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

From: <HeadDr

Date: 6/2/97 11:04PM

Subject: Re: What Spanish cover?

 

Hey, can you send me a copy of the Spanish cover too??? PLEASE

 

jim

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

From: <HeadDr

Date: 6/2/97 11:10PM

Subject: Re: Movie Poster

 

Does anyone know where I could buy a copy of the movie poster??

 

Jim

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

From: David

Date: 6/2/97 11:26PM

Subject: Re: Movie Poster

 

Movie posters along with other merchandise will be available by the end of June, printers

permitting. Some clever ppl who have been heeding my advice to check the merchandise

page regualrly have already discovered the merchandise line.

 

More examples of the artwork will arrive as I find time to complete them. At present I'm

working full time on Beautiful Thing, in order to bring the merchandise to you as soon as I can.

 

The only things remaining to be done is to get the final approvals from Film Four, and

actually make the stuff!

 

Regards, Davie

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

From: Bruce

Date: 6/3/97 1:11AM

Subject: Jamie vs. Ste (was Re: What Spanish cover??)

 

 

>Am I the only one that thinks Jamie (Glen Barry) is cuter than Ste (Scott

>Neal)?

>

>Todd

 

No, Todd, you aren't the only one. I'm definitely in that camp too. Part

of his cuteness, I think, is his vulverability-at least in the movie. I'm

sure he isn't like that in real life. But he's still cute in real life!!

=^)

 

Bruce

 

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

From: Jeff

Date: 6/3/97 1:23AM

Subject: Glen Berry Admiration Society

 

Todd, with all due respect to Scott Neal fans (I love him to death, mind

you), I think Glen is cuter. Something about him. I think it's that I love

the character Jamie and through him I admire Glen. That's not to say I want

BT'ers to split into pro-Scott and pro-Glen camps!

 

I think you'll find you are not alone in being a member of the Glen Berry

Admiration Society.

 

/s/ The Midwest President of said club.

 

jeff

----------

> From: Todd

> Subject: Re: What Spanish cover??

> Date: Monday, June 02, 1997 5:22 p.m.

>

> Am I the only one that thinks Jamie (Glen Barry) is cuter than Ste (Scott

> Neal)?

>

> Todd

> ----------

> > From: HeadDr

> > Subject: What spanish cover??

> > Date: Monday, June 02, 1997 3:27 PM

> >

> > Hey, what is the deal about the spanish cover for BT?? Did I miss a

> > something or is someone holding out on me?? That's not very nice. :)

 

> <g>

> > By the say, my therapist thinks im obsessed too!!! She was pleased

> that

> > my crush on Ste (Scott Neal) was not putting me in the pedophile

> category.

> > But this was only after I told her that he was 18 NOW!! LOL

Hey,

> > here's the question of the day?? How many times have you watched BT??

 

> I

> > embarrassed to say but I would estimate about 15 times and GROWING!!!!!

 

>

> >

> > Jim

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

From: Bruce

Date: 6/3/97 1:26AM

Subject: Attitude Magazine article

 

 

 

Seeing as Gav already mentioned that the issue with the interview of

Glen and Scott is already out of print could some nice person out there

post the article on the list? And, it would be nice if someone scanned the

photos in the article and sent them to Davie so he can put them on the

website.

 

Bruce

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

From: Jeff

Date: 6/3/97 1:35AM

Subject: Re: Ste's real dad

 

Jase:

 

It is now confirmed. You are a freak. A wonderful, sweet one, but you are

one, nonetheless!

 

Jeff

 

----------

> From: J M

> Subject: Ste's REAL dad?

> Date: Monday, June 02, 1997 10:40 p.m.

>

> Hello everyone!

>

> Jason here. I have been off line most of the day because I got this

> job putting together an 80 page presentation for me mum's company. I get

> paid for it, so im happy. :) So I finish banging out the first 17 pages,

> which took all of 8 hours! I decided to sit for a minute with me mum and

> dad. They were watching Jeopardy! on the telly. When Lo and Behold! It

> hit me like a lead pipe to Mama Cass' head! Alex Trebek looks like he

> could be Scott Neal's dad! Now I am thinking I was just a bit delusional

> by this point, but if you really think about it, they do have similar

> traits! I just had to share this. I am going on line now for a few

> minutes, and then back to work!

>

> Ta!

> Jason

> --

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

From: Jeff

Date: 6/3/97 2:08AM

Subject: Sounds Are a Beautiful Thing

 

Davie:

 

The Real Audio additions to the site are spectacular. As Mama Cass sings,

the site is "getting better, growing stronger, warm and wilder. Getting

better ever day!"

