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

Date: Thu, 6 Feb 1997 22:39:36 -0800

From: Bruce

Subject: Mike's boyfriend

 

 

Mike, sorry to hear about your boyfriend. That's pretty scary. I hope he

feels better soon!

 

Bruce

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

From: "David

Subject: It's getting better...

Date: Fri, 7 Feb 1997 11:11:16 -0000

 

As the weeks rush past, eager to grow into months and years, my Beautiful

Thing fades gracefully into the background. No longer noticed by those

around me, dreams are the only place where the white-crested waves of

emotion can still drown me.

Twenty-four weeks on, and it's still as fresh to me on this cold, overcast

morning, as it was then, as I sat on a public bench in a small paved

square, surrounded by brick and concrete testiments to modern architecture,

a token flower-bed wafting it's scents over me.

I still feel the chill of the summer-night air on my arms, making my teeth

chatter as I began at last to put my life in context, and felt the joy of

release from the chains of social convention.

I still feel the warmth of a head resting in my lap, completing the circle

of love I felt that night, and have rarely felt since. Peace was on the

prowl that night, weaving it's way through the crowds to find me.

And I still see the faces of people around us, looking on wishfully,

smiling in that knowing way, getting from our display of openess some

succour to take back into their straight-jacketed lives.

A new kind of love visited me that night, and and has stayed around,

hovering over my right shoulder ever since, waiting to return, waiting for

the right time, the right signal. Now it's tapping me on the shoulder,

telling me it's time to wake up and smell the coffee, overcoming my

attempts to fight it.

Can Beautiful Things be denied, left out to wither and die? I fear that

maybe the unwanted answer will be my reward, for daring to allow hope to

rear it's optimistic head.

Nuture your own Beautiful Thing constantly, do not neglect it, do not

overlook the peace and happiness. The joy and loving it brings are precious

commodities no dealer can make a profit on, but you'll still be the richest

person in the world.

Right now I feel as if my Beautiful Thing is up for sale, an option to buy

in private hands. The sale could yet fall through, no price set as yet,

preliminary negotiations fell through, although interest is still being

shown.

It's the deal of a lifetime of course, an investment with great profit

potential. As I head off into the mundane world for another day, spare a

thought for the deal-makers.

Davie.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

PGP public key at http://www.zzapps.demon.co.uk/Davie/

Beautiful Thing web http://www.zzapps.demon.co.uk/beautiful-thing/

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

Date: Sat, 8 Feb 1997 00:24:57 -0800

From: Mike

Subject: Re: It's getting better...

 

Feeling the gravity of the muse, David

bravely wrote:

>A new kind of love visited me that night, and and has stayed around,

>hovering over my right shoulder ever since, waiting to return, waiting for

>the right time, the right signal. Now it's tapping me on the shoulder,

>telling me it's time to wake up and smell the coffee, overcoming my

>attempts to fight it.

A wise man once said the most important things cannot be told; they must be

lived to be known. An equally wise man, a poet I presume, said

conjunctively that words do not spoil the silence for those who have ears

to hear what has been left unsaid.

The question is, where do we find those ears?

What is it that has been awakened, aroused, invoked in us? We,

collectively, sat in a darkened room with total strangers and watched

colored patches of light reflecting off a silvery screen. And in each of us

something was called forth from the depths. Some longing, some wish, some

need to FEEL all that life has to offer. We call it Love and Passion, which

indeed it is, but these words are pale shadows of unnamable forces.

Powerful forces that live in us.

>Can Beautiful Things be denied, left out to wither and die? I fear that

>maybe the unwanted answer will be my reward, for daring to allow hope to

>rear it's optimistic head.

Ah, hope, that old deceiver. A slight of mind: one moment I am here, within

myself, at one with these forces in my body. Then hope creeps in so subtly,

displacing my present with some imagined or wished for future. And where a

moment ago passion held me in his arms blasting fire into my veins with his

blistering kisses, suddenly, distracted, I am no more.

That spurned lover is now nowhere to be found.

>Nuture your own Beautiful Thing constantly, do not neglect it, do not

>overlook the peace and happiness. The joy and loving it brings are precious

>commodities no dealer can make a profit on, but you'll still be the richest

>person in the world.

