I Am My Own Woman 
(Original title: Ich bin meine eigene Frau)
Director: Rosa von Praunheim
Germany: 1992: 90 mins.: Gay / Transvestite/ Biographical Drama
With: Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, Jens Taschner, Iehgola Androgyn, Robert Dietl, Beate Jung, Sylvia Seelow, Evelyn Cron, Utz Krause, Rainer Luhn, Tima die Goettliche, Lina Androwna, Ovo Maltine, Bert Pesalla, Andreas Schroeck, Joachim Stargard and Valentin Passoni:

This film is based on the true life story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, who is the best known Transvestite in East Germany and now in the entire Germany. It traces her/his early life when he/she kills the brutal father in order to protect both himself and his mother. He/she ends up in prison and then to the times during the War he/she always living as a transvestite no matter how hard it proved to be. Organizing a gay get together place (which was watched by the police) getting a large older house and collecting furniture which he/she opens as a museum. Goes from his/her youth in East Germany and on to today - where He/she a symbol of bravery and idealism for today's German lesbians and gays. This is a very good film and a good history of Charlotte - so if you have not seen it please do.:
Note : Unhappily a party given by He/She was attacked by skinheads and some people got hurt so Charlotte has decided to leave Germany to go to Sweden. He/ she survived the Nazi's and yet not longer feels safe in the free reunited Germany... very very sad. Phillip

I Can't Sleep   
(Original title: J'ai pas sommeil)
(AKA: I'm Not Sleepy)
Director: Claire Denis
France / Switzerland : 1994 : 112 Mins. Drama Thriller drugs gay prostitution serial killer
With Richard Courcet as Camille, Katherina Golubeva as Daiga and Alex Descas as Theo:

Daiga comes from Lithuania to Paris. She needs a place to stay and meets Theo, who is a musician barely making it and his brother Camille who is a transvestite dancer. Want to know more - see the film !. Phillip

I Don't Kiss
(Original title J'embrasse pas)
Director: André Téchiné
France / Italy : 1991 : 115 Mins.: Drama france gay prostitution
With : Philippe Noiret as Romain, Emmanuelle Béart as Ingrid, Manuel Blanc as Pierre Lacaze, Hélène Vincent as Evelyne, Ivan Desny as Dimitri, Christophe Bernard as Le Mac, Roschdy Zem as Said, Raphaëline Goupilleau as Mireille, Michèle Moretti as a Drama class teacher, Philippe Adam and Jean-Christophe Bouvet

This is the story of a young man who leave his small native town to come to Paris. It is the 1991 and his dream is to become a famous actor. His dream soon turns into a nightmare as he is too naive and inexperienced for the big city. He needs money so he starts working a prostitute. He somehow manages to keep his innocence even in this situation. Phillip

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If These Walls Could Talk 2 

2000: 96 mins:

From: Jane Anderson

With: Vanessa Redgrave, Sharon Stone and Ellen DeGeneres

One houses, three tales. Over the period of 40 years we follow three lesbians relations. If after 50 years together its partner dies, becomes Amy as a family do not consider by hospital and heirs. A young feministe touches amorously and is faced with its preconceptions. And a lesbian cross-belt wants children, but all those decisions which must be taken! Phillip

Improper Conduct
[Original title : Mauvaise conduite]
[Aka Title : Bad Conduct]
Directors: Nestor Almendros & Orlando Jimenez Leal
France: 1984: 112 Mins.: Documentary Cuba gay homosexuality & persecution
With: Reynaldo Arenas as Himself, G. Cabrera Infante as Himself, Fidel Castro as Himself, Carlos Franqui as Himself, Herberto Padilla as Himself and Susan as Herself:

This is a documentary about Cuba and the way homosexuals are persecuted. When you see this you will be happy to Gay and living outside of Cuba. The poor gays in CUBA! When will it end ? Phillip