 

Compliments to Jase for his work on the sounds.

 

For those who don't have Real Audio installed, I highly recommend it. It

takes the Web to a higher level. I listen to ITN news snippets from Britain

every day thanks to RA. If I can't be there to hear it in person, at least

I can hear it on the Web.

 

Jeff

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

From: Gavin

Date: 6/3/97 2:09AM

Subject: Re: Attitude Magazine article

 

At 21:26 6/2/97 -0800, Bruce  wrote:

> Seeing as Gav already mentioned that the issue with the interview of

>Glen and Scott is already out of print could some nice person out there

>post the article on the list? And, it would be nice if someone scanned the

>photos in the article and sent them to Davie so he can put them on the

>website.

 

I don't mind putting the words on, but I don't have the actual pics, so that

will have to be someone else!

 

Gav.

 

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

From: Clem

Date: 6/3/97 2:18AM

Subject: Re: Promotion by Sony/ ...& moi

 

hi all,

 

>

>As for promotion, we just have to do it by word of mouth. I know I've

>spread the word and then some. To the point of being annoying. But then,

>people I know are used to me being that way. :-)

>

>Jeff

 

Word-of-mouth, exactly. What I did to spread the word was to send little

standardized emails to all the folks with US emails who had signed the

Feedback Book at the BT site. I went back to those who had signed since,

oh, about January or so and sent them the reminder. I got a great many

bounce-backs (as you might guess) but also some nice little thank-yous.

 

clem

 

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

From: John

Date: 6/3/97 2:33AM

Subject: newbie :)

 

Hi! My name's John, and I live in what my friends and I term "the buckle of

the bible belt" (aka Tallahassee, Florida). Surprisingly, gay cinima

manages to trickle down to us somehow (HA! bloody but unbowed), and we get

to see awsome movies like Beautiful Thing. Oddly enough, I went to see it

with three straight friends, and wound up clutching to one of them through

out the whole show. I had just ended my first openly gay relationship

(badly) a few days before, and was a few steps away from morbidly depressed.

Suddenly this wonderful thing was on the movie screen! It touched a part of

me I thought had been killed. For the first time in a long while, I felt

this tug at my innocence and maybe something that asked me to surrender to

the childish wonder that had been bottled up inside of me the whole time my

relationship was going sour. It's kind of haunting when you see a little

piece of your life played out in front of your very eyes, and that's the way

I felt when I saw Beautiful Thing for the first time. I look forward to

hearing from you all, and thanks for letting me share in the experience:).

 

PS: After the movie, I ordered a copy of the actual play. Currently I'm in

the process of finding a place around here that will let me direct it. I'll

keep everyone updated as to my success. Wish me luck (I have a feeling I'm

gonna need it) ;).

*Pax Mundi*

- We could change things back. If we believed. If we dreamed.

We are dreams of the carrion kind, they say, and perhaps it is so.

But if enough of us dream...if a bare thousand of us dream...we

can change the world.

"A Dream of a Thousand Cats."

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

From: Bruce

Date: 6/3/97 3:13AM

Subject: Re: Ste's REAL dad?

 

 

>Hello everyone!

>

> Jason here. I have been off line most of the day because I got this

>job putting together an 80 page presentation for me mum's company. I get

>paid for it, so im happy. :) So I finish banging out the first 17 pages,

>which took all of 8 hours! I decided to sit for a minute with me mum and

>dad. They were watching Jeopardy! on the telly. When Lo and Behold! It

>hit me like a lead pipe to Mama Cass' head! Alex Trebek looks like he

>could be Scott Neal's dad! Now I am thinking I was just a bit delusional

>by this point, but if you really think about it, they do have similar

>traits! I just had to share this. I am going on line now for a few

>minutes, and then back to work!

 

 

Jason, with all due respect, I think YOU'VE been hit in the head with a

lead pipe! Either that or you've gone loopy from watching Beautiful Thing

one too many times!

 

Bruce!!!!

 

P.S. Did you forget to take your medication again? You KNOW what the

doctor said about that after the last time. =^O

 

 

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

From: Jeff

Date: 6/3/97 4:05AM

Subject: Re: newbie :)

 

Good luck, John, and welcome to the list.

 

I thought about which theater here in Omaha could do "BT." I'd love to see

a high school do it. Yeah, right! Maybe a good Catholic school!!!