Indeed, "What profit a man who gains the world but Losseth his soul?"

>Right now I feel as if my Beautiful Thing is up for sale, an option to buy

>in private hands. The sale could yet fall through, no price set as yet,

>preliminary negotiations fell through, although interest is still being

>shown.

In the end we must ask ourselves, why are we not satisfied? I am hungry. I

eat. I am satisfied -- until I become hungry again. Is it possible to

accept without resignation my hunger? To feel the flame of desire glowing

without moving a micron towards the desired?

In ancient times this pracatice was called virtue. A rather old fashioned

concept today, made even more so as it is completely misunderstood by those

who have eyes but wil not see. To stand in the midst of the flame of desire

without moving. Not because it is "bad" or "wrong" to move; but because

there are deeper rhythms and forces to be known and understood. To quick a

move displaces the tension onto the other outside the self -- with all the

resulting confusions that inevitably follow. But to stay with the feeling a

bit longer... To redirect the energy back into one's body, to set it ablaze

with the fire of the soul. This is virtue.

We are now in the alchemist's kitchen. The body is the crucible for this

sacred soup. And, please, do not misunderstand: You are entitled to all the

sex and fun you can stand.

>It's the deal of a lifetime of course, an investment with great profit

>potential. As I head off into the mundane world for another day, spare a

>thought for the deal-makers.

Yes, yes. The "mercantile" world. It is a great source of distraction from

the heart's true course. But, then again, all swords are tempered in the

heat of chaos: Every moment is the cutting edge of time's incursion into

eternity. And eternity is our Beauty's home...

Where are those damned ears when you need them?

Mike

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

Date: Sun, 9 Feb 1997 00:13:05 -0800

From: Mike

Subject: UPDATE: RE Boy friend in hospital

 

Thanks to all of who have sent your love, concern, good wishes and prayers

regarding my boy friend, Davie.

I've been waiting to post an update until I knew something more definitive.

CT scans and MRI scans have verified that David has a tissue mass in his

brain. The precise nature or cause of this mass has yet to be determined as

we are still awaiting the results of several tests. In the mean time he is

being kept under observation and being given antibiotics as a precaution.

David is lucid and ambulatory. You could be having a conversation and not

know there was anything wrong with him. But if you listen carefully you

begin to hear that he messes things up -- saying "she" when he means "he"

for example -- without noticing. In his last phone message to me he said,

"Hi, David? This is Michael..." and went on to leave his message. His hand

and eye coordination is inaccurate and there is some loss of vision in his

right peripheral. He cannot follow directions that involve more than two or

three steps and, occasionally, he becomes quite disoriented and confused.

Other than a slight headache which he says has persisted for the past two

months, he has no physical symptoms. His blood preasure and temperature are

normal.

Besides being out of the country when these symptoms began to appear, one

of the reasons it took me so long to grasp that something was wrong is that

Davie is a bit of a "space cadet" or "air head" normally. Don't

misunderstand, Davie is a very bright man, but being an artist like myself,

he is extremely eccentric and often quite self absorbed. A cross between

"Mr. Magoo" and "The Absent Minded Professor" almost sums it up. It drives

me nuts and is one of the things I love about him.

Davie is a real sweetheart. A 50 year old going on 5. His home (although we

sleep together in my loft, he maintains his own studio/loft right next

door) is filled with toys: plastic block castles, sale boats, air planes,

tinny cars and boats and hundreds of Mickey Mouse objects. He had been the

curator and restorer of the Frields Collection of the American Carousel

Museum for many years. He knows the history and craftsmanship of antique

carousel animals literally inside and out.

More recently he has gotten back into painting. His paintings are often

fantasy oriented, quite unfashionable, filled with castles, hot air

balloons, biplanes marionettes and children. Davie has always been, and

likely will forever remain, a child at heart. He cannot sleep with out what

used to be MY teddy bear, Pierre. Whenever we go on a motor trip, Pierre is

given a special place in the front seat right between us. As I say, all

this would likely drive a sane person nuts; but given that I'm an eccentric

myself and that I love the man, it seems to work out all right.

