We remember: Milk

Originally posted on www.differentscene.co.uk

This week for Different Scene’s We Remember section I’m going to be looking at a film that was released just a few years ago but has already had a significant impact on the gay community, and that film is Milk.

The 2008 film was directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Dustin Lance Black and was quite a critical and commercial hit. It grossed $54 million at the box office and won two Academy Awards, including best actor for Sean Penn as Harvey Milk.

Released on the cusp of the Californian voter referendum on Proposition 8, that sought to ban gay marriage, the film couldn’t have come at a better time as Milk tells the story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected into public office in California, demonstrating how back in the 1970s people were willing to have a gay man in office. It begins on his 40^th birthday and follows him as he settles in San Francisco and begins his journey into city politics were he waged various battles for gay rights and equality in the Castro neighbourhood and throughout San Francisco, it also looks at the political campaigns that sought to limit gay rights during the late 1970s that Milk also battled against.

As the film progresses it explores Milk’s romantic relationship with Scott Smith, which is truly touching in the movie and was played impeccably by both Sean Penn as Milk and James Franco as Smith. The film ultimately ends with the untimely tragic death of Harvey Milk who was murdered by Dan White.

The film itself is shot amazingly and the screenplay and acting is brilliant, as it flips through real life footage from the 1970s back to the present day film acting you can’t help but get engrossed. This film brought the name of a hugely influential, courageous and forward thinking man back into the mainstream, because lets face it Harvey Milk was remembered amongst a lot of people in the gay community, but there were people from a younger generation and people from the straight community who wouldn’t have known who he was, but this film brought him back to life, and for those who haven’t seen footage of the real Harvey Milk go and watch it because you will be stunned at how realistic the film is when compared.

This is why this film is in the We Remember section this week, because not only did it put gay characters back on the big screen and show that films with gay characters can and do perform well at the box office and at award shows, but it also allowed Harvey Milk’s name to live on once again, and show what great things he did for our community.

We Remember: Beautiful People

Originally posted on www.differentscene.com

Another week another amazing British television series that concentrates on the LGBT community.

This week I am looking at Beautiful People a BBC television series based on the memoirs of Simon Doonan about growing up as gay teen in 1960s Reading. The television series has made a few alterations, the main one being changing the setting to 1997 along with a few name changes.

The show ran for two series between 2008 and 2009 and concentrates on Simon Doonan a young effeminate boy growing up in an eccentric family in 1990s Reading. The series takes parts in the present day before going back to the past and concentrating on a number of hilarious incidents that happened to the shows protagonist throughout his life, such as how he broke his nose and how he got the scar on his head.

Where as the first series concentrates mainly on the hilarity of these incidents allowing you to warm to the Simon and his best friend, the equally as effeminate Kylie (Kyle), as they aspire to leave Reading and head for the bright lights of London, where they can be with ‘the beautiful people.’

As the second series begins we are still treated to same odd ball circumstances that Simon faces throughout his life, but we also see the shows star begin to come to terms with the fact that he is in fact gay and doesn’t necessarily fit in with the rest of the boys at school.

Throw in some brilliant performances that come in the from of Simon’s mother Debbie Doonan and the remainder of the cast (because to be fair they are all brilliant), along with a very interesting tale about a Posh Spice doll, and you instantly get a piece of comedy gold along with a touching story of ones boys acceptance of himself, and his persistence to find somewhere he fits in.

The show is a must for any one who had a hard time fitting in when they were younger and aspire to make the most of their life. After all the real Simon Doonan went on to become the creative ambassador at New York clothing store Barneys.

As the theme tune says, (sung by the brilliant Dan Gillespie-Sells) “Dreams are foolish but don’t let them go” and that is exactly what he did.