 

Jeff

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

From: Gavin

Date: 6/3/97 4:36AM

Subject: Re: newbie :)

 

At 02:33 6/3/97 -0400, you wrote:

>PS: After the movie, I ordered a copy of the actual play. Currently I'm in

>the process of finding a place around here that will let me direct it. I'll

>keep everyone updated as to my success. Wish me luck (I have a feeling I'm

>gonna need it) ;).

 

That's just magic, John. Just magic. Welcome to the club!

 

>*Pax Mundi*

 

Precationes sanctorum tecum. There are things beter than luck :-)

 

 

Gav.

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

From: Simon

Date: 6/3/97 7:46AM

Subject: Re: rented at last

 

At 07:31 PM 6/2/97, you wrote:

>Simon,

>

>Tell your friend that economic reasons aside, the distributors of the film

>acted brilliantly by NOT using the word "Gay" in their advertisements!

 

Umm, actually I think that is pretty sad, if by that you mean that the

destributors thought that the only way to get a wide audience is to

essentialy trick people.

 

 

>Don't you think it is wonderful that they were able to convey what the

>movie was about by saying, in essence, that it's about two teenage boys

>falling in love.

 

No, my friends point was that the movies essence was completely masked by

the description on the box. It's only because I told him what it was about

that he knew at all. Otherwise the box said only "obscure, low-budget

foreign art flick, don't rent me!"

 

As if such events were as natural (and they are!!), and as accepted by the

heterosexual world - as the story of a boy and girl

falling in love would be! Isn't this where we want to be?? Not separate,

>but equal!

 

Yes I agree that is what the film's message is, but that isn't the way it's

being marketed. It's being "marketed" to a niche audience - gays - and no

attempt is being made (in the US at least) to reach beyound that. Sad, but true.

Frankly, I don't understand why, as much "gayer" movies - Pricilla for

example - recieved good support. Can it be that the boys were presented in

too positive a light? As too normal and attractive, so not "freaky" and

stereotypical enough for people to be comfortable with? Is America still not

ready for a happy-ending, normal gay movie? For more on this thesis, see

"Celluloid Closet."

>

>By the way, I held a Beautiful Thing party last week, inviting as many of

>my straight friends as I could! There wasn't a dry eye in the place when

>Jaime and Ste shared their first kiss and certainly not at the end when

>Jaime asked Ste to dance with him in front of God and the world!

 

I'm really glad to hear that, just bear in mind that straight friends of gay

people aren't necessarily representative of straights as a whole. Because it

is so human and universal Beautiful Thing would be just the kind of film

that could break the barrier into the mainstream. Unfortunatly, the decision

has been made not to attempt that. Sorry to be so negative, but it's time to

recognise that the overall impact of the film beyond the already out gay

world is going to be neglegable. That's not the fault of the film at all, it

is the fault of the marketers, however. As far as a mass audience is

concerned, they have killed this wonderful film, and if I sound upset about

this, it's because I am. On a brighter note, I'm delighted to hear that it

is to be shown on TV in the UK. I can't imagine that happening on US network

TV. Bravo Channel 4!

>

>

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

From: Todd

Date: 6/3/97 8:54AM

Subject: Re: Glen vs. Scott

 

Actually, I was more like Ste in that I do like sports and I didn't even

come out till about 2 1/2 years ago. 2 of those years I've been with my

husband. Maybe it's because Jamie reminds me of Michael (my husband). He

was the forward one when we first met.

 

Todd

 

----------

> From: Shaun

> Subject: Re: What Spanish cover??

> Date: Tuesday, June 03, 1997 9:54 AM

>

> No I'm sure if you look hard enough you'll find us out there. I think I

> like Jamie more because that was me. I found myself going, "Ohmy god!

> That's me," through out the whole movie.

>

> shaun

>

> At 06:22 PM 6/2/97 -0400, you wrote:

> >Am I the only one that thinks Jamie (Glen Barry) is cuter than Ste

(Scott

> >Neal)?

> >

> >Todd

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

From: Todd

Date: 6/3/97 9:00AM

Subject: Re: newbie :)

 

Welcome and prepare to be bombarded with e-mail. Something I truly enjoy

though. It's great to hear from yet another person touched so deeply by

this movie.

 

Todd

----------

> From: John

> Subject: newbie :)

> Date: Tuesday, June 03, 1997 2:33 AM

>

 

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

From: David

Date: 6/3/97 9:12AM

Subject: Announcing

 

I've just posted a reply on the newsgroups to questions about BT. Expect to

see us joined by hundreds more fans over the coming week or so.