Naturally both of us are frightened. We're not used to having to sleep

apart. The hospital is a very unpleasant place and Davie, being a child, is

not at all happy there. He can't wait for me or one of our friends to come

visit during hours. Yesterday between visitors I just sat on his bed

holding him.

"Mikey, I'm scarred. What's going to happen?"

"I don't know, Davie. I don't think it does much good to think about that.

We just have to take this one step at a time. You're here. The Drs. and

Nurses are watching out for you. They are taking tests (some of them are

quite unpleasant) and we'll know more soon. Once we know more, then we can

take the next steps to get you well."

"Do you think I'll ever be all right? Will I always be like this from now on?"

"I don't know, Davie, I don't think so. I think it's going to be all right."

"Do you?"

"Yeah, I really do."

"Do you love me?"

"Yes, Davie, I love you very much."

"Oh, I'm glad. I love you too, Mikey. Tell me it's going to be okay."

"It's going to be Okay, Davie."

"Is it?

"Yeah. It is."

This evening, at Davie's request, he had his brother draw up the papers

that give me official power of attorney in both his fiscal and health

matters just in case.

Mike

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

 

Date: Sun, 9 Feb 1997 10:24:02 -0500 (EST)

From: CARMEN

Subject: Re: UPDATE: RE Boy friend in hospital

 

Hi! I don't know if you'd remember me...I did a bit of posting when the

list first got started, but due to technical difficulties at my end, I've

been unable to reply to the list lately, though i have been lurking and

reading what comes in. I realy enjoyed seeing your initial postings.

You've got a real way with words. When you mentioned that Davie was

sick, I could sympathize with how he must be feeling, cause I've been

battling the Flu, but I also said a bit of a prayer, because while I've

seen the doctor about this, I certainly am in no danger of being

hospitalized. When I got today's message from you, I said another prayer

for him, and one for you as well. Davie sounds like a sweetheart (I

still sleep with my Ted), and he's lucky to have you beside him. I'm

going to pray that the mass isn't malignant, and that non-invassive

measures can shrink it down to nothing, since beneign or not, having to

mess around with the brain is very delicate. I'm not really up on all

the things they can do these days, but I do know that attitude plays a

big part. I think that you've got what Davie's going to need, and It's

clear that you're trying to get his spirits up. Tell him that I'm

thinking of him, and that I send hugs, and tell him that If he's feeling

lonely when you're not there, to think of me, and I'll send him another

hug or six... (The same applies to you if you need a pick-me-up!)

I'm only 23, and I still have a lot of life to see, but I'm friends with

a number of people my parents age and a bit younger, and I often have to

think a bit to figure out just how OLD (Grin) they actually are, several

of them don't act their age at all! I guess you're the same...I was a

bit surprised when you mentioned that you were 49 (BTW, 49 does not an

old Fogey make, Dad's about to turn 56, and he's not an old Fogey

either!) You have my prayers, and my best wishes, and you'll be in my

thoughts as I wait for more news as it comes in.

God bless you both,

Tory

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

Date: Sun, 9 Feb 1997 08:54:59 -0800

From: Mike

Subject: Re: UPDATE: RE Boy friend in hospital

 

Hey, Tory,

Thanks so much for this. It definitely brightened my morning. I'll print it

out for Davie, too. "Little" things like this are VERY important, so I'm

touched.

RE: age. My mother is 90 (she was 41 when I was born) and she doesn't act

her age, either. This despite having had several strokes and living in the

care of my older sister. Over the years she's said, "It's funny, my body

keeps getting older but I don't." It seems to be that way with me, too. I

had a dream just the other night that I was about your age. I was looking

at myself naked in the mirror. I was thiner, had hair, and I thought -- hey

not bad for someone my age. Well. Every day when I wake up and see myself

in the mirror it is a bit of a shock. "Who's THAT?" I have to consciously

remind myself that a) I don't look bad, just older and b) apperaneces

aren't everything. Of course, now that I think about it, I've had to do

THAT since I WAS your age. ;-)

RE: the internet. Yeah. I think it works best when some of us are able to

connect up and share hope and love and intimacy without spatial

limitations. This has been my wish for this list -- and I have ideas which

may go beyond this list, too. But about that another time.

