Recently reading up about some interesting Comtemporay Queer Cinema films that a fellow IMDber had recently seen at some film festivals,and also having enjoyed Bruce Le Bruce's 1993 Queer New Wave movie No Skin Off My Ass earlier in the year,I felt that it would be a good time to take a look at a DVD by Odeon Entertainment featuring two very early features in the history of Queer Cinema.
The plot:
Trying to ignore the troubles that are fracturing their relationship,Peter and Buddy decide that they are going to celebrate the upcoming 4th of July with style,by inviting all of their acquaintance's to a huge party that they will be holding in their house.As the various hangers-on start to turn up for a wild night of partying,Peter and Buddy begin to fear that their relationship is about to become permanently broken.
View on the film:
Along with offering a wonderful opportunity to see New York's Fire Island shortly after the Stonewall riots with the on location footage,co- producer/director Stan Lopresto cleverly uses a number of mirror's in the background to show the "fracturing" of Peter and Buddy's relationship,whilst also shooting the movie in an ahead of its time docudrama approach,that along with giving the character's interaction a real intimacy,also makes the unexpected,final rape scene feel extremely raw.Sadly,despite Lopresto's best attempts,the screenplay by co-producer/writer Tom'O Keefe is sadly unable to match his style,by using Peter and Buddy's party as a way to do "short films" on each of the guests.Whilst this anthology approach does give the opportunity to create some terrific sketches,O'Keefe disappointingly decides to focus on the most uninteresting party goers, (a plodding section where a character explains his spirituality stops the film dead in its tracks) which leaves this 4th of July party being one that will be remembered for disappointment,and not for celebration.
The plot:
Trying to ignore the troubles that are fracturing their relationship,Peter and Buddy decide that they are going to celebrate the upcoming 4th of July with style,by inviting all of their acquaintance's to a huge party that they will be holding in their house.As the various hangers-on start to turn up for a wild night of partying,Peter and Buddy begin to fear that their relationship is about to become permanently broken.
View on the film:
Along with offering a wonderful opportunity to see New York's Fire Island shortly after the Stonewall riots with the on location footage,co- producer/director Stan Lopresto cleverly uses a number of mirror's in the background to show the "fracturing" of Peter and Buddy's relationship,whilst also shooting the movie in an ahead of its time docudrama approach,that along with giving the character's interaction a real intimacy,also makes the unexpected,final rape scene feel extremely raw.Sadly,despite Lopresto's best attempts,the screenplay by co-producer/writer Tom'O Keefe is sadly unable to match his style,by using Peter and Buddy's party as a way to do "short films" on each of the guests.Whilst this anthology approach does give the opportunity to create some terrific sketches,O'Keefe disappointingly decides to focus on the most uninteresting party goers, (a plodding section where a character explains his spirituality stops the film dead in its tracks) which leaves this 4th of July party being one that will be remembered for disappointment,and not for celebration.