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Screaming Queens at 10 O'Clock
Jan. 2nd, 2006 11:53 pmI went to see The Producers a few days ago, and came out of it feeling remarkably unsure of my feelings.
Not about the movie itself (it's a competent filming of a fun musical stage-show. Worth seeing, with some wonderful moments.) but about its portrayal of gay people.
The director of the musical within the musical is gay. And screamingly camp. As is his "live-in" entourage. All of whom delight in dressing up as members of the Village People and prancing around. Except for the lesbian, obviously, who wears a shirt and is dumpy.
In other words, they're remarkably obvious caricatures. Who are then used to make jokes about gay sex and campness.
Should I be offended by this?
I mean, I'm not gay. And I know there _are_ remarkably camp people out there. And also butch lesbians in shirts.
But if the caricatures had been similarly broad takes on, say, black people - we'd have been watching blacked-up white people doing a modern Black and White Minstrel Show, and a huge fuss would have been made.
So I feel like I should have been offended, but I'm not entirely sure. Anyone else got a take on it?
Not about the movie itself (it's a competent filming of a fun musical stage-show. Worth seeing, with some wonderful moments.) but about its portrayal of gay people.
The director of the musical within the musical is gay. And screamingly camp. As is his "live-in" entourage. All of whom delight in dressing up as members of the Village People and prancing around. Except for the lesbian, obviously, who wears a shirt and is dumpy.
In other words, they're remarkably obvious caricatures. Who are then used to make jokes about gay sex and campness.
Should I be offended by this?
I mean, I'm not gay. And I know there _are_ remarkably camp people out there. And also butch lesbians in shirts.
But if the caricatures had been similarly broad takes on, say, black people - we'd have been watching blacked-up white people doing a modern Black and White Minstrel Show, and a huge fuss would have been made.
So I feel like I should have been offended, but I'm not entirely sure. Anyone else got a take on it?