Till then, thanks for your thoughts and hugs, they are greatly appreciated.

M

PS

Have you communicated with David  re not being able to post to the

list?

 

>Hi! I don't know if you'd remember me...I did a bit of posting when the

>list first got started, but due to technical difficulties at my end, I've

>been unable to reply to the list lately, though i have been lurking and

>reading what comes in. I realy enjoyed seeing your initial postings.

>You've got a real way with words. When you mentioned that Davie was

>sick, I could sympathize with how he must be feeling, cause I've been

>battling the Flu, but I also said a bit of a prayer, because while I've

>seen the doctor about this, I certainly am in no danger of being

>hospitalized. When I got today's message from you, I said another prayer

>for him, and one for you as well. Davie sounds like a sweetheart (I

>still sleep with my Ted), and he's lucky to have you beside him. I'm

>going to pray that the mass isn't malignant, and that non-invassive

>measures can shrink it down to nothing, since beneign or not, having to

>mess around with the brain is very delicate. I'm not really up on all

>the things they can do these days, but I do know that attitude plays a

>big part. I think that you've got what Davie's going to need, and It's

>clear that you're trying to get his spirits up. Tell him that I'm

>thinking of him, and that I send hugs, and tell him that If he's feeling

>lonely when you're not there, to think of me, and I'll send him another

>hug or six... (The same applies to you if you need a pick-me-up!)

>I'm only 23, and I still have a lot of life to see, but I'm friends with

>a number of people my parents age and a bit younger, and I often have to

>think a bit to figure out just how OLD (Grin) they actually are, several

>of them don't act their age at all! I guess you're the same...I was a

>bit surprised when you mentioned that you were 49 (BTW, 49 does not an

>old Fogey make, Dad's about to turn 56, and he's not an old Fogey

>either!) You have my prayers, and my best wishes, and you'll be in my

>thoughts as I wait for more news as it comes in.

>

>God bless you both,

>

>Tory

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

Date: Sun, 9 Feb 1997 18:01:28 -0500 (EST)

From: CARMEN

Subject: Re: UPDATE: RE Boy friend in hospital

 

Hi! One of the benefits of being sick is that I'm not very hungry, so

I've lost 10 pounds without even trying! :-) I know what you mean about

looking at the mirror and going "gah!", but I've had reason to be proud

lately...Acouple of years ago, I was nearly 200lbs, and a size 20 (though

it didn't show as much as it might have, since I'm nearly 6 ft) and had

been that way for several years, when something that seemed pretty

horrible at the time happened: I developed lactose, and then sucrose

Intolerances. The lactose intolerance had little effect, thanks to

lactaid (Which is good, since if I want to avoid osteoperosis when I'm

older, I need to lay in my calcium reserves now!), But the sucrose! I've

had to cut out sugar nearly completely, and I lost over 30 lbs. I've

done a bit of cheating here and there since (And paid for it!) and the

weight crept up slightly, but I've just taken it off again and then some!

Hopefully, this will get me into the mindset I need to be in, so that I

stop sitting on my duff and start going swimming at the gym again...I

really need to get in shape! I puff going up a couple of flights of

stairs, and for a 23-year-old, that's terrible!

Re: list, yes I've written to Davie, however, he's a bit snowed under at

the moment with trying to get Digiville up and running, not to mention

the backlog caused by those computer crashes, so I'm waiting patiently

until he gets around to me. It's not exactly urgent, and I've told him

that, so I suspect I'm at the bottom of the pile. It also doesn't help

that I've sent him a number of personal messages, so the one about

technical problems is probably lost among the multitude! It's actually a

bit funny though...He's sharing a house with Andi Rossi from the list

(The other Beautiful Thing website editor) and a guy named Mikey, and

I've signed off occasionally with hugs to him (Davie), Andi, and Mikey.

And it turns out that you are a Mikey too (at least to your Davie), with

a Davie in your life! Co-incidence???? Who knows! But in any case, lots

of love, to you and your Davie,

Tory

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

From: "Vinnie"

Date: Mon, 10 Feb 1997 11:36:55 +0000

Subject: BT banned!! and heathrow airport

 

This is my third attempt to write to the beautiful thing list

i tried last month but couldn't so i unsubbed and resubbed and fingers

crossed....

