Customer Reviews

Homo Heights

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

 

 

Someday in the near future this film will be remade and become a classic gay comedy, however this time around there is just something missing. The cast includes, Quentin Crisp, Lea Delaria, Stephen Sorrentino, David Fenly, Emil Herrera, and Michelle Hutchison. The story is about a gay icon who's being held captive by the drag queen Maria Callous (who also happens to be the leader of the gay mafia.) This movie is definatly a movie which should be rented, however a professional remake of this movie would be hysterical. Just something about the whole look of the movie that doesn't make it as funny as it thinks it is.

I don't understand the terrible reviews. You don't watch something like this and expect Citizen Kane. For a no-budget film that was dressed from a drag queen's rent controlled flat, it is really very good. And I cherish every moment of Quentin Crisp on the screen. I would be entranced just watching him read the phone book. And I would much rather watch this than any of the hundreds of insipid, coming out films that have flooded the market in recent years. Films like this remind us that queer culture had it's genesis in the underground, where it grew into a rare and fabulous flower. It seems now that everyone wants to get married, adopt babies, and live tastefully in the suburbs. It's like they're saying, "You can accept us now. We're just like straight people." Well, I'd rather be, as Quentin said, in the gutter but looking at the stars. Great film.

"Homo Heights" revolves around an older man named Malcolm (played by Quentin Crisp), who is somewhat of an idol to the gay community in town. Malcolm desperately wants to leave said town, but the gay-mafia boss, a drag-queen named Maria Callous, needs Malcolm in town to keep her power. The movie, then, is more or less Malcolm's friend's trying to outwit Callous and help Malcolm escape.

Simple plot. This movie is really just a vehicle for campy jokes and situations. And while it works sometime, most of the time we're confused.

For instance, Quentin Crisp is a captivating character. His collection of Hollywood memorabilia is too funny-- including Charleton Heston's codpiece.

But while other characters have some great moments, and the script references some movies and people that are hilarious in their obscurity (Astrud Gilberto, anyone?)-- most of the movie is muddled and confused. There are so many side plots in this movie it takes until about 3/4 into the film that you actually understand where everyone stands. Lea DeLaria, especially, gets caught up in some bad film making that will have the viewer simply asking, "what?" There are times when I was so confused that I contemplated just turning it off. It would have been much easier than trying to figure out what was supposed to be happening.

Some people I was talking to praised the campy humor of this film. Indeed, some of the jokes are very good-- and very smart. But it takes more than good jokes to make a movie. The film reads as a mound of good jokes that don't always fit together.

My advice to the filmmaker-- find a stronger script to carry your witty jokes. My advice to the viewer-- get "Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss" instead. It has lots of the camp-- but it balances that with a much more understandable plot.

This film is so far and above anything in the "gay movie" genre it's almost as hilarious as the movie itself. It's fascinating to continually read the mixed reviews on this film. Most people simply don't get it! It's witty, entertaining, thought provoking, and beautifully written and has that very fanatastical (and too often non-existent) quality of being able to transport you to another world. But it's that world that either infuriates people or engulfs them. I loved it. And thanks to Fellini for the obvious inspiration!

This just may be one of the worst gay themed movies I have ever seen and I make it my practice to see as many as are avialable. The film is a completely disjointed, confusing mess. The only saving grace is the presence of Lea DeLaria. Ms DeLaria makes no false moves...ever. She has a natural talent and the camera loves her. DeLaria has the remarkable ability to make the[...] crap she is given to act here seem like the sweetest perfume.
Rent, do not buy this movie, if you have to see it.

Sketch after sketch after sketch, intended to be comical, but ending up just being tedious.