Tron: Legacy and Gay Villas Through Hollywood History

claude rains gay

Tron: Legacy's prancg, effete bad guy is part of a long Hollywood tradn—and a remr that the most margalized gays may not be those affected by Don't Ask Don't Tell's repeal.

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TRON: LEGACY AND GAY VILLAS THROUGH HOLLYWOOD HISTORYTRON: LEGACY'S PRANCG, EFFETE BAD GUY IS PART OF A LONG HOLLYWOOD TRADN—AND A REMR THAT THE MOST MARGALIZED GAYS MAY NOT BE THOSE AFFECTED BY DON'T ASK DON'T TELL'S REPEAL.JAB BERNSTEUPDATED APR. 24, 2017 4:55PM EDT / PUBLISHED DEC. 22, 2010 8:51PM EST EVERETT COLLECTNTHERE ARE MANY REASONS TO SKIP TRON: LEGACY, THE GHASTLY NEW 3-D EPIC OM DISNEY ABOUT A MAN WHO WDS UP STUCK HIS OWN VIO GAME. THERE'S THE BORG SCRIPT, SPECIAL EFFECTS THAT ARE LARGELY UNRWHELMG, AND A NNG TIME OF 127 MUT, WHICH NO MOVIE SO CYNILLY NCTED SHOULD ATTEMPT.BUT PERHAPS NOTHG ABOUT THE FILM IS QUE SO PLORABLE AS ZE, THE EFFETE CLUB OWNER PLAYED BY MICHAEL SHEEN. IN THIS NORMALLY PABLE ACTOR'S HANDS, THE CHARACTER IS A TIRED HYBRID OF ZIGGY STARDT AND JOEL GREY CIR CABARET, A PERSON WHO NEARLY SKS THE UNIVERSE WHILE PRANCG AROUND HIS TOO-TIGHT SU AS TECHNO MIC BLAR THE BACKGROUND. AT A MOMENT WHEN PEOPLE AROUND THE UNTRY ARE CELEBRATG THE REPEAL OF DON'T ASK DON'T TELL, THE FILM ALSO SERV AS A POIGNANT REMR THAT THE GAYS WHO REMA THE MOST MARGALIZED MAY NOT BE THE ON WHO ARE "BUTCH" ENOUGH TO SERVE BUT THE ON WHO AREN'T. TRON: LEGACY (2010) SHEEN'S CHARACTER—WHO, SHOULD BE POTED OUT, ISN'T LABELED AS EXPLICLY GAY THE MOVIE—IS HARDLY THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF A HOLLYWOOD VILLA WHOSE GENR NON-NFORMY SEEMS TO HT AT DISHONTY AND MALEVOLENCE. GOG ALL THE WAY BACK TO PETER LORRE THE MALTE FALN AND BEYOND, THERE'S A STORIED TRADN OF G QUEENS (OR GENR NFN) AS A WAY TO EXPLA A VILLA'S NEFAR WAYS. 300 MANAGED ONE SEEMGLY UNPRECENTED FEAT: IT IS BOTH ONE OF THE MOST HOMOPHOBIC MOVI EVER MA AND ALSO ONE OF THE GAYT.IN MUTY ON THE BOUNTY (1935), CHARL LGHTON PLAYED A NEBBISHY BUT MANIALLY EVIL SHIP PTA WHO RELI ON A SLEW OF TOUGHER GUYS TO LIVER LASHGS TO WAYWARD CREW MEMBERS. (A MON HALLMARK OF A NASTY QUEEN ON SCREEN IS THAT HE N'T RRY OUT HIS VLENCE HIMSELF.) LED BY CLARK GABLE, THE MEN ABOARD RISE UP AND TAKE BACK THE SHIP.IN THE ADVENTUR OF ROB HOOD (1938), ERROL FLYNN'S NEMIS IS A SISSY PRCE PLAYED BY CL RAS WHO ASSUM THE THRONE WHEN RICHARD THE LNHEART IS PTURED BY ATRIA. (ANOTHER HALLMARK OF THE NASTY QUEEN ONSCREEN IS THAT HE GENERALLY BE KG THROUGH A UP OR SOMETHG ELSE THAT'S TANTAMOUNT TO CHEATG). "HE'S CHEERFULLY MALEVOLENT AND PLETELY GAY," SAYS JOHN FARR, OF THE FILM BLOG BT MOVI BY FARR. CL RAS AS THE NOT PECIALLY MASCULE PRCE JOHN THE ADVENTUR OF ROB HOOD (1938)IN 1942, WARNER BROTHERS RELEASED CASABLAN, WHICH WENT ON TO W OSRS FOR BT PICTURE AND BEME KNOWN AS ONE OF THE GREATT MOVI OF ALL TIME. THE PRIMARY ACTN CENTERED AROUND A LOVE TRIANGLE VOLVG HUMPHREY BOGART, INGRID BERGMAN, AND PL HENREID, BUT SOME SAW CONRAD