Vito (2011)

The story of Vito Russo, founding father of the gay liberation movement, author of "The Celluloid Closet," and vociferous AIDS activist in the 1980s.

Director:

Jeffrey Schwarz

Stars:

Phyllis Antonellis, George Bancroft, Richard Barrios

5 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Phyllis Antonellis	...	Herself - Cousin
George Bancroft	...	Bill Bailey
Richard Barrios	...	Himself
Edmund Bergler	...	Himself - Psychoanalyst, Writer (archive footage) (as Edmund Bergler M.D.)
Richard Berkowitz	...	Himself - Author
Lenny Bloom	...	Himself - Friend & Lawyer (as Leonard Bloom)
Jay Blotcher	...	Himself
Malcolm Boyd	...	Himself (as Reverend Malcolm Boyd)
Stephen Boyd	...	Messala
Joseph Brewer	...	Himself
Lee Brewster	...	Himself - Queens Liberation Front (archive footage)
Tom Brokaw	...	Himself (archive footage)
Billie Burke	...	Glinda
Marcus A. Conant	...	Himself (archive footage)
Jane Darwell	...	Mrs. Winchell - Jack's Mother

Storyline

In the aftermath of Stonewall, a newly politicized Vito Russo found his voice as a gay activist and critic of LGBT representation in the media. He went on to write "The Celluloid Closet," the first book to critique Hollywood's portrayals of gays on screen. During the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, Vito became a passionate advocate for justice via the newly formed ACT UP, before his death in 1990.

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Plot Keywords:

gay | 1980s | aids | celluloid closet | act up | 

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Taglines:

Every revolution needs a voice.

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography | History

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official distributor's page for the film. [Germany] (German) Official distributor's page for the film. [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 October 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Na gej heroj - Vito

Filming Locations:

Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Automat Pictures, Making it Big

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Color:

Color Black and White (film excerpts)

Did You Know?

Trivia

David Ehrenstein is listed two different ways on screen, first as "Member, Gay Activists Alliance," and second as "Film Critic."

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Connections

Features Blood Money (1933)

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Soundtracks

Friends
Written by Buzzy Linhart and Mark Klingman
Performed by Bette Midler

User Reviews

A good documentary.

I had never heard of Vito Russo before I watched this documentary, which makes me feel a bit bad. He was highly influential in both the gay rights and AIDS awareness campaigns, eventually dying of AIDS-related complications in 1990.

I have to admit, I was a little bit worried that the documentary would be too niche for me to enjoy. I had just watched a documentary about bird watchers in Central Park, and that had been a bit boring. So, when I saw that this was about a gay rights activist, I was a little skeptical that it might interest me, even though I'm a big supporter. It turns out that this is actually quite well done, with some interesting interviews and enough information that people like me can understand the importance and influence of Vito Russo.

As the documentary went on, I found myself more and more impressed with Russo, agreeing with him quite often. It would have been interesting to see what he thought of Clinton and his "don't ask, don't tell" policy. I have a feeling that Russo would have blasted Clinton for that. Unfortunately, we'll never know.

While not quite as good as Crumb or King of Kong, this is still a good documentary, and I can readily recommend it to anyone, as long as they're not homophobic. Russo was a progressive, so his politics may alienate Republicans, but I doubt that many of them are going to be watching this, anyway.