The Narrator Returns wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:21 pm
Also, I might amend the “first trans filmmaker in Criterion” statement to include Michael (Nikki) Cimino, but that’s a whole other can of worms.
The Cimino of it all is a BIG can of worms because it’s only speculation and heresay from people who have said so after their passing and who denied it vocally and repeatedly during their lifetime. This obviously doesn’t negate the possible validity, however, was never an “out” trans individual no matter how you slice it. It’s a big ethical gray area to discuss speculative transness of dead celebrities (ie Kurt Cobain, Burt Lancaster). It’s not something you can safely impose on someone without their consent. Meanwhile, Lana and Lilly are above publicly “Out” trans filmmakers.
Similarly, we know empirically that, say, Charles Laughton, Visconti, and Fassbinder were queer men who directed films and are discussed, canonized, and labelled as queer filmmakers. Meanwhile, there are similar rumors about Nicholas Ray having sexual encounters with actors like James Dean. This does not make Ray a queer filmmaker and it’s not a particularly wise move to label him as such. We’ll never know these secretive aspects of some artist’s lives that they chose or forced to keep secret and thats ok.
The Narrator Returns wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:21 pm
Also, I might amend the “first trans filmmaker in Criterion” statement to include Michael (Nikki) Cimino, but that’s a whole other can of worms.
The Cimino of it all is a BIG can of worms because it’s only speculation and heresay from people who have said so after their passing and who denied it vocally and repeatedly during their lifetime. This obviously doesn’t negate the possible validity, however, was never an “out” trans individual no matter how you slice it. It’s a big ethical gray area to discuss speculative transness of dead celebrities (ie Kurt Cobain, Burt Lancaster). It’s not something you can safely impose on someone without their consent. Meanwhile, Lana and Lilly are above publicly “Out” trans filmmakers.
Similarly, we know empirically that, say, Charles Laughton, Visconti, and Fassbinder were queer men who directed films and are discussed, canonized, and labelled as queer filmmakers. Meanwhile, there are similar rumors about Nicholas Ray having sexual encounters with actors like James Dean. This does not make Ray a queer filmmaker and it’s not a particularly wise move to label him as such. We’ll never know these secretive aspects of some artist’s lives that they chose or forced to keep secret and thats ok.
I recently read that Cimino biography, and many of the claims are likely specious. Too many weird or anonymous sources that just don’t have much credibility, and the focus veers too far from his post-Heaven’s Gate output.
I saw the producer of Kiss of the Spider Woman speak once, and he basically stated as a fact that Lancaster was a transvestite (he was specific about using that term), and said that was why he was attracted to said project and took a stab at writing his own script for it
My core memory of Bound, which came out the year I started seriously watching movies, was how it made both Siskel and Ebert's top 10s for 1996, how Siskel called it "sexually hot," and how I had to keep telling people I didn't just like it because of the sex scenes
swo17 wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:53 pm
My core memory of Bound, which came out the year I started seriously watching movies, was how it made both Siskel and Ebert's top 10s for 1996, how Siskel called it "sexually hot," and how I had to keep telling people I didn't just like it because of the sex scenes
Both of them tended to give more favorable ratings based on how their penises responded
The Narrator Returns wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:21 pm
Also, I might amend the “first trans filmmaker in Criterion” statement to include Michael (Nikki) Cimino, but that’s a whole other can of worms.
The Cimino of it all is a BIG can of worms because it’s only speculation and heresay from people who have said so after their passing and who denied it vocally and repeatedly during their lifetime. This obviously doesn’t negate the possible validity, however, was never an “out” trans individual no matter how you slice it. It’s a big ethical gray area to discuss speculative transness of dead celebrities (ie Kurt Cobain, Burt Lancaster). It’s not something you can safely impose on someone without their consent. Meanwhile, Lana and Lilly are above publicly “Out” trans filmmakers.
Similarly, we know empirically that, say, Charles Laughton, Visconti, and Fassbinder were queer men who directed films and are discussed, canonized, and labelled as queer filmmakers. Meanwhile, there are similar rumors about Nicholas Ray having sexual encounters with actors like James Dean. This does not make Ray a queer filmmaker and it’s not a particularly wise move to label him as such. We’ll never know these secretive aspects of some artist’s lives that they chose or forced to keep secret and thats ok.
I saw the producer of Kiss of the Spider Woman speak once, and he basically stated as a fact that Lancaster was a transvestite (he was specific about using that term), and said that was why he was attracted to said project and took a stab at writing his own script for it
I was friends with that producer, David Weisman, for a few years before his passing and he by that point claimed Lancaster as a closeted trans woman, but that’s once again using modern terms to define a person who describe someone whose not around, and David, sweetheart he was, as a gay man of a certain generation had a limited view of trans-ness and frequently confused the concepts of trans individuals/drag performers/transvestites. And those differences are vast and very *very* important. Though I did agree with his take that the character in the novel, Kiss of the Spider Woman, by today’s standards, would be written as trans and he was looking into producing a trans remake before his passing.