Firstly...i'm Vin from ireland....anyone else from Ireland on the list?

secondly..i don't know if beautiful thing has been banned where yet for

some silly reason....but it was due to be released here in Ireland thru

virgin too on the same day as it was in Britian....

but for some reason it was stopped at the censor's office here in horrible

old Dublin....and they won't pass it...i enquired in Virgin just last week

and they said there doesn't appear to be any hope in getting it passed..

which makes me wonder....why?

why would they ban this movie here....surely they can't find anything

wrong with it....movies are usually released here at the same time as

britain...because we get the same TV channels...magazines etc..

so they can get full use of advertising etc....

BT rates in my top five films ever

(along with Terminator 2, seven, basketball diaries and err edward scissor

hands)

and i really want to buy it......

3... I am visiting a friend in america next week....and am flying via

Heathrow airport.....In between flights i have close to 3 hours....

and i was wondering if any londers would know....is it possible to make it

toand from a branch of virgin (oxford street maybe?) within say 2 hours

20 mins? i really need to get this video...and this looks like my only

chance.....

if you've read this far then thanks.....and hopefuly someone has some info

on an ireland release or a nice short cut to oxford street for me

hugs

-viN

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

Date: Mon, 10 Feb 97 11:33:39 UT

From: "Ralf

Subject: WG: BT banned!! and heathrow airport

 

Hi Vin,

I can't believe that this movie is censored in a Western civilized liberal

country. If you really want to get it, follow the instructions which David and

Andi posted on their web site (page

http://www.zzapps.demon.co.uk/beautiful-thing/merchandise.htm). The video was

sent to my home in Germany only one week after I ordered it by phone/fax. So

it should be in Ireland in a few days after your order. No shipping was

charged.

BTW, I spent 2 weeks in Ireland last September. I enjoyed my trip to this

beautiful country. One week I cruised on the Shannon river what I liked most.

If you just want to relax and do nothing this is one of the best things you

can do.

Anyway, good luck getting the video... Does this mean you didn't see the movie

yet? If so then be warned. You won't get away from it :-)

Take care

Ralf

-----Urspuengliche Nachricht-----

Gesendet am: Montag, 10. Februar 1997 12:37

Betreff: BT banned!! and heathrow airport

This is my third attempt to write to the beautiful thing list

i tried last month but couldn't so i unsubbed and resubbed and fingers

crossed....

Firstly...i'm Vin from ireland....anyone else from Ireland on the list?

secondly..i don't know if beautiful thing has been banned where yet for

some silly reason....but it was due to be released here in Ireland thru

virgin too on the same day as it was in Britian....

but for some reason it was stopped at the censor's office here in horrible

old Dublin....and they won't pass it...i enquired in Virgin just last week

and they said there doesn't appear to be any hope in getting it passed..

which makes me wonder....why?

why would they ban this movie here....surely they can't find anything

wrong with it....movies are usually released here at the same time as

britain...because we get the same TV channels...magazines etc..

so they can get full use of advertising etc....

BT rates in my top five films ever

(along with Terminator 2, seven, basketball diaries and err edward scissor

hands)

and i really want to buy it......

3... I am visiting a friend in america next week....and am flying via

Heathrow airport.....In between flights i have close to 3 hours....

and i was wondering if any londers would know....is it possible to make it

toand from a branch of virgin (oxford street maybe?) within say 2 hours

20 mins? i really need to get this video...and this looks like my only

chance.....

if you've read this far then thanks.....and hopefuly someone has some info

on an ireland release or a nice short cut to oxford street for me

hugs

-viN

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

Date: Mon, 10 Feb 1997 23:46:10 -0800

From: Mike

Subject: UPDATE #3: RE Boy friend in hospital

 

Thanks to everyone who's written expressing their well-wishes and concern

for Davie and I.

Tests came back today confirming that Davie is HIV negative.

The CT and MRI scans indicate that we are dealing with a tumor on the left

rear of Davie's brain. The Drs. have been monitoring it to see if its size

has decreased with antibiotics. It has not. The next step is a biopsy of

the mass to determine its precise nature, and, if cancerous, whether

malignant or benign. Davie, his brother Phil, and I will be meeting with

the senior physician in the next day or two to discuss his case in more

detail.

