**************************************************************

From: "Andi

Subject: Re: Beautiful Thing U.S. video--when?

Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 10:33:12 -0000

 

Does anyone know of a Beautiful Thing Desktop theme?

Dennis

 

-->I am currently trying to do a screensaver For the Film

and several .wav files for windows events. Also maybe a set

of mouse pointers of some description. All I can say is

watch this space. Also there might be a song with extracts

from the film, a bit like what Patsy and Eddy did with Ab

Fab with the pet shop boy.

Have to wait and see though :))

Andi

**************************************************************

From: Chris

Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 10:23:58 +0000

 

> Sorry guys, there is no link to the OxAIDS page from the main site yet.

>

>

> Over the past week I've had three major Operating System crashes which have

> prevented any editing of any web site being done. Later this evening, after

> already pulling a 48 hour stint, I'm going to attempt to reinstall yet

> again the web server extensions so we I can work on the web site.

>

> Hopefully by the end of the weekend... :-))))

>

>

> Davie.

>

Oh come on Davie, I want the world to see my photos! :))

--

Chris

**************************************************************

From: David

Subject: Poofs Walking around Thamesmead

Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 01:53:03 -0000

 

Graeme  wrote...

"I've been to London before but I'd love to go to Thamesmead in the

summer. Can you imagine - there'll be all these poofs walking around

with maps looking for "Beautiful Thing" locations!"

Actually, sad is might sound, Andi and I are planning on putting together a

tour plan, and maybe use it as an excuse for a BT fan meet sometime this

summer.

We are going to add some pages to the web site to provide a virtual tour,

with maps and photo's and stuff.

Davie.

**************************************************************

From: David

Subject: Re: Beautiful Thing U.S. video--when?

Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 02:46:24 -0000

 

From: Bruce

Subject: Beautiful Thing U.S. video--when?

Date: 25 January 1997 02:29

 

Hello everybody! This is my first post to the list. Someone mentioned

that the video would be out in the U.S. in April. Where did you get that

information? I've visited the Sony web site several times but have never

seen any information about it coming out on video. Does anyone know if

Sony will be the company releasing the video? That would seem to make

sense since they distributed the movie here.

---> My contact at Sony Pictures Classics in New York told me of the video

release date, and it's on the site... I'll let you find it :-))

From the stories on this list it would appear that I am not nearly as

obsessive as some of you folks! I've only seen it three times. Actually,

I probably would have gone to see it about ten more times (at least) but it

only played here for two weeks. I was quite sad to see it go. How will I

survive until April without my Beautiful Thing fix?

--> well I've seen it three, maybe four times on the big screen, and

several on the video too.

Well, maybe I'm a BIT obsessive. I do have the soundtrack, the play and

a small movie poster. I've been trying to track down the screenplay but

nobody seems to have it. Any ideas? I guess I could order it directly

from the publisher in England as a last resort. I've heard you can get it

through www.amazon.com . Has anybody bought a copy from them?

---> Give your local bookstore the ISBN as detailed on the Merchandise page

of the web, and they can order it for you.

Davie, tired but still ploughing on!

**************************************************************

Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 14:57:28 -0500

From: Simon

Subject: ruminations

 

Ok, my contribution, for what it's worth...

I loved the movie, but at first I thought my reaction was personal because

of my circumstances. I now live in the US, but was raised in the UK

(Suffolk), and I went to British schools. So when I saw Beautiful Thing I

identified pretty strongly. What struck me in particular was the implied

bullying by Jamies' school-mates. (this has been remarked on before.) Like a

lot of kids my reaction was to go deep into denial for many years and I only

came out a couple of years ago at the end of an Army career. This film

struck a nerve partly because of language - if I get called a faggot, it

really dosen't mean much - my main emotional link is with school dinners!

What was written on Jamies' school-books on the other hand hit a nerve and

made me think back to my own school days.

Interestingly, this movie seems to affect people most powerfully if they had

a hard time accepting themselves. The strongest reaction I have heard comes

from a man I know in his late forties who came out recently to his wife and

grown sons. Wheras a teenager I also know who is out in a big city

(Washington, DC) told me that he thought the movie was just "ok".

I'm delighted to hear that the movie will be included in a college class.

