Out lists 50 essential gay films

Which gay movies deserve a bigger audience? Out magazine asked their favorite directors, entertainers, and artists to help compile a hit list.

Most random choice? Teen Witch. Most disappointing ommission? The Boys in the Band.

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[Editor's note] Not satisfied with the list they put togther, I decided to take up Out's offer and submit my picks for their upcoming reader-generated 50 Gayest Films of All Time feature. Below you'll find my e-mailed suggestions:

Dear Out editorial board,

I have such a bone to pick with you. I just went through your picks of essential gay movies and I’m resoundingly disappointed to find some GLARING omissions. Now, I know that compiling an essential list of anything isn't easy. What’s more, I know that getting homos to agree on anything is even less so. But fear not, below you’ll find a few choices that I think will, ahem, fill in the holes…

For starters, where did The Boys in the Band go? As one of the first films to feature an all-gay cast, this film from 1970 (based on the Mart Crowley play) is the epitome of a Must-See. The interplay of gay relationships/friendships is both smart and gripping. Set in the early 70s, it also offers a wonderful (and IMHO, a much-needed) glimpse at homo history. To paraphrase one of the characters, thanks to [this film] our neurosis has got style.

As a gay Cuban American, I would remiss not to mention Before Night Falls: the inspiring yet tragic story of poet Reinaldo Arenas. Starring the incredibly handsome Javier Bardem in the lead role, this biographical film portrays the violent and precarious situation many homos faced in Cuba under the Castro revolution. Admittedly, homos were not the only victims of the revolution. But being a gay creative mind-- as was Arenas-- in a society that strikes down homosexuality and punishes creativity makes for a remarkable piece of film-making.

For the old queens on your board, I offer Suddenly, Last Summer. This film rendition of the Tennessee Williams play brings together Katharine Hepburn AND Elizabeth Taylor. I’ll give you a few moments to process that epicness… The film tells the story of Catherine Holly (Elizabeth), a young woman whose cousin's death on a trip to Europe under sordid circumstances results in an emotional disturbance so severe she is institutionalized. Her cousin's wealthy mother, Violet Venable (Hepburn), makes every effort to deny the truth about the death of her son (the truth being that he was gay). She attempts to bribe the State hospital's chief surgeon (played by Montgomery Clift) into lobotomizing her niece and thereby removing the reminder of her son's death. Can you say epic? You can't until you see it

I preface the following by saying that I tend to dislike most (if not all) contemporarily made gay-themed movies. Films like the Eating Out franchise are irritating, wasteful, and pointless. From the bad writing, to the bad acting, to the gratuitous use of nudity meant to compensate for the first two, these films aren’t good enough to lick Karen Walker’s Prada pumps. But in this storm of bad gay films, I found Shelter. This really should come under the heading of: less essential but more highly recommended. It is a refreshingly heart-warming story whose plot goes beyond just being gay. It’s not flashy, or sleek, or trashy. It’s just a story about two boys who forge a love for each other and make a family.

I hope you find these additions insightful. I know that they're part of my gay film canon and would hope they make it to yours.

Best wishes,
Jerry