The Development of Gay Cinema Through the Years

As movies are said to be a representation of the times, it's interesting to see the development of gay cinema through the years. It's a subject that is quite interesting, considering that there is a much more complex dynamic in gay films rather than the traditional cinema that we have all come to love. From latent gay themes set in the 1930s to the more straightforward and daring approach that is shown on movies today, let this short article guide you on the development of gay cinema through the years.

Let's start with the masters Jean Cocteau and Douglas Sirk, both who have managed to package their own respective gay storylines into acceptable movies of their time. Cocteau delved into a world of fairytales for adults, which memorably featured a hermaphrodite as a love interest in the 1930s. Sirk on the other hand, settled for the melodrama genre to express his homosexuality, giving the world great movies without them instantly being aware of his intent. Because of directors such Cocteau and Sirk, gay cinema was started, even before the word gay became a word that meant something else than happy.

If you're a fan of the macabre, then you're in for a real treat as gay cinema has also found its way to this genre. For movie experts, the relationship between the horror genre and gay storylines shouldn't be at all surprising as these two share similar qualities. They're both shocking and perverse and in doses that could either scare a crowd away or attract more interest. Probably the best films that best represent these qualities are Rope from the great Hitchcock and Nightmare of Elm's Street: Freddy's revenge. Rope talks about two men who have found a connection through their love for killing and have developed a relationship that does not judge them for who they really are, no matter how immoral their lifestyle is seen to be. Freddy's revenge however plays on shocking more as you won't need to think hard to find the subtle gay undertones in this movie. Just be ready for naked skin and crotch shots.

Last but not the least; let's explore the gay cinema of today. As society has become a bit more tolerable compared to the past decades, we now have movies that portray gays in a more truthful situation. from Philadelphia, where tom hanks' character plays a sort of martyr for the modern gay, to Brokeback mountain, where the male lead characters are pulled back by fear for the society that surrounds them, gay themed movies offer an in depth look into the actual hurt and pain that gays feel in life. It just goes to show that gay love stories have a more complex quality and can be much more beautiful than heterosexual love stories.

Regardless of what your sexual orientation is, gay cinema is definitely worth studying because of the things it can teach society about the gay psyche. In the end, it shouldn't matter whether a film is considered as gay or made by a gay director. As long as it evokes the right emotions out of you, that's when you'll realize that it's served its purpose.

Justin is a fan of boy love movies and maintains the world largest gay movies website known as asian gay films.