It's straights who really need to see it, as well as kids who are not yet

out. Unfortunatly, I think that Sony has done a really poor job publicizing

the film outside of the gay press. I heard their promo on a youth-oriented

radio station here in Washington, DC and it gave a completely misleading

impression of it: "He's just one of the lads, she's the girl next door." If

you don't already know, you would think it's a straight romance! If it were

it would be unremarkable and I think this is partly to blame for the lack of

a crossover audience. Hopefully they will be more honest with the video release.

Film reviewers in the straight press haven't helped either. Mostly they have

missed the groundbreaking nature of the film - that it deliberately has a

happy ending - and instead have complained that it is unrealistic. (unlike,

apparently, "The Birdcage"). (!)

So it is up to the rest of us to spread the word. I wrote to my old school

(my first contact with them since leaving) and suggested it for either the

students or for teacher sensitivity training. The head teacher wrote a nice

letter back saying she would look for it. One nice change in the last

decade: apparently they now admit that some of their students are gay. We

don't just appear full-grown, imagine that!

Simon

**************************************************************

Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 13:05:44 -0500

From: Mike

Subject: Intoduction

 

Hello everyone!

I've been lurking for a few days to figure out what kind of subject matter

everyone would be discussing. I've seen a couple of introductions, and

figure that's the best way to start.

I first saw _Beautiful_Thing_ at the Toronto International Film Festival, in

September of 1996. I live about 1 hour south of Toronto, but stay there for

the 10 days of the festival. I usually go alone, that way I get to see the

movies I want without having to feel guilty about dragging someone to

something they don't want to see.

Anyways, I was blown away by the film. I was expecting the usual gritty

movie about the trials and tribulations of two guys who happen to be gay.

What I saw amazed me. Firstly, It was a film about gay love - not sex. It

also cast aside the trappings that Hollywood would have used to destroy any

credibility the film possesed. There was no dwelling on the "poor, sad"

fags and how their life is sooo, sooo rough. The film shows gay life in a

positive way! Imagine that - it can be fun to be gay!

I went back to my condo, and thought a lot about what I had just witnessed.

At that point I don't think I had spoken the words "I'm gay" out loud, let

alone tell anyone that I was gay. It was there and then that I decided

things had to change.

I hooked up with someone on the internet who has now become a good friend -

knowing from a posting to a different mailing list that he was gay. He

helped me to open my eyes and my heart.

I decided that I had to finally tell someone who was a part of my everyday

life, and I chose one of my best friends, a girl nonetheless!

To make it easier for myself and her, I took her to Toronto on the pretense

of a "shopping trip". When we got there I told her I actually wanted to see

a movie so I took her to BT. Afterwards I asked her how she liked it, she

said it was kind of shocking at first, to see two guys kissing, because she

wasn't expecting it. She said that after the initial shock she thought it

was a very good film.

She then asked me if I liked it. I said it was my favourite film from the

Festival I had earlier attended. She asked me why, and I replied because it

had sooo much relevance in my life. She then asked why, with a sly smile on

her face. I said, "are you going to make me say I'm gay?" to which she

replied yes. We then had an hours drive back home to talk about it.

So add me to the growing list of people that the film helped to realize that

it's ok to be gay.

I guess I've said enough for one posting, but I do have a lot more to talk

about. In particular, I want to address the negative reviews I have read

and seen about the film, including a surprising knock from Roger Ebert.

I'd also like to ask if anyone has had any success in viewing the QT movie

clips at the Sony site.

Lastly, I also want to personally and (semi) publically thank Andi and Dave

for an amazing web-site, and I truly mean that. It's not just because the

subject matter happens to be one of my favourite films. It's obvious by the

content and the frequent updates that you both put a lot of time and effort

into it, and that means a lot to a good many people, myself included. If

there's anything I can ever do to help out, don't hesitiate to ask :-)

Thanks again!

-myeck-

p.s. I'll be away skiing for the next 3 days, so I won't be able to reply

to anything until late Tuesday or Wednesday at the earliest. Looking

forward to hearing from you all!

 

mike

**************************************************************

Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 14:57:28 -0500

From: Simon

Subject: ruminations

 

Ok, my contribution, for what it's worth...

I loved the movie, but at first I thought my reaction was personal because

of my circumstances. I now live in the US, but was raised in the UK

(Suffolk), and I went to British schools. So when I saw Beautiful Thing I

identified pretty strongly. What struck me in particular was the implied

bullying by Jamies' school-mates. (this has been remarked on before.) Like a

lot of kids my reaction was to go deep into denial for many years and I only

came out a couple of years ago at the end of an Army career. This film

struck a nerve partly because of language - if I get called a faggot, it

really dosen't mean much - my main emotional link is with school dinners!