In a Glass Cage
[Original title : Tras el cristal]
Director: Agustín Villaronga
Spain: 1985: 100 Mins.: Drama Horror child abuse gay and war crimes
With: Imma Colomer, David Cuspinera, Gisele Echevarria, Josue Guasch, Alberto Manzano, Günther Meisner as Klaus, Marisa Paredes as Griselda and David Sust as Angelo::

This film is about a Nazi doctor who liked young boys and uses his position to get them during the war . Due to his guilt for using all these young boys he decides to commit kill himself and jumps off a roof but he did not die and is confined to an iron lung. One of his victims comes back into the story as a nurse and the two meet again - what happens is a very sick film ! I won't say see it for you can decide for yourself if you want to see it and if you like it - I did not. Phillip

In and Out
USA : 1997 : Gay comedy
Director: Frank Oz
With Wilford Brimley, Joan Cusack, Matt Dillon, Kevin Kline, Bob Newhart as Tom Halliwell, Debbie Reynolds and Tom Selleck

I watch this film last night and I can tell you I saw one of the best gay comedies that I have ever seen. This is one of the first comedies about being gay and coming out that lets you laugh and feel great about being gay at the same time !. It is the story of a school teacher in a small town who's life takes a strange turn when one of his ex students wins the Oscar (Matt Dillon with Blond hair and a Oscar winning role !) and announces on TV that the teacher (play wonderfully by Kevin Kline) is gay - much to the teacher surprise ! What follows is a comedy about a guy who has hidden his feelings all his life and is even willing to marry a woman to keep the illusion up. At first he tells everyone that it is not true but he slowly comes to the point where he can finally come out. He is helped by Tom Selleck - who is a gay reporter and is at this small town to cover this story. He helps out by kissing Kevin on the lips and awakening his gayness - sort of like sleeping beauty but with two men. The teacher goes to his wedding but then comes out in front of all the guests. He then gets fired for being gay and in then the town stand by their man and support him. In the end it looks like Kevin and Tom will end up together ! This is a DON'T MISS FILM and a GREAT Comedy ! You have to see it and I promise you will be proud to be GAY ! OH the teachers Mother is played wonderfully by Debbie Reynolds but the rest of the cast is also PERFECT !  Phillip

Note: This film is a WOW !

In a Year With 13 Moons
[Original title : In einem Jahr mit 13 Monden]
Director / Writer / Cinematographer / Editor : Rainer Werner Fassbinder
West Germany: 1978: 124 mins.: Drama / Transvestite
With : Volker Spengler as Elvira (formally Erwin):

In this Fassbinder film - which was filmed in Frankfurt am Main, Germany takes place the story of Elvira (formerly Erwin) Weisshaupt. He has under gone a sex change in order to finally get Anton who was a co-worker and the man that Erwin tought he loved. The reply was "Too bad, you aren't a woman," so what did Erwin do - he became Elvira. The film opens with him being beat up while cruising for men and then later he gets also beat up by Anton. Yes he is an ugly woman but so what - he does not deserve all this ugliness that he gets from men. To see how he makes out or what happens to him or if he keeps his man - see this Fassbinder work.  Phillip

In Bad Baste: The John Waters Story:
90 mins: Made for TV:

This is a documentary which traces the career of John Water and has interviews with a few of his film stars It also contains a lot of interesting info about Divine !  Phillip

In Cold Blood
Director: Richard Brooks
USA: 1967:134 Mins : filmed in B/W: Drama brutal murders : gay lovers
With: Robert Blake as Perry Smith and Scott Wilson as Dick Hickock

