Customer Reviews

Boys' Shorts

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Boys' Shorts showcases six of the finest gay shorts produced in the last four years. This feature-length program, spanning the work of filmmakers from the U.S., Canada, England and Australia, exemplifies the quality, defiance and self-affirmation of The New Queer Cinema. B. Ruby Rich, in her ground-breaking article in Sight & Sound on The New Queer Cinema, wrote: "These works are irreverent, energetic, alternatively minimalist and excessive. Above all, they're full of pleasure. They're here, they're queer, get hip to them." " - From Frameline

RSVP Director: Laurie Lynd 1991 Canada 23 mins. A powerful and moving portrait of loss, punctuated by the haunting recording of La Spectre de la Rose, performed by Jessye Norman.

Anthem Director: Marlon Riggs 1990 USA 9 mins. A collage of erotic images and a call to arms, with a feverish hip-hop energy that celebrates the lives of African American men.

Relax Director: Christopher Newby 1991 Great Britain 25 mins. An elegant film about one man's fears and fantasies regarding HIV testing.

Billy Turner's Secret Director: Michael Mayson 1990 USA 26 mins. An upbeat, slickly produced, energetic comedy about a young Black man coming out to his homophobic roommate.

The Dead Boys' Club Director: Mark Christopher 1992 USA 25 mins. A charming and poignant tribute to the '70s world of promiscuity and glitter balls, firmly rooted in the American cinematic tradition (it pays tribute to The Wizard of Oz) and in gay life in the '90s.

The films in Boys Shorts are, to be blunt, boring. I found myself fast forwarding looking for the next bit of dialog or human interaction. A few of these directors have fallen into the arrogant trap of believing that their work is so good that it needs neither plot nor momentum. It's not.

My advice is to leave these shorts to their owners. They are from the early 90s, and feel even older. They will never become classics. They feel like film school projects. Several of them might well garner an A from the teacher, but none are worth public exhibition. Save your money.

Showcases six of the finest gay shorts produced in the 90's and exemplifies the quality, defiance and self-affirmation of the New Queer Cinema. BOYS' SHORTS includes RESONANCE (Dir. Stephen Cummins), an exploration of a gay-bashing in the back streets of Sydney; RSVP (Dir. Laurie Lynd), a powerful portrait of loss punctuated by the haunting voice of Jessye Norman; ANTHEM (Dir. Marlon Riggs), a collage of erotic images that celebrates the lives of African American men; RELAX 9Dir. Christopher Newby), an elegant film about one man's fears and fantasies regarding HIV testing; BILLY TURNER'S SECRET (Dir. Michael Mayson), an upbeat, energetic comedy about a young Black man coming out to his homophobic roommate; and THE DEAD BOYS' CLUB (Dir. Mark Christopher), a steamy and poignant tribute to the '70s world of promiscuity and disco balls from the perspective of gay life in the '90s. Color and B&W, 119 min., NTSC

I saw this in a theater in Chicago and found it to be an excellent and entertaining group of short films that attempted to span the experience of what it is to be young ang gay. Some were moving, many were quite funny. It wasn't just me! I make a point of listening to the comments of those around me. (A sort of informal "exit poll" if you will). The audience I was with had nothing but nice things to say about this as they were leaving the theater. This is FAR from a waste of your time. However, I do understand that later entries in this series have slippied in quality. Please do not let that keep you away from this extremely enjoyable collection of films.

I am replacing my VHS copy of this video with a DVD so that I will be able to watch it long after VCRs have disappeared. And I'm doing so solely for the short "The Dead Boys' Club". I first saw this at a film festival and it has become not just my favourite short film but one of my favourite movies period.

I came out in the 80s just after AIDS had changed the gay community forever. But I was absolutely fascinated by the stories I'd hear from older guys about the heady, care-free days of the 70s that had come before me. This film brilliantly captures the dream-like appeal of that bygone era for people that have never experienced it. (Although it does it with a very modern bias - all the guys in the flashbacks are far too clean cut and smooth chested to be from the 70s!) At the same time it also makes the most powerful statement about the intensely personal impact of AIDS that I have ever seen on film. And it does this despite - or maybe because of - never mentioning the word once. Subtley is so rare in gay films. In fact, so is anything resembling a decent script. It perfectly captures that bitter-sweet reality of growing up, only in this case it's an entire community's adolesence that's on view. That's why I am holding on to this little gem as long as I can.

This is an abysmal collection of short gay movies. Some are pointless, some are totally incomprehensible, but ALL of them are really awful. I am at least of normal intelligence, so if I don't "get it" the problem isn't with me. Move on. Don't waste your time.