silveragelovechild

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You can now buy a goblet depicting the Eye of Sauron!

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QUEER

I’ve been aware of William S. Burroughs for sometime as a gay author from the Beat Generation. I’ve never read any of his books because I knew he was well known as a drug addict. Because of my response to growing up with an alcoholic father, I’ve always found it difficult to read or watch material involving addicts. 

The film “Queer” was directed by Luca Guadagnino who is best known for “Call me by your Name” (2017) and “Challengers” (released earlier this year). All three films feature well known “straight” actors portraying gay or bisexual men. 

It’s not often that an actor of Daniel Craig’s caliber is willing to portray a gay character, and participate in graphic sex scenes with another man. I’m glad Craig was able to unshackled constraints of his 007 persona. But i found it hard to assess his performance. Although the acting is naturalistic in the film, everything else about the film is very stylized - from sets that look like they are on sound stage, to model planes used for airport scenes. And at times Craig evokes Benoit Blanc from Knives Out with his southern charm and white linen suit. 

Queer is told in three parts, the most interesting was Part One. It’s set in Mexico during the 1950s. Craig plays William Lee, an American Ex-Pat. He’s become obsessed with Eugene Allerton, a handsome younger man played by Drew Starkey. Lee doesn’t know whether Allerton is gay, so he proceeds slowly. There have been a few times where I’ve been attracted another guy, and wanted to take it further, so I know the intensity of that desire. (BTW, Starkey is very good at conveying an is-he-or-isn’t-he appeal.)

In Part Two, Craig invites Starkey to travel with him to South America. My interest started to wane as the story focused more Craig suffering from detox and trying to find new sources for drugs. I wondered why Starkey’s character continued to be involved with him. Why did he stay? Why didn’t he dump him?

Part Three reveals the reason for the trip. He’s searching for a rare plant that if consumed will give you the power of telepathy. (I didn’t expect the movie to venture into sci-fi territory.) Craig/Lee’s trek through the jungle is unconvincing (definitely a studio set). Starkey/Lee mostly becomes a background character as if the author didn’t know what to do with him. In truth, if I had been watching at home on TV, I might have turned it off (but the nude interpretive dance was fun to watch). 

There are two other performances worth mentioning. Jason Schwartzman plays a fictionalized version of Allen Ginsberg (a friend and contemporary of Burroughs). He wears a pretty obvious fat-suit which makes the movie even more off-kilter.

English actress Lesley Manville is unrecognizable in the third part of the film. She plays a grubby looking doctor living who has gone “native” while researching a mysterious plant.

And the sex scenes? Yes, they are pretty intense. Craig doesn’t do any frontal nudity (unlike early in his career) but there’s lots of kissing and simulated oral and anal sex. There’s frontal shot Starkey in the distance but it could have been a body double. And I will say his straight-acting object of gay desire is very sexy. 

And that nude interpretive dance I mentioned? Craig and Starkey’s bodies morphing and merging together like an alien monster - or was that a drug induced hallucination?

With its pluses and minuses, I’d rate Queer at 3.5 out of 5 stars.

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Thor by Steve Rude

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35 years later…

Brando in “The Island of Dr. Moreau” (1996)

Marlon Brando in One-Eyed Jacks (1961)

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This has got to be Robert Downey Jr’s most dubious achievement - appearing in movies in both Blackface and Yellowface. That’s a White Actor wears make-up to impersonate a Black/African character or makeup to portray an Asian character.

RDJ in YellowFace in “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” (2011)

RDJ in Blackface in “Tropic Thunder” (2008)

These were common practices in Hollywood throughout the 20th Century, but less common in the 21st Century. Some people in Hollywood still defend the practice (Ben Stiller who directed RDJ in Tropic Thunder.)

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Alan Scott

Art by Nick Robles

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“Wings” (1927) stars Richard Arlen & Charles 'Buddy' Rogers as WWI pilot. Their affection near the end of the film is considered there first on screen kiss between two men; and possibly the first on screen Gay kiss as well.

Other photos from the film seem to suggest the Gay Theory has some substance. Although the two men are involved in a love triangle with Clara Bow, Arlen and Roger’s appear affectionate throughout the film.

In this shot, Clara Bow seems to resigned to the fact that the men love each other.

And at the end of the kiss, Arlen tenderly strokes Rogers’ head.

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Super-Santa

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Some fantastic print of Marvel’s First Family by Des Taylor.

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In a recent Interview with the Podcast The Town, Denis Villeneuve said he had no interest in directing a Star Wars movie.

Why? The franchise jumped-the-shark with the introduction of the Ewoks in Return of the Jedi (1984).

I contend that Star Wars jumped-the-shark much earlier - with the broadcast of the Star Wars Holiday Special on November 17, 1978. It featured future Golden Girl Bea Arthur as a bartender at Mos Eisley cantina, comedian Harvey Korman in drag, and Chewbacca’s father Itchy, his wife Malla, and his son Lumpy.

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Danny Earls - Superman and Batman