This is the story of two lovers who when without the other, are really nothing but when the two were together they could commit brutal killings of an entire family. The film is in two sequences the first is the crime and the second is the court trial and the execution of the two of them. A very violent but fascinating film and the black and white filming makes it even better. Don't be mad at me when you discover that the words GAY & GAY LOVERS are totally removed from the film. You know Hollywood !
Note: Truman Capote wrote the novel for this filThis is a really entertaining film about a young girl who lands a job at the biggest and best Fashion Magazine even though she knows nothing about fashion nor has she any interest in it.m. He spend a lot of time meeting and interviewing both Perry and Dick. Summary: for a gay and a write to spend so much time on a brutal murder true story is very strange to me,  but of course Perry and Dick had a relationship together so maybe that is why Truman was so interested in them. The two liked Truman so much that they gave told him step by step what actually happened creating an actual chronicle of the murders. It was also remade recently with the same title - director: Jonathan Kaplan and with Anthony Edwards as Dick Hickock and Eric Roberts as Perry Smith. I haven't seen the remake but will review it when I do. Phillip

Independent Focus John Waters
30 mins: Made for TV:

This is another look at John Waters and again contains a lot of info about his actors including Divine. Phillip

Indian Summer
[USA title : Alive and Kicking]
Director: Nancy Meckler
UK: 1997: 100 Mins. Comedy Drama aids dance gay love
With: Jason Flemyng as. Tonio, Anthony Higgins, Bill Nighy, Antony Sher as Jack and Dorothy Tutin

This film is the story of a totally committed young dancer who must change his life and career goals when he discovers that he has AIDS. As he faces the fact that he could die, he meets an older man who is just what he needs in his life and the older man become his lover and friend and steady companion. The older lover also helps him adjust to this new situation. 

Independence Day
Director: Roland Emmerich.
With: Harvey Fierstein:

This is a sci-fi film with a twist it has Harvey Fierstein recreating his
sissy role in it. He prances, swishes and tries out to be the “queen of scream” in this well filmed sci-fi... See it - if only for Harvey´s performance...Phillip

In the Gloaming
Director: Christopher Reeves (debut)
USA: 1997: Made for Cable TV: 62 mins: Gay Main Character / Aids
With: Glenn Close as the mother and  Robert Sean Leonard as Danny:

This is the story of a gay guy called Danny and is very sick with Aids. It is the tender story of him coming home to his parents to die. He goes home to die and deals with how all this is handled by the parents. A very tender loving film with excellent acting and direction ! Phillip

Note: this is a must must see and bring a hankie with you !!!

Inn Trouble
Director: Christina Rey
USA: 1996: 92 mins: Lesbian Main Characters
With: Melissa Aronson and Christina Rey amongst others:

This is the story of a Lesbian bed and breakfast inn. When the owner dies she leaves this inn to the people who had stayed there in the past. You can imagine that her relatives (who are homophobic) are not happy with this decision and so the story forward ! Phillip

Inside Daisy Clover
Director: Robert Mulligan
USA: 1965: 128 Mins.: Drama Musical with Gay Character
With: Robert Redford as Wade Lewis, Natalie Wood as Daisy Clover and Christopher Plummer as Raymond Swan:

What - you always wanted the see the younger Robert Redford as a homosexual - well this is as close as you will get - he plays Wade Lewis a movie start who can never ever resist a handsome - charming boy. Since this was one of the earliest roles for Robert Redford, the studio decided to cut out all the words saying that he was a homosexual so what is left is a sort of bisexual who marries an up and coming young star Daisy Clover (who is 15 years old)- They elope and even on his wedding night he leaves her for another man. This doesn't sound like a bisexual to me but a pure and simple homosexual marrying for his image. Who knows maybe one day they will put this film back to its original script but for now he is bisexual and that is the end of that. Phillip

It's Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in School
Director: Debra Chasnoff
199

This advanced documentary shows what can be done to educate the  primary and secondary school children about gays and lesbians. Of course there are political people and parents who do not like this way of education but it is produced with style and simplicity.Phillip

It's in the Water
USA: 1998: 100 mins: gay / lesbian main characters and with homophobic town people
With: Teresa Garrett and Keri Jo Chapman amongst others:

My oh my, this film is very complicated.

In a small town called Azalea Springs there is to be a new Aids wing of the local hospital. The local charity group is to include the aids wing in their do good work. Then a gay who is being “cute” starts a rumor that the water causes people to be gay. The entire town switches to bottled water –yea yea so are straights!