 

That counter is going to pass through 40,000 today. How will we celebrate,

and anyone going to bet when it will hit 50,000 ?

 

Regards, Davie

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

From: "Harry

Date: 6/3/97 9:21AM

Subject: Attitude Article

 

I would be happy to scan the article and the pictures and send them on to

Davie. While we have all of the equipment here at work somewhere in the

building, my expertise in this area is somewhat limited so it will take me

a few days (along with work, which takes up most of each day). I'll leave

it to Davie to sort out the copyright issues, etc. Maybe someone out there

knows what the ramifications might be.

- Harry

 

PS: My Dad is Mr. Stevens, I'm Harry.

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

From: Todd

Date: 6/3/97 9:31AM

Subject: amazing

 

It totally amazes me when I get up in the morning and have 17 messages, all

from BT list. I'm not complaining mind you. I love it actually especially

now that I don't get any ignorant mail from my sis-in-law or brother.

 

Todd

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

From: Shaun

Date: 6/3/97 9:54AM

Subject: Re: What Spanish cover??

 

No I'm sure if you look hard enough you'll find us out there. I think I

like Jamie more because that was me. I found myself going, "Ohmy god!

That's me," through out the whole movie.

 

shaun

 

 

At 06:22 PM 6/2/97 -0400, you wrote:

>Am I the only one that thinks Jamie (Glen Barry) is cuter than Ste (Scott

>Neal)?

>

>Todd

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

From: Chainarong

Date: 6/3/97 10:29AM

 

Subject: Hi all,

 

Hi all,

This is my first post. I finally got BT from Tower last Sunday after almost

two weeks of hunting. The best part is I haven't returned it yet.

Well, I watched it again last night. The running-and-kissing-in-the-forest

scene is still playing in my head. As someone pointed out that it's the first

time that Ste started to response intimately to Jamie.

I think, it's also the first time that Ste expressed his happiness for being

with Jamie. He gave Jamie a big and nice smile after kissing him. His smile

just took my breath away.

Well, just a thought.

Take care, all.

Neil

P.S. I'm more of a fan of Glen Barry. Anyone else?

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

From: CARMEN

Date: 6/3/97 10:58AM

 

Subject: Re: Announcing

 

Well, i just checked, and it was 39,945....How bout a free t-shirt for

the 40,000th person????or maybe the 50,000th..you probably couldn't get it

set up quite this fast...and 50, 000 will probably be pretty soon, if

we're going to get hundreds of new members! :-)

tory

Looking forward to the deluge!

 

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

From: Mike

Date: 6/3/97 11:18AM

Subject: Re: newbie :)

 

At 2:33 AM -0400 6/3/97, John  wrote:

><snip> For the first time in a long while, I felt

>this tug at my innocence and maybe something that asked me to surrender to

>the childish wonder that had been bottled up inside of me the whole time my

>relationship was going sour. It's kind of haunting when you see a little

>piece of your life played out in front of your very eyes, and that's the way

>I felt when I saw Beautiful Thing for the first time.

 

Here you'll find BT fanatics and innocents who have surrendered to the

childish wonder of being alive. You'll see lots of talk about BT, the

actors, Johnathan Harvey's doings, the film's promotion (or lack there of)

and Davie's many activities. You'll also catch glimpses of the people

behind the words; their hopes, their fears, their loves, their losses. It's

kind of a neat place, actually. Welcome aboard, John!

 

Mike

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

From: Chainarong

Date: 6/3/97 11:20AM

 

Subject: Hi Todd,

 

Hi Todd,

I'm with you 100 %. I showed BT to my close friend last night. During the

show, I told her all the time that I liked this Jamie character. Right after

finishing BT, she told me that "You're Jamie!". I have no idea at all that I'm

like that character. I'd better look at myself more closely. By the way, my

friend is a fan of Neal.

 

Neil.

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

From: Danny

Date: 6/3/97 11:28AM

Subject: Laserdisc release

 

Is there any news on the US laserdisc

release of the movie? I saw it on video

a few weeks ago and fell in love with

the movie. I called every laserdisc

store in the U.S. (practically) and was

told that Sony was not releasing it. Is

there an import version available? I

bought the screenplay through Amzon.com

and the soundtrack and I've seen the

picture about 12 times since then.

 

Thanks for the info.

Danny.