Davie and I are getting very tired. I've been so busy taking care of

business details and doing my job, I've hardly had a chance to let this

sink in. My god. This is really happening. Davie can't get any sleep

because they wake him in the middle of the night to check his vital signs.

He's supposed be given something to put him to sleep but Davie says it

isn't happening.

All this is made doubly difficult because he is not physically "sick" (no

temperature or physical symptoms to speak of). Davie is a Star Wars nut and

is eager to see the newly released version but he is not allowed to leave

the ward. There's no reason he couldn't leave so long as someone was with

him, but the hospital won't allow that unless he's been released or is on

out-patient status -- which of course he isn't. I'm thinking I might just

"elope" with him anyway...

A friend took him some children's story books. He's been saying he can't

read but I got him to read one of the little books to me. I've forgotten

the title but it was about a boy who wanted a doll to play with but was

given, among other things, a model train set by his dad instead. David

actually read it fairly well -- about a second or third grade level -- and

enjoyed it immensely.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I'm kinda doing both.

You should see his face when I walk in the room. He is so happy to see me

he can hardly contain himself. He's been getting quite a few visitors (I

have to mention specific names when I ask or he forgets to tell me, though)

but what he really wants is to be released from his prison. We've made a

little still life of potted flowers on his bedside table. There are

cyclamens, daffodils, irises and miniature roses. For some reason he can't

remember the name "cyclamen" and keeps asking what they are though we've

told him a 100 times. When no one is there he compulsively tidey's his

room. Finished with that he moves on to the waiting room on his floor. I

said, "Davie, you're never this neat at home." "Mikey," he replied, "I'm

never this BORED at home!"

Oh, man, I think if I were in his shoes I'd be going NUTS! The thought of

having all these tubes stuck in me and people messing with me and

stuff...ugh! But Davie just grimaces and shrugs, "What am I going to do?"

Yeah. Get well, I hope.

 

 

Thanks for reading,

Mike

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

Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 09:31:26 -0800

From: Jay

Subject: Re: Merchandise -Reply -Reply

 

>>> Simon  01/30/97 03:10pm >>>

At 10:21 AM 1/30/97 -0800, you wrote:

JP> I'd like something

JP>from the chase/kiss in the woods scene. I get the impression that

JP>thataspect was played down by Sony publicity here in the States.

>

SS>I agree, except for advertizing aimed at the gay community. I rented

SS>"Celluloid Closet" and it had the BIT trailer which showed the kiss

SS>scene >cut just a nanosecond before liplock!

I rented "The Celluloid Closet" just to see the BT trailer. It (the trailer) was

annoying at best - typical Hollywood, little snips of the movie were cut

and pasted out of context to make up a little story that is interesting as a

2 minuite narrative but very misleading in terms of what the real movie is

about. And, to top it off, they used the wrong music - mainly "California

Dreaming" which isn't even in the movie! I guess the guys in publicity live

in a world of their own. I was trying to figure out if I would have gone to

see the movie if I had seen the trailer first. Glad I dint.

I did watch "The Celluloid Closet" too ... this documentary makes the point

over and over that the Hollywood formula for dealing with "queers" from

the mid-30s till now is that you can show it on screen as long as the

"queers" are 1. utilmately portrayed as pitiful, tortured souls and 2. they

are killed (or die) at the end of the film. Even "Philadelphia" follows this

basic formula.

This underscored for me the "breakthrough" that has been made with

"Beautiful Thing" : that is - the gay characters are basically normal,

happy kids - find love - AND SURVIVE. As far as I know, this has

NEVER been done in the cinema before (a least in a film by a major studio

in world-wide realease).

:o) jay

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

From: "Vinnie"

Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 20:17:27 +0000

Subject: (part 2) Re: Merchandise -Reply -Reply

 

> This underscored for me the "breakthrough" that has been made with

> "Beautiful Thing" : that is - the gay characters are basically normal,

> happy kids - find love - AND SURVIVE. As far as I know, this has

> NEVER been done in the cinema before (a least in a film by a major studio

> in world-wide realease).