Then, to top it all there is a group of gays who want to be straight called the Brother Daniel's Homo-No-Mo. The local newspaper owners son is a closet gay and even though he goes to the Brother Daniel's Homo-No-More meetings but gets very involved with Thomas who is a Latino house painter and has come to the Brother Daniel's Homo-No-More meeting by mistake. There is also Alex who is a socialite who wants to help the aids people and during her time at the hospital she meets a long lost school friend Grace. They also become very close and this starts the town to gossip more...I guess that is enough explaining – this is mad mad film to find out how everything turns out...Phillip

Note: even John Waters could not have made a crazier film !!!

Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls In Love, The
Director: Maria Maggenti
1995: 94 mins: Teenage Lesbian Main Characters
Starring: Laurel Holloman and Nicole Parker amongst others:

This is a romantic film about two teenage girls who fall in love despite their young ages and their very different back-grounds. A good film to see.... Phillip

Interview with the Vampire
Director: Neil Jordan
With: Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt:

I don't care if they tried remove a lot of the homosexual stuff in this film because anyone who see the film will see that there are homosexual relationships happening – and with so many hunky vampires to lust after this film is a definite a must see ! Phillip

Note: The male vampires seem to like other men's blood too :-)

In the Flesh
Director: Ben Taylor
1997
With: Dane Ritter as Olivier, Ed Corbin as Philip, Roxzane T. Mims as Leut. Krane and Julie R. Lee (as Julie Lee) as Ginger Biscuits

Oliver is 21 years old clean - cut student by day with well to do parents but at night he´s a gay hustler. He see a murder and gets helped out by Philip who is an undercover policeman. Philip takes Oliver home and he gets more than an alibi. They enter into a relationship ! WOW if it were only so easy :-)) Phillip

I Like You, I Like You Very Much
(Original title : Anata-ga suki desu, dai suki des)
Director: Hiroyuki Oki
Japan: 1994: 58 Mins.: gay love triangle
With: Hisanori Kitakaze, Kazufumi Nishimoto, Hiroyuki Oki, Kazunori Shibuya and Yoji Tanaka:

Well what to say about this film: The boys are very slim and like to show their ass. It is a Japanese gay film. The story is basically one young man is picked up by another and they have a - sort of relationship until the one guy seeing a new one who he is hot for. The rest of the film reveals on how they both accept this new twist.
Note: The director has a long way to come if he wants to make really good films and next time I hope he get a better camera man (Warhol style camera shots are out since  years...) Phillip

It is Not the Homosexual Who is Perverse but the Society in Which He Lives  
[Original title: Nicht der Homosexuelle ist pervers...]
Director: Rosa von Praunheim
Germany (West): 1970: 85 Mins.: Gay / Drama:

This is the story of David who is a closeted gay. He start the process of coming out by having an affair with another man and then proceeds to look through the Gay Underground in Berlin uncovering all the seediness and various tries of life styles offered there. He gets involved with the wrong crowd visiting gay bars and cruising areas. After trying many different things he decides to live in a Gay - Hippie commune with other men. There is a horrible violent scene where a gay is beat up at a toilette and this is the scene I remember most when thing of this film.

Note :This film is credited with the starting of Gay Liberation groups in several German cities - it got some people fighting mad. Also many gay men viewed this film as an attach on their lifestyles and so there was a taping of - An Audience response to It's Not the Homosexual after a showing of the film (in 1973) and during an audience discussion of the film and an interview with Rosa von Praunheim. Phillip

