Customer Reviews

Stonewall [VHS]

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Stonewall is a joy to watch on many levels. As an historical (with a liberal dose of fiction) account of the Stonewall riots it shows the horror of the hatred and oppressions gays, trannies and dykes had to endure. As a love story it celebrates diversity and shows the difficulties that occur when a relationship is not sanctioned by society. As a drag musical it rocks.

As a student of gay and lesbian history and the fight for human rights it was interesting to see a film that blows away the myth that gay and lesbian rights are a white middle class issue. The Stonewall riots were about multiple layers of oppression and it is well documented that it was the latinos, blacks and transvestites who, on that night, finally said enough is enough. The contrast with the conformist white middle class push for equality on someone else's terms is handled well.

As for the performances, they are uniformally excellent. Guillermo Diaz is superb as La Miranda, Fred Weller great as Matty but it is Duane Boutte who is unstoppable as Bostonia. Her role as Queen of the Scene is a showstopper. The drag musical numbers are handled simply and effectively with a great 60's girl bands soundtrack. The story involves several relationships of various people all revolving around the Stonewall Bar and leading up to the night the riots commenced. The tragic events (including wonderful footage of Judy Garland's funeral) build to boiling point with an emotional intensity. The relief and celebration once the actual riots commence are palpable. The film manages to capture the fear and pride that the rioters must have felt in actually being there.

See this film for a wonderful fictional account of one of the turning points in human rights history. See it to remind yourself that it wasn't that long ago that gays and lesbians were less than citizens. See this film because it captures the way in which society can condone or not condone relationships. Above all just enjoy superb acting, wonderful music and an engrossing script.

Enjoyed this movie. The (i believe) fictional characters provide an entertaining story and backdrop to the real Stonewall event.

We tend to forget how gays & lesbians were treated as real criminals as little as 30 years ago - when police raided gay bars just to beat up the patrons, and get their names published in the daily paper, assuring you that you would lose your job and be outted in a very public way. I was cringing in my seat at some of the stuff we had to deal with back then - considering how open we are today. Really makes you think.

Nice film with a cute story against the historical backdrop.

The amazing thing about the Stonewall riots is that while they happened only 31 years ago, no one really knows what happened. The press coverage was completely inaccurate and homophobic, and if everyone who said they were there actually was, Manhattan would have crumbled under the weight. With that said, this is a very warm rendition of what could have happened. In some places the story is right on accurate (the drag queens and their can-can lines are fact, that is one thing that historians are pretty sure about, and at least one drag queen showed up at the daft board in full drag). In other places the movie presents a plausible idea of what might have happened (no one knows what sparked the riots, but a drag queen who was being arrested and who resisted is one of the theories). Not that the whole movie is fact, obviously the characters were made up, and in some areas the film takes poetic license with history (the final bar that the Village Voice reporter ended up in was a gay bar, but it was not the Stonewall). What is more disturbing is that the film compressed the decades of struggle by the homophile movement into one year, portrayed NYC as the only place where homophile activism was going on, and presented the movement a monolithic as opposed to multi-fractioned. In the end though, the story is sweet, even if the dialogue is laughable at times. It's a great way to get a first taste of the riots and an idea of what was going on at the time. Guillermo Diaz was amazing as La Miranda, and I loved all of the drag queens in the film who were wonderful. If nothing else, see this film so that you can see those fabulous queens lip sink to the amazing soundtrack.

I was surprised of how well-made this flick is! I thought it was going to be a tongue 'n' cheek, frivilous extravaganza; well, tongue 'n' cheek it is, and it's filled with extravagant singing numbers a la Greece, but frivolous it ain't.

This fun film has its heartbreaking and sobering moments as it tells a fictional account of the Stonewall riots that started the Gay Civil Rights movement back in 1969. Even though the story is fictional, it's very real and very relevant especially in this day and age of systematic assault on our hard-earned civil rights.

Gays these days don't know how good they have it! That's why this movie is a must-see for it's a reminder that the freedoms gays and lesbians have now weren't granted to them by society then, and by then I mean just 35 years ago! These rights and freedoms readily enjoyed were fought for with blood and lives sacrificed.

Don't think for one second that those rights couldn't be taken away any second and then you'll see you quickly people turn. Complacency is a luxury we all cannot afford in this age of Patriot Acts and other civil rights slayers.

Rent it or buy it now, but please see it!

My "Stonewall" DVD arrived from Amazon today - and it is absolutely perfect:- it's in the original 4:3 ratio as expected (i.e. not falsely letterboxed to pander to 16:9 screens), but just as important it's in full, pristine stereo. "Stonewall" is regularly aired on Australia's ABC TV - but tragically only in mono. There are simple menus and minimal extras, but the DVD transfer is first class in every respect - and a fitting compliment to all involved with the film, including Nigel Finch the late great director.