>

and it leaves the story wide open for

Beautiful Thing part 2....

(here's hoping)

Anyone got any ideas for a cool story line...

i'de think maybe one of the guys (probably steve)

meets someone else and Jamie has to win him back

or then again maybe not...it would probably ruin the

whole of part one.....

anyways...

-viN

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

Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 11:35:48 -0800

From: Mike

Subject: RE: "Celluloid Closet" (was: Merchandise -Reply -Reply)

 

On Tue, 11 Feb 1997 09:31:26 -0800 Jay Peregrine <JPEREGRI@dc20.ucsf.edu>

wrote:

>I rented "The Celluloid Closet" just to see the BT trailer. It (the

>trailer) was

>annoying at best - typical Hollywood, little snips of the movie were cut

>and pasted out of context to make up a little story that is interesting as a

>2 minuite narrative but very misleading in terms of what the real movie is

>about. And, to top it off, they used the wrong music - mainly "California

>Dreaming" which isn't even in the movie! I guess the guys in publicity live

>in a world of their own. I was trying to figure out if I would have gone to

>see the movie if I had seen the trailer first. Glad I dint.

>

>I did watch "The Celluloid Closet" too ... this documentary makes the point

>over and over that the Hollywood formula for dealing with "queers" from

>the mid-30s till now is that you can show it on screen as long as the

>"queers" are 1. utilmately portrayed as pitiful, tortured souls and 2. they

>are killed (or die) at the end of the film. Even "Philadelphia" follows this

>basic formula.

>

>This underscored for me the "breakthrough" that has been made with

>"Beautiful Thing" : that is - the gay characters are basically normal,

>happy kids - find love - AND SURVIVE. As far as I know, this has

>NEVER been done in the cinema before (a least in a film by a major studio

>in world-wide realease).

>

>:o) jay

I'm sorry to hear about the trailer on "Closet", but not surprised. Yeah,

no doubt the guys in publicity are "in a world of their own" but there may

be more to it.

It my be precisely BECAUSE of your other points -- (the gay characters are

basically normal, happy kinds - find love - AND SURVIVE) -- that this film

isn't getting either a lot of press or a lot of good press. Some, yeah, but

not much.

Why? Because it's scarry. Because it deals with a subject that most people

-- read straight parents -- would rather NOT think about. And becausee, as

you say, it deals with it positively and optimistically. That it does so

with great penache and good taste is to its credit, but still TOO SCARRY

for mainstream anywhere.

Those of us who grasp the significance of this film will probably have to

help it along a bit. Here are a few suggestions: Just about every city has

at least one "art" theatre where older or independant films are shown. Be

sure to reqest this film be shown in the one nearest you. And get your

friends to request it too. Call them, write to them, whatever. Another

suggestion: Call the management of your local Public Television station.

Getting it aird on TV will reach a much broader audience than it ever will

playing in movie houses. I suspect there are some cable TV stations that

might air it as well, if it were brought to their attention and if enough

people requested it. I don't know about such things as I hardly watch TV

and don't have cable.

Anyone else have suggestons?

Mike

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

Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 22:38:35 -0600

From: Joe

Subject: Happy Valentine's Day

 

To One and All,

To all who have experienced the magic of Beautiful Thing....

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

Gary

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

Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 22:38:35 -0600

From: Joe

Subject: Happy Valentine's Day

 

To One and All,

To all who have experienced the magic of Beautiful Thing....

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

Gary Drum

--

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

Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 22:31:22 -0800

From: Bruce

Subject: Re: Happy Valentine's Day

 

>To One and All,

>

> To all who have experienced the magic of Beautiful Thing....

>

> Happy Valentine's Day!

>

>

>Gary Drum

 

 

Well thank you, Gary. And a happy valentine's day to you and everyone else

on the list also.

 

Bruce

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

Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 11:16:51 -0500

From: ceursit

Subject: Re: Happy Valentine's Day

 

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO ALL OF YOU......

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

Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 18:04:12 -0800

From: Bruce Fairbanks <brucef@sna.com>

Subject: Re: Happy Valentine's Day

 

Erwin, thanks for the flowers!!!! =^)

 

Bruce

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

Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 08:24:03 -0600 (CST)

From: BRIAN

Subject: Re: Re: Merchandise -Reply -Reply

 

> and it leaves the story wide open for

> Beautiful Thing part 2....