VEIDT'S TURN AS A SWISHY SS OFFICER WHO'S HANGG AROUND THE CLUB AS A SUBTLE NFLATN OF NAZISM AND EFFEMACY. "HE HAS A CERTA GAY QUALY," SAYS FARR. WHEN THE PARTS ARE DONE SUBTLY AND WELL, THE CHARACTERS' LACK OF MASCULY N BEE AN ASSET, AND EVEN SECURE AN ACTOR A PLACE HISTORY. ANTHONY PERKS, WHO WAS GAY REAL LIFE, WAS BRILLIANT PSYCHO AS NORMAN BAT, THE MOTEL OWNER WHOSE MOTHER IS SO OVERBEARG HE ASSUM HER INTY AND GO ON A KILLG RAMPAGE AFTER SHE DI. HE WAS NOMATED FOR AN OSR AND HIS PERFORMANCE SERVED AS A BLUEPRT FOR VIRTUALLY EVERY TRANSVTE SERIAL KILLER THAT HAS E ALONG SCE THEN. AMONG PERKS' HIGH-HEELED, SOCPATHIC PROGENY ARE MICHAEL CAE AS THE MENTED THERAPIST DRSED TO KILL AND TED LEVE AS THE DRIFTER BUFFALO BILL SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. THE SCEN WHICH LEVE DANC AROUND TO "GOODBYE HORS" AND TELLS HIS WOULD-BE MURR VICTIM, "IT BS THE LOTN ON S SK OR ELSE GETS THE HOSE AGA," ARE ABOUT AS CREEPY/GOOD AS GETS. TED LEVE WH MOISTURIZER AND A FLUFFY POODLE SILENCE OF THE LAMBSSTILL, WHEN FILMMAKERS HAVE MISED GENR NON-NFORMY, 'S PRETTY PAFUL TO WATCH. IN MEL GIBSON'S BRAVEHEART, THE MOMENT WHEN THE HORRIBLE BRISH KG THROWS HIS SON'S BOYIEND OUT THE WDOW IS PRENTED LARGELY AS EDIC. DPE OPPOSN OM GAY GROUPS, THE FILM WON THE OSR FOR BT PICTURE OF 1995. (IN RETROSPECT, 'S PRETTY HARD TO SAY GIBSON'S PORTRAYAL OF THE LIGHT--THE-LOAFERS PRCE WAS NECSARY TO THE FILM'S STORY. BY MANY ACUNTS, 'S ALSO HISTORILLY ACCURATE.)AND THEN THERE'S THE SK-CRAWLG 300, AN SIPID 2007 BLOCKBTER STARRG GERARD BUTLER AS A SPARTAN KG WHOSE TY ARMY STAG AN UPRISG AGAST THE EVIL PERSIAN "GOD-KG" XERX, WHO LOOKS REMARKABLY LIKE RUPL. EVENTUALLY, BUTLER SAV THE DAY—WHICH AS A SURPRISE TO NO ONE, AS ANOTHER TREND FILMS THAT VILIFY TRANSVTE-LIKE GAY MEN IS THAT THEY ALMOST ALWAYS WD UP HAVG THEIR ASS HAND TO THEM BY THEIR REAL-MAN ADVERSARI. 300 (2007) STILL, 300 MANAGED ONE SEEMGLY UNPRECENTED FEAT: IT IS BOTH ONE OF THE MOST HOMOPHOBIC MOVI EVER MA AND ALSO ONE OF THE GAYT. IF XERX REMBLED NOTHG SO MUCH AS A BLACK DRAG QUEEN, THE MEN WHO DO BATTLE AGAST HIM LOOK LIKE DOPPELGANGERS FOR VIRTUALLY EVERY GAY PORN STAR WHO'S EVER DONE A LEATHER FILM.HOWARD BRAGMAN, THE LOS ANGEL BASED PUBLICIST WHO HELPED NUMERO GAY CELEBRI E OUT OF THE CLOSET AND RECENTLY HANDLED THE ROGUE JETBLUE FLIGHT ATTENDANT STEVEN SLATER'S MEDIA BLZ, SAYS THE REAL PROBLEM WH MOVI LIKE TRON: LEGACY IS LS THAT THEY'RE HOMOPHOBIC AND MORE THAT THEY'RE RIDDLED WH CLICHéS. OF SHEEN'S CHARACTER, HE SAYS: "IT'S A CLASSIC ARCHETYPE THAT'S BEEN AROUND SCE FILMS BEGAN, PLAYG THE BUTLER AND THE VALET, SOMEBODY WHO ULD DO GOOD FACIAL EXPRSNS AND EXPRS DISDA WH HIS EY VERY WELL. I DON'T PUT A PARTICULARLY HOMOPHOBIC BENT TO . I JT THK 'S SO OVESED 'S CEASED TO BE TERTG."PL: CHECK OUT MORE OF THE LATT ENTERTAMENT, FASHN, AND CULTURE VERAGE ON SEXY BEAST—PHOTOS, VIOS, FEATUR, AND TWEETS.JAB BERNSTE IS A SENR REPORTER AT THE DAILY BEAST. HE HAS ALSO WRTEN FOR NEW YORK MAGAZE, PAPER, AND THE HUFFGTON POST. JAB BERNSTE