I Shot Andy Warhol
Director: Mary Harpoon
USA: 1996: 100 Mins.: 1960s biographical Lesbian / Gay Characters
With: Lili Taylor as Valerie Saloons, Jared Harris as Andy Warhol, Stephen Dorm as Candy Darling, Martha Plimpton .as Steve Lather Bullet as. Maraca Grids, Donna Litchi as Gerald Malign, Jamie Harold as. Jack Curates, Thane Welsh as Viva, Craig Chestier as. Fred Hughes, Michael Imperial as Online, James Lyons as. Billy Name, Cocoa McPherson as Bridged Polka, Regional Ridges as Paul Moresby and Myriad Cry as Ultra Violet:

This film recreates the Carol factory and the early days when Warhol was finding his place in the world. All the interesting Warhol characters from his life are all back in this film It is the true story of the shooting of Andy Warhol by a Lesbian. She was upset at him for not using a script of hers as a film among other things so she shot him. The world stopped for many of us until we knew that he was out of danger and would live.
Note: It recreates great Warhol dialog such as this: TV Reporter: Why do you spend your time making underground films? Andy Warhol: It's easier than painting. TV Reporter: Which painters do you like best? Andy Warhol: Oh, all of them. Phillip

It´s My Party  
Director: Randal Kleiser
USA: 1995: 110 min.: Gay / AIDS /Drama
With: Gregory Harrison as. Brandon, Eric Roberts as Nick Stark, Theis Margaret Cho, Bruce Davison, Lee Grant, Roddy McDowall, Olivia Newton-John, Paul Regina, George Segal, Christopher Atkins, Sally Kellerman, Greg Louganis

WOW, this is a great but sad film. It is the story of Brandon and Nick who are lovers. They are rich and handsome and were viewed as the ideal couple until Nick tells Brandon the he has AIDS. Brandon can not face this and makes excuses to not come home and not have sex. It shakes his character and while he loves Nick he does not want to go on in the relationship. So Nick is forced to leave the house they planned and built together and their life together. A very hard thing and sad thing for Nick to do as he does not want to die and want to stay in their home. One year later, after their breakup, Nick is very sick and his immune system is almost nil plus a brain condition (lets not get medical here) is making him forget things and it is getting worse and worse. He has seen friends get this and does not want to let the sickness make him a vegetable without a memory - which will happen in a few day, So he decided to have one last party and have all his friends and family come for it. At the end of the party in which he plans to say good-bye to all his friends and family ( which will last a couple of days ) he plans to commit suicide with the help of his new lover who is a Doctor. The one problem is that Brandon finds out about the party and suicide and comes to make his piece with Nick. Nick is very bitter and it takes most of the party for him to come to terms with Brandon and make up. Brandon must leave on a trip with his new lover but instead stays with Brandon until the suicide is over even though Nicks friends and most of his family see him as the person who deserted Nick in his most needing time. Phillip

Note : I cried at this film and was not able to talk for hours after seeing it - so please do not choose to see it before going out or to a party as you WILL be effected when see the film. The cast is simple GREAT ! The story is Simple the BEST and the filming is Everything you could ask for in a film..... See it - See it See it. !!!!

I've Heard the Mermaids Singing
Director: Patricia Rozema
Canada: 1987: 84 mins: Lesbian Main Characters
With: Sheila McCarthy, Paule Baillargeon amongst others:

This lesbian film about two women who work at an art gallery. One is the boss and called Gabrielle and the other one is the worker. The worker is falling in love with her boss but since she is a little on the mousie side it does n´t work out . It is a really good film so rent it and see if you like it too !! Phillip

I Want What I Want
[Aka Titles: I Want What I Want: To Be a Woman ]
Director: John Dexter
UK: 1972: 105 mins.: Drama /Transsexual / Sex Change
With: Anne Haywood, Daphne Anderson, Harry Andrews and Jill Bennett:

This film proves that you should :
1. Never do a film in order to make your wife a star
and
2. Never work with your wife.
This is a melodramatic film which tries to be tender about a subject which was difficult in the 1970s - mainly a young man who want to become a woman in the 1960s. Anne Haywood never convinces you that she was either the male or female in the film. Even when glass is used to cut the penis off (Ugh!) This film is very very rarely shown - I wonder why ? Phillip