Throwback Thursday: Gay Movies

Being gay in the 90’s was a lot less taboo than in previous decades but it also wasn’t as acceptable as it is now. Luckily I was a teenager with a dial-up AOL connection so I was able to search out gay culture in the freedom of the spare bedroom. Like many kids I sought out every gay movie I could find. I would literally watch anything that had a gay character in it just to see glimpses of who I might become. While there were many along the way I wanted to take a trip down memory lane and look back at some of my favorites.

1. Beautiful Thing

I love(d) this movie because it was a simple teenage love story. It deals with gay teen lust in a real way that isn’t overly dramatic or overly preachy. Those sneaky Brits always do it better. I remember buying the VHS online and watching it over and over again up in my room. Good new! You can also watch the entire movie now on Youtube. (You’ll have to ignore the Spanish subtitles) It’s a really sweet film. (I only got ride of the VHS tape when I moved to Texas.)

2. Jeffery

This came in a VERY close second place. This was one of the very first gay movies I ever saw. I loved everything about it. The amazing cast brings this fun and campy story to life. There are dream dance sequences and Patrick Stewart plays a man dating a dancer in Cats! Although the movie is 20 years old the underlying theme of dating amongst the fear of HIV is surprisingly still extremely relevant. Unfortunately this movie is a lot harder to find. Ask a gay film buff friend to see if he has a copy.

3. The Sum of Us

This is where I fell in love with Russell Crowe. (Still one of my number one movie star crushes) This wonderful movie is more about a father and son’s relationship than it is about Crowe being gay. Also this is one of the few times where an actor has played a butch gay guy convincingly.

4. Trick

Any gay man of a certain age knows the answer to the question “Have you ever had cum in your eye Gabriel?” It’s a fun movie about two guys trying to hook up in NYC. Tori Spelling is the best friends and you can’t miss the unforgettable scene with Coco Peru. This is the movie that made me fall in gay love with Coco Peru. “It BURNS!”

Other gay movies of my youth you should check out:

P.S. Fun fact, I made the the mistake, or shall I say my parents made the mistake of watching 6 Degrees of Separation with me in the room. It got uncomfortable at times. Also Broken Hearts Club is listed but I want to go on record saying that it is in fact a totally shitty movie. Dean Cane didn’t pull off the butch gay guy as well as Russell Crowe did.