The Brandon Teena Story (1998)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Directors:

Susan Muska
Gréta Olafsdóttir

Writers:

Susan Muska (writer)
Gréta Olafsdóttir (writer)

Release Date:

23 September 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

Documentary about a multiple murder in rural Nebraska in 1993.

Plot Keywords:

Nebraska | Male Impersonation | Gay Interest | Gay Bashing | Gender Confusion

Awards:

4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Kate Bornstein	...	Herself
JoAnne Brandon	...	Herself
John Lotter	...	Himself
Tom Nissen	...	Himself
Brandon Teena	...	Himself (voice)
Lana Tisdel	...	Herself

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Falls City, Nebraska, USA

Company:

Bless Bless Productions

Movie Connections:

Version of Boys Don't Cry (1999)

Soundtrack:

If You Come Back To Heaven

Why wasn't this a book? There isn't much of a movie here, but it's an interesting story

This could have been, should have been a very good film, but the filmmakers decided to focus on not on Teena Brandon/Brandon Tenna--a woman who passed herself off as a man, even to some of his girlfriends--but instead the rape and murder which occured in his last week of life. While the rape and murder were horrible, the filmmakers never got into the killer's heads enough to make that aspect of the story interesting or informative (film message: some people are bigots and do horrible things). The fascinating questions, such as how could a woman be sexually involved with another woman and not know it, were touched on, but not nearly enough.

I wish the filmmakers had looked into the relationship aspect of this story more. How have Brandon's ex-girlfriend's been affected by knowing that they were involved with a woman? Why did Brandon hang out with the people who killed him?

But then again, the film seemed decidedly amatuerish in most aspects, with little insight in how to use the camera to tell the story. I can't figure out what about the material demanded a film. A book would have allowed a deeper exploration of the interesting material without sacrificing any of the (nonexistant) visual appeal.