with such a *contemporary* character. Nostradamus ain’t got nothin on Bob Fosse.

  29. I assume Mr. Beamer has not seen CABARET (the other masterpiece in that group beside the one he names).

    I must say, other than the fact its a musical starring Liza Minnelli (aside: what kinda gay film festival has not a single Judy title), what exactly is gay-friendly about CABARET? It portrays Nazism as both a product of and a reaction to permissive sexuality, including the lavender variety. I saw it again about a year ago and Sally Bowles is a 2010-typical flighty libertine party girl revelling shallowly in the deep moral muck surrounding her. I couldn’t believe I was watching a 40-year-old film set 40 years farther back with such a *contemporary* character. Nostradamus ain’t got nothin on Bob Fosse.

  30. […] Stacy McCain says I might skip this particular film festival: Thursdays this summer at the Atlas Performing Arts Center [in Washington, D.C.] will be Gay 101 — a series of films one must see to be a card-carrying gay man. While most are not gay-themed, all are embraced by the gay and lesbian community. Classics such as All About Eve and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? will share the screen with campier choices including Mommie Dearest and Valley of the Dolls. […]

  31. Mr. Morton, I am sorry to say Cabaret is one of the 5 I have not seen. I will defer to your superior taste and accept that it too is a masterpiece, but certainly it can’t be as masterpieceful as All About Eve?

    George Sanders was simply fabulous in that film.

  32. Mr. Morton, I am sorry to say Cabaret is one of the 5 I have not seen. I will defer to your superior taste and accept that it too is a masterpiece, but certainly it can’t be as masterpieceful as All About Eve?

    George Sanders was simply fabulous in that film.

Comments are closed.