What was written on Jamies' school-books on the other hand hit a nerve and

made me think back to my own school days.

Interestingly, this movie seems to affect people most powerfully if they had

a hard time accepting themselves. The strongest reaction I have heard comes

from a man I know in his late forties who came out recently to his wife and

grown sons. Wheras a teenager I also know who is out in a big city

(Washington, DC) told me that he thought the movie was just "ok".

I'm delighted to hear that the movie will be included in a college class.

It's straights who really need to see it, as well as kids who are not yet

out. Unfortunatly, I think that Sony has done a really poor job publicizing

the film outside of the gay press. I heard their promo on a youth-oriented

radio station here in Washington, DC and it gave a completely misleading

impression of it: "He's just one of the lads, she's the girl next door." If

you don't already know, you would think it's a straight romance! If it were

it would be unremarkable and I think this is partly to blame for the lack of

a crossover audience. Hopefully they will be more honest with the video release.

Film reviewers in the straight press haven't helped either. Mostly they have

missed the groundbreaking nature of the film - that it deliberately has a

happy ending - and instead have complained that it is unrealistic. (unlike,

apparently, "The Birdcage"). (!)

So it is up to the rest of us to spread the word. I wrote to my old school

(my first contact with them since leaving) and suggested it for either the

students or for teacher sensitivity training. The head teacher wrote a nice

letter back saying she would look for it. One nice change in the last

decade: apparently they now admit that some of their students are gay. We

don't just appear full-grown, imagine that!

Simon

**************************************************************

Date: Sun, 26 Jan 1997 11:53:13 -0500 (EST)

From: CARMEN

Subject: Re: Movie posters and stuff!

 

Actually, It's about technical difficulties, but my arrow keys are frozen

for some reason, so I'm unable to change it!

Of 8 messages I got today from the list (Thank you everyone!) 4 were

individual, and 2 were doubled. Anyone else getting that? Both doubled

messages were slightly different in size, but I couldn't see any visible

difference. Any Ideas?

Tory

**************************************************************

Date: Sun, 26 Jan 1997 23:23:32 +1100

From: Trent

Subject: Introduction

 

 

Hello! :)

Thankyou for all you wrote, it was quite good to hear!!

>I'd also like to ask if anyone has had any success in viewing the QT movie

>clips at the Sony site.

Yes! I got them as soon as I found them (after I saw the movie for the

first time in Sydney - I went 3 times after before it closed just before

Christmas) and they all work perfectly.

Trent

Sydney, Australia.

**************************************************************

Date: Sun, 26 Jan 1997 23:23:32 +1100

From: Trent

Subject: Introduction

 

 

Hello! :)

Thankyou for all you wrote, it was quite good to hear!!

>I'd also like to ask if anyone has had any success in viewing the QT movie

>clips at the Sony site.

Yes! I got them as soon as I found them (after I saw the movie for the

first time in Sydney - I went 3 times after before it closed just before

Christmas) and they all work perfectly.

Trent

Sydney, Australia.

**************************************************************

Date: Sun, 26 Jan 1997 16:55:47 -0800

From: EDGAR

Subject: Re: REPEAT MAIL

 

ENCOUNTERING THE SAME DIFFICULTY.

**************************************************************

Date: Sun, 26 Jan 1997 18:39:09 -0600

From: Joe

Subject: Re: Introduction

 

Trent wrote:

>

> Hello! :)

>

> Thankyou for all you wrote, it was quite good to hear!!

>

> >I'd also like to ask if anyone has had any success in viewing the QT movie

> >clips at the Sony site.

>

> Yes! I got them as soon as I found them (after I saw the movie for the

> first time in Sydney - I went 3 times after before it closed just before

> Christmas) and they all work perfectly.

>

I've only downloaded one (the clip of Jamie and Ste discussing the

tabloid article in Jamie's bedroom) and it works great. I also copied

all the jpg shots from the web sites and I'm going to use my color print

to print out a small version of the poster.

Gary

**************************************************************

Date: Sun, 26 Jan 1997 22:14:44 -0500

From: "Gregory

Subject: video clips

 

The video clips are really fun but is there anyway to

Save them in a file?

...at least at the end of the wait we get to see the boys in

bed................

..................over, and over, and over again!

Greg

**************************************************************