I’d known for some time that I was queer. But I didn’t feel fortable wh myself until I saw “The Wizard of Oz” at a cema the Castro San Francis. Seeg the film lor on the big screen wh other gay moviegoers, I felt ready, wh Gilda and everyone Oz to “e out, e out” wherever I was.
Contents:
- OVER THE RABOW: THE GAY MALE OBSSN WH THE WIZARD OF OZ
- PHILALPHIA GAY NEWS
- CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK; WHY OZ IS A STATE OF MD IN GAY LIFE AND DRAG SHOWS
- THE ENDURG (GAY?) APPEAL OF 'THE WIZARD OF OZ': MISTER OF CULTURE
OVER THE RABOW: THE GAY MALE OBSSN WH THE WIZARD OF OZ
Early on, durg my first ial days wh the gay culture of San Francis, I was bemed by the near reverential treatment paid to the film “The Wizard of Oz.” Yet, thkg back to my […] * wizard of oz gay cinema *
Over the Rabow: The Gay Male Obssn wh The Wizard of Oz | Joseph Sciambra. Over the Rabow: The Gay Male Obssn wh The Wizard of Oz.
PHILALPHIA GAY NEWS
Early on, durg my first ial days wh the gay culture of San Francis, I was bemed by the near reverential treatment paid to the film “The Wizard of Oz. It was a high holy day for gay men San Francis. The atmosphere around the theater was one of a relig procsn; all seemed like harmls fun; but, as wh all public spectacl gay culture – beyond the revelry was always a pervasively tragic overtone.
At the time, for myself, was the send wave of gay aths om AIDS: wh the mic om the movie servg as some horrific funeral dirge. Now, so many years later, I perceive the film and the gay obssn wh somewhat differently. Most remarkably, is the homosexual male intifitn wh Dorothy herself; perfectly embodied by the equally happy and sad Judy Garland – whose untimely ath 1969 advertently sparked the Stonewall Rts.
CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK; WHY OZ IS A STATE OF MD IN GAY LIFE AND DRAG SHOWS
Along wh other glamoro, but ultimately self-stctive screen legends, like Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford, and Marilyn Monroe, gay men saw Garland the mirror for their own manic-prsive reali: feigng a perfect exuberance to the adorg mass while gog home alone and nursg the fterg wounds.
Subnscly, I thk most “gay” men realize that homosexualy is sentially a ad end. Remds me of the strobg lights, imprsive sounds, and pyrotechnics at the San Francis “gay” dance clubs, or on a larger sle, at a Madonna ncert. Furthermore, the three characters of the Srecrow, the T-man, and the Cowardly Ln, are also metaphors for the gay male fantasy: of fdg their perfected selv; nstantly dogged by a feelg of aquacy and missgns, that is forever and unntrollably throwg before your ey a sensatn that you are lackg; though cintly, as the characters fally fd out – was not wantg at all, but was wh them.
THE ENDURG (GAY?) APPEAL OF 'THE WIZARD OF OZ': MISTER OF CULTURE
Yet, the longgs are flawlsly realized and fulfilled the film; while gay men never really reach that sheltered existence of safety back at home. Bee, “The Wizard of Oz” is sentially the daydream of gay fulfillment: that someone, or somethg, out there will offer the cure for all that ails. ” In gay culture, the trek never ends and a te home is elive.
As far back as 1919 cema was beg ed to promote gay rights.