Tron: Legacy's prancg, effete bad guy is part of a long Hollywood tradn—and a remr that the most margalized gays may not be those affected by Don't Ask Don't Tell's repeal. * claude rains gay *

Throughout the '30s, '40s and '50s, the public perceptn of gays and lbians was that they were sick and disturbed -- and therefore dangero. While overt referenc to homosexualy were long prohibed film, skilled filmmakers created characters that displayed subtle yet clearly queer one handled this more ftly than director Aled Hchck, the master of spense and psychosexual anxiety -- who often st closeted gay actors gay-ish rol.

TRON: LEGACY AND GAY VILLAS THROUGH HOLLYWOOD HISTORYTRON: LEGACY'S PRANCG, EFFETE BAD GUY IS PART OF A LONG HOLLYWOOD TRADN—AND A REMR THAT THE MOST MARGALIZED GAYS MAY NOT BE THOSE AFFECTED BY DON'T ASK DON'T TELL'S REPEAL.JAB BERNSTEUPDATED APR. 24, 2017 4:55PM EDT / PUBLISHED DEC. 22, 2010 8:51PM EST EVERETT COLLECTNTHERE ARE MANY REASONS TO SKIP TRON: LEGACY, THE GHASTLY NEW 3-D EPIC OM DISNEY ABOUT A MAN WHO WDS UP STUCK HIS OWN VIO GAME. THERE'S THE BORG SCRIPT, SPECIAL EFFECTS THAT ARE LARGELY UNRWHELMG, AND A NNG TIME OF 127 MUT, WHICH NO MOVIE SO CYNILLY NCTED SHOULD ATTEMPT.BUT PERHAPS NOTHG ABOUT THE FILM IS QUE SO PLORABLE AS ZE, THE EFFETE CLUB OWNER PLAYED BY MICHAEL SHEEN. IN THIS NORMALLY PABLE ACTOR'S HANDS, THE CHARACTER IS A TIRED HYBRID OF ZIGGY STARDT AND JOEL GREY CIR CABARET, A PERSON WHO NEARLY SKS THE UNIVERSE WHILE PRANCG AROUND HIS TOO-TIGHT SU AS TECHNO MIC BLAR THE BACKGROUND. AT A MOMENT WHEN PEOPLE AROUND THE UNTRY ARE CELEBRATG THE REPEAL OF DON'T ASK DON'T TELL, THE FILM ALSO SERV AS A POIGNANT REMR THAT THE GAYS WHO REMA THE MOST MARGALIZED MAY NOT BE THE ON WHO ARE "BUTCH" ENOUGH TO SERVE BUT THE ON WHO AREN'T. TRON: LEGACY (2010) SHEEN'S CHARACTER—WHO, SHOULD BE POTED OUT, ISN'T LABELED AS EXPLICLY GAY THE MOVIE—IS HARDLY THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF A HOLLYWOOD VILLA WHOSE GENR NON-NFORMY SEEMS TO HT AT DISHONTY AND MALEVOLENCE. GOG ALL THE WAY BACK TO PETER LORRE THE MALTE FALN AND BEYOND, THERE'S A STORIED TRADN OF G QUEENS (OR GENR NFN) AS A WAY TO EXPLA A VILLA'S NEFAR WAYS. 300 MANAGED ONE SEEMGLY UNPRECENTED FEAT: IT IS BOTH ONE OF THE MOST HOMOPHOBIC MOVI EVER MA AND ALSO ONE OF THE GAYT.IN MUTY ON THE BOUNTY (1935), CHARL LGHTON PLAYED A NEBBISHY BUT MANIALLY EVIL SHIP PTA WHO RELI ON A SLEW OF TOUGHER GUYS TO LIVER LASHGS TO WAYWARD CREW MEMBERS. (A MON HALLMARK OF A NASTY QUEEN ON SCREEN IS THAT HE N'T RRY OUT HIS VLENCE HIMSELF.) LED BY CLARK GABLE, THE MEN ABOARD RISE UP AND TAKE BACK THE SHIP.IN THE ADVENTUR OF ROB HOOD (1938), ERROL FLYNN'S NEMIS IS A SISSY PRCE PLAYED BY CL RAS WHO ASSUM THE THRONE WHEN RICHARD THE LNHEART IS PTURED BY ATRIA. (ANOTHER HALLMARK OF THE NASTY QUEEN ONSCREEN IS THAT HE GENERALLY BE KG THROUGH A UP OR SOMETHG ELSE THAT'S TANTAMOUNT TO CHEATG). "HE'S CHEERFULLY MALEVOLENT AND PLETELY GAY," SAYS JOHN FARR, OF THE FILM BLOG BT MOVI BY FARR. CL RAS AS THE NOT PECIALLY MASCULE PRCE JOHN THE ADVENTUR OF ROB HOOD (1938)IN 1942, WARNER BROTHERS RELEASED CASABLAN, WHICH WENT ON TO W OSRS FOR BT PICTURE AND BEME KNOWN AS ONE OF THE GREATT MOVI OF ALL TIME. THE PRIMARY ACTN CENTERED AROUND A LOVE TRIANGLE VOLVG HUMPHREY BOGART, INGRID BERGMAN, AND PL HENREID, BUT SOME SAW CONRAD VEIDT'S TURN AS A SWISHY SS OFFICER WHO'S HANGG AROUND THE CLUB AS A SUBTLE NFLATN OF NAZISM AND EFFEMACY. "HE HAS A CERTA GAY QUALY," SAYS FARR. WHEN THE PARTS ARE DONE SUBTLY AND WELL, THE CHARACTERS' LACK OF MASCULY N BEE AN ASSET, AND EVEN SECURE AN ACTOR A PLACE HISTORY. ANTHONY PERKS, WHO WAS GAY REAL LIFE, WAS BRILLIANT PSYCHO AS NORMAN BAT, THE MOTEL OWNER WHOSE MOTHER IS SO OVERBEARG HE ASSUM HER INTY AND GO ON A KILLG RAMPAGE AFTER SHE DI. HE WAS NOMATED FOR AN OSR AND HIS PERFORMANCE SERVED AS A BLUEPRT FOR VIRTUALLY EVERY TRANSVTE SERIAL KILLER THAT HAS E ALONG SCE THEN. AMONG PERKS' HIGH-HEELED, SOCPATHIC PROGENY ARE MICHAEL CAE AS THE MENTED THERAPIST DRSED TO KILL AND TED LEVE AS THE DRIFTER BUFFALO BILL SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. THE SCEN WHICH LEVE DANC AROUND TO "GOODBYE HORS" AND TELLS HIS WOULD-BE MURR VICTIM, "IT BS THE LOTN ON S SK OR ELSE GETS THE HOSE AGA," ARE ABOUT AS CREEPY/GOOD AS GETS. TED LEVE WH MOISTURIZER AND A FLUFFY POODLE SILENCE OF THE LAMBSSTILL, WHEN FILMMAKERS HAVE MISED GENR NON-NFORMY, 'S PRETTY PAFUL TO WATCH. IN MEL GIBSON'S BRAVEHEART, THE MOMENT WHEN THE HORRIBLE BRISH KG THROWS HIS SON'S BOYIEND OUT THE WDOW IS PRENTED LARGELY AS EDIC. DPE OPPOSN OM GAY GROUPS, THE FILM WON THE OSR FOR BT PICTURE OF 1995. (IN RETROSPECT, 'S PRETTY