"Stonewall" - The Movie was the last film project by Nigel Finch and he died before it was completed. He succeeds in stunning fashion in combining the joys and struggles of youth in an emerging gay rights movement, with the stories of people who already live through severe struggle every day - Blacks, Latinos, transgenders. "Stonewall" shows that the white middle-class gay men were coming from a privileged position - they try to challenge the law and can't even get themselves refused a drink.

Nigel Finch keeps entertainment as a prime consideration, with occasional asides into fantasy musical numbers and some excellent humour (and true drama). We form emotional bonds with several characters - Matty, Bostonia and La Miranda. Bostonia gives us a rare understanding of each transgender's right to choose what they want for their body. Duane Boutte plays this powerful and pivotal character to perfection.

Just recently I watched a tape of one of my all-time favourite documentaries "Kurt Vonnegut" (1983 BBC Films, Arena Series) and was surprised to find that Nigel Finch was the director (he directed several award winning "Arena" documentaries). Nigel's style is clearly evident in both these films - vibrant, slightly surreal, superb script, perfectly timed, absolute integrity to the subject matter and totally entertaining.

Just as with "Kurt Vonnegut", "Stonewall" is a valuable piece of cultural history in the most attractive of packaging.

Stonewall, the 1996 movie directed by Nigel Finch portrays a fictional account of the events surrounding the Stonewall Riots on June 28, 1969. The story follows the lives of several people: the small town young guy who arrives in New York to express his "freedom" only to find it doesn't exist; the transvestite who befriends the young guy and is rejected from the military draft as a sexual deviant; the "straight acting", but homosexual owner of the Stonewall Inn and his transvestite lover. The movie also follows a group of people that were part of very early Homosexual Rights Organizations (the word "gay" was not a common term used in the late 1960's). The movie takes us to an era not often viewed in most mainstream "gay topic" films (i.e. "In & Out", "The Birdcage") - the 60's Gay Life. Stonewall was real - oppression was real - organized groups of activists were real, so the story is clearly based on real events, but the characters and the story line are the writer's fictional account. The movie also contains real news coverage of Judy Garland's death, many of whom believe sparked the riots one week later. There is certainly humor in this movie, but I would categorize it as more of a drama - it was very emotional in some parts, as well as moving, violent and sexual. It was rated R for a reason. I particularly enjoyed the scene on the bus where marchers sang - I felt like I was there, fighting for the cause. The only downside to the film (hence our 4 star rating, not 5) was the heavy emphasis on the drag queens in the story. I find it difficult to believe they were so active in the late 60's - but I was only born in 1965, so who am I to know! The most frightening thing about this movie is that it is based on events that occurred just 30 years ago!

As a student of gay and lesbian history I approached this movie with a cautious mind. My caution was soon overcome by the fabulous characters, plot and honest (but fictitious) depiction of what it was like to be shunned by society. The Stonewall riots were fought by people who were marginalised in many ways-dykes, latinos, transvestites, drag queens and African-Americans fought the original gay battles that were soon taken over by a white middle class. That is why the movie spoke to me. It showed that the human rights battle is not a white middle class only issue but is an issue no matter who you are.

Aside from the history lesson, Stonewall combines a great story, great songs, great characters, embellishes them all with some self-depreciating drag queen wit and punches home a fab movie that leaves you feeling how far we've come and how far we've still got to go. A great human rights story told with love and humour. Buy it.

What can I say but "We are the Stonewall girls, we wear our hair in curls la la la la....."

I thought I should own and watch this movie, since it was on the birth of equal rights for Gays (being the good little queer I am). It was so funny, and educational. I can not believe I had not heard of it until I browsed the Gay/Lesbian section of Amazon. The acting is great, and the period clothing is dead on. Don't rent it, you'll just want to go buy it afterwards, so put your rental $$ towards to purchase.

This is a deeply flawed and highly entertaining Stonewall pastiche. It is told through the eyes of "Matty Dean," a small town boy recently relocated to NYC to discover gay life. He finds that gay life in NYC isn't all he'd cracked it up to be, and is arrested, disappointed at a gay rights demonstration, shocked by the rules and regulation at "gay friendly" Fire Island, and ultimately finds himself caught up in an historic turning point. La Miranda is a (here comes the big CLICHE) tour de force performance, and worth the price of rental/admission/purchase. The clicher: The songs of The Shangri-Las are used as a framing device. Love it!

I noted one of the reviews mentioned the drag queen with the red hair is a "girl gremlin", which is actually funny. I saw the resemblence! However, this film was very well made. Myths of Stonewall combined with some facts and an emphasis on the positive aspects of the events made this film touching in ways. Funny, easy to watch even if you don't dig drag - I'm very happy I took a chance and bought it.