Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss (1998)

Billy is a gay fine-arts photographer who falls in love with straight coffee-shop waiter Gabriel.

Director:

Tommy O'Haver

Writer:

Tommy O'Haver

Stars:

Sean Hayes, Brad Rowe, Armando Valdes-Kennedy

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sean Hayes	...	Billy Collier (as Sean P. Hayes)
Armando Valdes-Kennedy	...	Fernando
Mr. Dan	...	Drag Queen
Chad Boardman	...	Drag Chorus
Rodney Chester	...	Drag Chorus
Eric Davenport	...	Drag Chorus
Meredith Scott Lynn	...	Georgiana
Les Borsay	...	Les
Brad Rowe	...	Gabriel
Holly Woodlawn	...	Holly
Niles Jenson	...	Diedre
Christopher Bradley	...	Andrew
Mark Allen Anderson	...	Peter (as Mark Anderson)
Kimiko Gelman	...	Donna
Richard Ganoung	...	Perry

Storyline

Billy, a struggling young gay photographer (who likes Polaroids), tired of being the "other man", falls in love with Gabriel, a waiter and aspiring musician who is probably straight but possibly gay or at least curious. Billy tries to get Gabriel to model for his latest project, a series of remakes of famous Hollywood screen kisses, featuring male couples, while also trying to win his affections.

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Plot Keywords:

gay | waiter | love | photographer | gay photographer | 

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Taglines:

Lights!... Camera!... Attraction!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some sexuality and drug content

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

24 July 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Billy's Hollywood

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$117,089, 26 July 1998, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,020,700, 20 September 1998

Company Credits

Production Co:

Revolutionary Eye LLC

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min 89 min (video)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Richard Ganoung (Perry) starred in a groundbreaking gay-themed film called "Parting Glances", set in the mid-80s when the AIDS crisis was at its peak. His best friend, a gay man who had AIDS, was played by a very young Steve Buscemi.

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Goofs

Level of wine in the bottle when Billy and Gabriel are on the beach.

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Quotes

Georgiana: Freak, party of one. Your table is ready.

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Crazy Credits

Faerie godmother - joan moseley

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Connections

References Flower Drum Song (1961)

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Soundtracks

Frenesí
Written by Alberto Domínguez
Performed by Xavier Cugat

User Reviews

Sweet-natured comedy hits all the right grace notes

"Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss"

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (Panavision)

Sound format: Dolby Stereo

An LA photographer (Sean Hayes) falls madly in lust with an aspiring model (Brad Rowe) who's been hired to pose in a series of pictures inspired by old-time Hollywood movies. But Hayes receives mixed signals from the object of his desire - is he gay, or isn't he? - which leads to complications of the heart...

Described as a 'trifle' by writer-director Tommy O'Haver (ELLA ENCHANTED), this unassuming confection asks little more of its audience than to enjoy the scenery (both geographical and human!) and to pine along with its luckless protagonist as he pursues the hunk of his dreams. Those familiar with Hayes' outrageous turn in TV's "Will & Grace" may be disappointed by his restraint as a bland, scatterbrained idealist who learns the hard way that the course of true love never ran smoothly, especially in LA. Spiced with dream sequences that recreate moments from Hollywood's 'golden age' (most impressively, an Astaire-Rogers dance routine between Hayes and Rowe to the strains of Petula Clark, with drag queens on backing vocals!), the film pays affectionate tribute to the movies of a bygone era, movies which inspire the leading character on his never-ending quest for perfect happiness. Watch out for the magical scene in which Hayes and Rowe share a bed for purely platonic reasons, only to end up touching each other by 'accident'...

Also starring Meredith Scott Lynn (STANDING ON FISHES), Richard Ganoung (PARTING GLANCES), Paul Bartel (EATING RAOUL), Carmine D. Giovinazzo (IN ENEMY HANDS), and Warhol 'superstar' Holly Woodlawn (WOMEN IN REVOLT) as a musical attraction at the gayest party in town! Beautiful widescreen cinematography by Mark Mervis (HELLBENT).