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

From: Ralf

Date: 6/3/97 11:36AM

Subject: OFFICIAL GERMAN VIDEO RELEASE PARTY AND DATE

 

Hi,

 

now it's official:

 

The Beautiful Thing video (in German) will be released in Germany on

July 2, 1997. Price: DM 49,90

 

There will be an open-air video release party by the video release

company Pro Fun Media on June 28, 1997 in Frankfurt. Special guests:

GLEN BERRY & SCOTT NEAL. Admisssion: DM 13 VVK, DM 15 AK.

 

For more details see the ad in the June issue of Mnner aktuell.

 

Take care

Ralf

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

From: Mike

Date: 6/3/97 12:13PM

Subject: Re: Re: rented at last

 

At 7:46 AM -0400 6/3/97, Simon  wrote:

 

>No, my friends point was that the movies essence was completely masked by

>the description on the box. It's only because I told him what it was about

>that he knew at all. Otherwise the box said only "obscure, low-budget

>foreign art flick, don't rent me!"

>

<snip> Can it be that the boys were presented in

>too positive a light? As too normal and attractive, so not "freaky" and

>stereotypical enough for people to be comfortable with? Is America still not

>ready for a happy-ending, normal gay movie? For more on this thesis, see

>"Celluloid Closet."

 

Yep. That's my impression. As I said in an earlier post, I think

Sony/Columbia-Tristar are AFRAID to market this film properly. Afraid as in

homophobic. Afraid as in afraid of what the response might be from certain

segments of US society. Look at the heat American Airlines has taken from

the religious right for their gay positive policies.

 

Why? Well it certainly isn't because the film is in poor taste. No, I think

it is because it deals with a very VERY "repressed" part of American

society: childhood sexuality in general and adolescent male/male sexuality

in specific. I've forgotten what the percentage of men who say they

participated in male/male sexual experimentation during their teenage years

but I do recall it is quite high. This is not something talked about openly

by most men. (Why do you think that is?!)

 

More importantly in my opinion -- and as you point out -- these two lads

deal with this very positively. It isn't just "sex play." They are

seriously in lust/love with one another. Well this emotional stuff is even

MORE powerful (read: threatening) than sexuality. Sex you can walk away

from (or pretend that you can, anyway); but love -- that's something else

again.

 

<snip>

>As far as a mass audience is

>concerned, they have killed this wonderful film, and if I sound upset about

>this, it's because I am.

 

Yeah. So am I and I think we should to be. This film is too important

socially to be shoved under the carpet. That's why I keep posting the URL

to Sony feedback:

 

http://www.spe.sony.com/Pictures/feedback.html

 

And here's the information Davie posted for us:

 

>Tracey Colona

>Columbia Tri-star Home Video

>Phone (310) 280-5897

>Fax: (310) 280-1789

>

>Tracey is responsilbe for the video distribution in the USA, based on the

>West Coast.

>Sorry I don't have the regular mail address - maybe if you get it you can

>pass it back to me?

>

>Sony Pictures Classics contact in New York for the MOVIE:

>

>Esther Ra

>Sony Pictures Classics

>New York, NY

>

>Phone (212) 833-8849

>Email: ERA@columbia2.msmail.spe.sony.com

 

Please let these people know how you feel! Do be polite. Remember that the

people you talk with or write to directly probably do not make the BIG

decisions. They just carry them out. Also, keep in mind that Sony/Tri-star

must on some level be on our side or they wouldn't have taken up this film

in the first place. I suspect that they WANT to hear from us. WANT good,

positive, constructive feed back on how to market this film. After all,

they are invested in it to the toon of what, ?, hundreds of thousands if

not a millions of dollars? We need to let them know that we are with them.

That we want this film to be successful not only financially, but socially

and that we are willing to help them do that. If enough of us respond that

way, those who DO make the decisions might be a bit more courageous about

the decisions they make!

 

 

 

Mike

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

From: Mike

Date: 6/3/97 12:16PM

Subject: Re: Announcing

 

>I've just posted a reply on the newsgroups to questions about BT. Expect

>to see us joined by hundreds more fans over the coming week or so.

>

>That counter is going to pass through 40,000 today. How will we celebrate,

>and anyone going to bet when it will hit 50,000 ?

>

 

Davie,

 

I'm dellighted that we're reaching more BT fans. The more the better from

the point of view of getting this film seen by more and more people.

 

I am a bit concerned about this list being joined by "hundreds" however. Is

there anyway of getting the robot to do a digest mode? We're already up to,

what, 20 or 30 posts a day just from us total fanatics! I know Majordomo

robots do digests.

 

 

Mike

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