MovieChat Forums > Making the Boys (2011) Discussion > Highly Recommended By An Old Homo

Highly Recommended By An Old Homo

posted 12 years ago by AnotherCineFan
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This is an outstanding documentary about playwright Mart Crowley's culture-busting play and film, "The Boys In The Band". In the hot summer of Atlanta, 1970, this was my "Woodstock", a hard-core validation of my very private fears and hopes. Oddly enough, my straight roommate was the one who suggested we go. I remember we could smoke and drink in the theater. Maybe that's why he went, but I know after the film, we both felt we knew more about what was ahead for me. He went on to have a ordinary straight life, and I went on, mostly alone.

I was saddened to learn that so many of the cast had died of AIDS.

It still hurts a bit to watch "The Boys In The Band" today. But it's honest, and that's what makes it important. "Making The Boys" is well worth the price of the DVD.

[–] mojo2004 11 years ago

I didn't know the DVD existed. I pulled out my VHS copy (lol) of the film after buying a used DVD-VHS recorder/player that amazing plays better than my Blu Ray Player. I went online to get a DVD copy of the BITB and saw this documentary and decided to get it instead. I'll get movie DVD next time.

This was great in so many ways. Seeing the footage of the first days of the play rehersal, the crowds, the reviews. Seeing the stars in NY & Hollywood in social settings. All the info on how the play came about. How Matt was able to get it made. Who helped him. How the cast came together. Loved the fact that the entire cast was hired to do the film. That almost never happens. Especially with unknowns! It broke my heart that so many of the cast died of AIDS and that no one knew where Reuben Greene was at the time. This could have lasted for hrs and I still would want to hear all of the participants talk. Peter White is still my favorite son of Phobe Tyler from 'All My Children'. Larry Luckinbill was another actor you didn't forget. This instantly went to my DVD fave list.

The owner of the Stonewall Inn talking about how the young gay men don't want to know Stonewall history or any history of the movement made me think about the same thing with young African-Americans. I'm female & straight and so many young African-Americans don't care about the history that led to Barak Obama becoming President! WTH? They also don't care about AIDS. It's still a big concern in our community. My Gay friends are all White & male from working at Verizon for yrs. We can discuss anything. But in my community, African-Americans of both sexes are still afraid of coming out to friends & family. Especially with the attitudes of the Baptist Church. That's one of the reasons why I don't go.

Sheldon:Was the starfish wearing boxer shorts? Because you might have been watching Nickelodeon.