> (here's hoping)

> Anyone got any ideas for a cool story line...

I think it might take away from the magic to have a sequel right away.

I'd like to see a '10 year reunion' movie with Jamie and Ste living

together and dealing with Ste's dad and brother. They could adopt, they

could have fights, etc.. We need to see that they do "live happily ever

after." It is a fairy tale, after all. :)

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

Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 09:10:06 -0600

From: Kyle

Subject: Re: Re: Merchandise -Reply -Reply

 

At 08:24 AM 2/15/97 -0600, you wrote:

>> and it leaves the story wide open for

>> Beautiful Thing part 2....

>> (here's hoping)

>> Anyone got any ideas for a cool story line...

>

>I think it might take away from the magic to have a sequel right away.

>I'd like to see a '10 year reunion' movie with Jamie and Ste living

>together and dealing with Ste's dad and brother. They could adopt, they

>could have fights, etc.. We need to see that they do "live happily ever

>after." It is a fairy tale, after all. :)

>

>

I agree--I've actually been afraid that they'd do a sequel...part of me says

that they'd just turn it into a "typical" gay drama filled with angst and

tragedy...but I like the 10-year reunion idea :))

Kyle

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

Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 11:51:22 -0600

From: Joe

Subject: Sequel

Kyle  wrote:

>

> At 08:24 AM 2/15/97 -0600, you wrote:

> >> and it leaves the story wide open for

> >> Beautiful Thing part 2....

> >> (here's hoping)

> >> Anyone got any ideas for a cool story line...

> >

> >I think it might take away from the magic to have a sequel right away.

> >I'd like to see a '10 year reunion' movie with Jamie and Ste living

> >together and dealing with Ste's dad and brother. They could adopt, they

> >could have fights, etc.. We need to see that they do "live happily ever

> >after." It is a fairy tale, after all. :)

> >

> >

> I agree--I've actually been afraid that they'd do a sequel...part of me says

> that they'd just turn it into a "typical" gay drama filled with angst and

> tragedy...but I like the 10-year reunion idea :))

>

> Kyle

You know, instead of a "sequel," I'd like to see more stories similar

to Beautiful Thing, more "fairy tales" if you will. After all, there

are many "fairy tales" in literature and they don't all involve the same

characters, but they all do involve living "happily ever after." I

don't think we necessarily need more stories _of_ Jamie and Ste, but

more stories of people _like_ Jamie and Ste. I suspect that now that

Beautiful Thing has set the precedent, there's opportunity for fertile

minds (including, of course, that of Jonathan Harvey) to tell other

stories of what gay relationships and gay love can _really_ be like.

So, you aspiring writers out there, get to it! <G>

Gary

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

Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 14:37:05 -0600 (CST)

From: BRIAN

Subject: Re: Sequel

 

> > I agree--I've actually been afraid that they'd do a sequel...part of me says

> > that they'd just turn it into a "typical" gay drama filled with angst and

> > tragedy...but I like the 10-year reunion idea :))

> >

> > Kyle

>

> You know, instead of a "sequel," I'd like to see more stories similar

> to Beautiful Thing, more "fairy tales" if you will. After all, there

> are many "fairy tales" in literature and they don't all involve the same

> characters, but they all do involve living "happily ever after." I

> don't think we necessarily need more stories _of_ Jamie and Ste, but

> more stories of people _like_ Jamie and Ste. I suspect that now that

> Beautiful Thing has set the precedent, there's opportunity for fertile

> minds (including, of course, that of Jonathan Harvey) to tell other

> stories of what gay relationships and gay love can _really_ be like.

> So, you aspiring writers out there, get to it! <G>

>

> Gary

>

Nope. We DEFINITELY need more stories of Jamie and Ste! :) :)

Seriously, though, I think you're right. We just need some happy,

healthy, wonderful 'and they lived happily ever after' stories of gay

people out there.

Q: anyone have any other ideas of a plot for a '10 year reunion' type

film? I'd like to hear 'em. :)

-Brian

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