HARD TO SAY GIBSON'S PORTRAYAL OF THE LIGHT--THE-LOAFERS PRCE WAS NECSARY TO THE FILM'S STORY. BY MANY ACUNTS, 'S ALSO HISTORILLY ACCURATE.)AND THEN THERE'S THE SK-CRAWLG 300, AN SIPID 2007 BLOCKBTER STARRG GERARD BUTLER AS A SPARTAN KG WHOSE TY ARMY STAG AN UPRISG AGAST THE EVIL PERSIAN "GOD-KG" XERX, WHO LOOKS REMARKABLY LIKE RUPL. EVENTUALLY, BUTLER SAV THE DAY—WHICH AS A SURPRISE TO NO ONE, AS ANOTHER TREND FILMS THAT VILIFY TRANSVTE-LIKE GAY MEN IS THAT THEY ALMOST ALWAYS WD UP HAVG THEIR ASS HAND TO THEM BY THEIR REAL-MAN ADVERSARI. 300 (2007) STILL, 300 MANAGED ONE SEEMGLY UNPRECENTED FEAT: IT IS BOTH ONE OF THE MOST HOMOPHOBIC MOVI EVER MA AND ALSO ONE OF THE GAYT. IF XERX REMBLED NOTHG SO MUCH AS A BLACK DRAG QUEEN, THE MEN WHO DO BATTLE AGAST HIM LOOK LIKE DOPPELGANGERS FOR VIRTUALLY EVERY GAY PORN STAR WHO'S EVER DONE A LEATHER FILM.HOWARD BRAGMAN, THE LOS ANGEL BASED PUBLICIST WHO HELPED NUMERO GAY CELEBRI E OUT OF THE CLOSET AND RECENTLY HANDLED THE ROGUE JETBLUE FLIGHT ATTENDANT STEVEN SLATER'S MEDIA BLZ, SAYS THE REAL PROBLEM WH MOVI LIKE TRON: LEGACY IS LS THAT THEY'RE HOMOPHOBIC AND MORE THAT THEY'RE RIDDLED WH CLICHéS. OF SHEEN'S CHARACTER, HE SAYS: "IT'S A CLASSIC ARCHETYPE THAT'S BEEN AROUND SCE FILMS BEGAN, PLAYG THE BUTLER AND THE VALET, SOMEBODY WHO ULD DO GOOD FACIAL EXPRSNS AND EXPRS DISDA WH HIS EY VERY WELL. I DON'T PUT A PARTICULARLY HOMOPHOBIC BENT TO . I JT THK 'S SO OVESED 'S CEASED TO BE TERTG."PL: CHECK OUT MORE OF THE LATT ENTERTAMENT, FASHN, AND CULTURE VERAGE ON SEXY BEAST—PHOTOS, VIOS, FEATUR, AND TWEETS.JAB BERNSTE IS A SENR REPORTER AT THE DAILY BEAST. HE HAS ALSO WRTEN FOR NEW YORK MAGAZE, PAPER, AND THE HUFFGTON POST. JAB BERNSTE

As more varied imag of gay characters have appeared on film, some queer villas have bee more plex. This stereotype of an effemate villa (seen four more tim on this list) taps to the viewer's homophobia -- makg pecially gratifyg to see them feated by the more macho hero.

Damagg StereotypeWaldo Lycker -- Lra (1944)Gay actor Clifton Webb is at his most bchy and ntrollg as the evil queen who attempts to transform Gene Tierney's myster and tular Lra.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* CLAUDE RAINS GAY

Tron: Legacy and Gay Villas Through Hollywood History.

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