The Cimino of it all is a BIG can of worms because it’s only speculation and heresay from people who have said so after their passing and who denied it vocally and repeatedly during their lifetime. This obviously doesn’t negate the possible validity, however, was never an “out” trans individual no matter how you slice it. It’s a big ethical gray area to discuss speculative transness of dead celebrities (ie Kurt Cobain, Burt Lancaster). It’s not something you can safely impose on someone without their consent. Meanwhile, Lana and Lilly are above publicly “Out” trans filmmakers.
Similarly, we know empirically that, say, Charles Laughton, Visconti, and Fassbinder were queer men who directed films and are discussed, canonized, and labelled as queer filmmakers. Meanwhile, there are similar rumors about Nicholas Ray having sexual encounters with actors like James Dean. This does not make Ray a queer filmmaker and it’s not a particularly wise move to label him as such. We’ll never know these secretive aspects of some artist’s lives that they chose or forced to keep secret and thats ok.
I saw the producer of Kiss of the Spider Woman speak once, and he basically stated as a fact that Lancaster was a transvestite (he was specific about using that term), and said that was why he was attracted to said project and took a stab at writing his own script for it
I was friends with that producer, David Weisman, for a few years before his passing and he by that point claimed Lancaster as a closeted trans woman, but that’s once again using modern terms to define a person who describe someone whose not around, and David, sweetheart he was, as a gay man of a certain generation had a limited view of trans-ness and frequently confused the concepts of trans individuals/drag performers/transvestites. And those differences are vast and very *very* important. Though I did agree with his take that the character in the novel, Kiss of the Spider Woman, by today’s standards, would be written as trans and he was looking into producing a trans remake before his passing.
Interesting. I recall that he expressed some regret over the film not deviating from some tragic gay character tropes. I hope all those rushes he saved are being preserved
swo17 wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:53 pm
My core memory of Bound, which came out the year I started seriously watching movies, was how it made both Siskel and Ebert's top 10s for 1996, how Siskel called it "sexually hot," and how I had to keep telling people I didn't just like it because of the sex scenes
Both of them tended to give more favorable ratings based on how their penises responded
Siskel was very honest about when he'd do this, and I think it's as valid a reason as any so long as you're upfront about it. I remember he literally said he was recommending Summer Lovers because it turned him on, for instance. However, it's also worth remembering that Siskel had a great line about this kind of thing when he stated that two elements in a film aren't debatable: humor and eroticism. If it doesn't make you laugh or turn you on, nothing anyone can say otherwise would change your mind
therewillbeblus wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 1:24 pm
If it is, and it’s close, it’s because of this
Especially funny since its a parody of the self-insert Shyamalan cameo character from Signs, a trend that was getting bigger and more self aggrandising until he both had a faux documentary made about his mystique and notoriously turned up in Lady In The Water as the guy who Stephen King-style is the otherwise unassuming novelist who holds the power to re-write the course of multiple universes in his hands. I do not particularly hate Lady In The Water (and love The Happening as the best deadpan comedy of the 2000s!) but that felt like the turning point on Shyamalan, and I can somewhat understand why it was Mark Kermode's breaking point!
Last edited by colinr0380 on Sat Mar 16, 2024 1:49 pm, edited 3 times in total.
I have the M6 Blu-Ray; is the Criterion UHD and new 4K transfer for the blu-ray disk worth the upgrade ?
I thought that the M6 French Blu-Ray was already uncut.
The end credits are the "Wachowski Brothers"; they could have changed it like Audiard's western movie The Sisters Brothers that would have been fun; so what's has been changed ? : Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski instead of the "Wachowski Brothers" ? That's it ?
Regarding neo film noir I tend to prefer Body Heat (so many twist and sweaty) and The Last Seduction.
In a way W.Friedkin scene with Rick Master's girlfriend was already the "Bound".
Rupert Pupkin wrote: Tue Jun 11, 2024 4:32 am
I have the M6 Blu-Ray; is the Criterion UHD and new 4K transfer for the blu-ray disk worth the upgrade ?
I thought that the M6 French Blu-Ray was already uncut.
The end credits are the "Wachowski Brothers"; they could have changed it like Audiard's western movie The Sisters Brothers that would have been fun; so what's has been changed ? : Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski instead of the "Wachowski Brothers" ? That's it ?
And the winner for weirdest transphobic comment in this thread goes to…
We watched the disc last night and it legitimately makes every previous transfer look like garbage. I don’t know this restoration will get as much attention as something flashier and more epic, but holy cow, it’s pristine and gorgeous. A top-tier release based on that alone.
