Analyze a Doc of Your Choice

The Celluloid Closet is a documentary that follows the history of homosexuality in film and the evolution of these depictions throughout the years. The documentary is chronological in nature and follows the different eras of treatment towards gays and lesbians in Hollywood. The theme of the documentary was very pro gay and emphasized the power of cinematic images over our subconscious. It started in the earliest depictions where pansies or fancy men were often depicted with negative or humorous connotations attached to their image. It transitions into periods where censorship caused homosexual depictions to have to be sneakier in films. Often these characters would have to pay the price for their malicious love in the end with death or would even be cast as villains in the piece. The documentary does a great job of depicting the feelings of people who went through this time period and how these pictures influenced their self-esteem. The pacing of the documentary keeps the viewer interested throughout and despite seeing these clips from films where gays and lesbians were depicted as monsters; the viewer can get a sense of hope at the end. It would be very interesting to see an updated version of this documentary or a second part. Film and television has transitioned into a period where LGBT visibility is on the rise, but different depictions have led to different reactions. It would be interesting to discuss some of these developments and include interviews from the various openly gay actors around today.

The Celluloid Closet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhygdCjYrdk