The Celluloid Closet
1996 • Documentary | History
Rob Epstein
Director
Jeffrey Friedman
Director
Sharon Wood
Story
Rob Epstein
Story
Jeffrey Friedman
Story
Armistead Maupin
Writer
Status
Released
Release date
January 30, 1996
Duration
102 Min
Language
en
Popularity
1.981
Budget
$0
Revenue
$1,400,591
Overview
What "That's Entertainment" did for movie musicals, "The Celluloid Closet" does for Hollywood homosexuality, as this exuberant, eye-opening movie serves up a dazzling hundred-year history of the role of gay men and lesbians have had on the silver screen. Lily Tomlin narrates as Oscar-winning moviemaker Rob Epstein ("The Times of Harvey Milk" and "Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt") and Jeffrey Friedman assemble fabulous footage from 120 films showing the changing face of cinema sexuality, from cruel stereotypes to covert love to the activist triumphs of the 1990s. Tom Hanks, Susan Sarandon, Whoopi Goldberg, Tony Curtis, Harvey Fierstein and Gore Vidal are just a few of the many actors, writers and commentators who provide funny and insightful anecdotes.
Cast
Lily Tomlin
Tony Curtis
Susan Sarandon
Gore Vidal
Whoopi Goldberg
Antonio Fargas
Shirley MacLaine
John Schlesinger
Armistead Maupin
Arthur Laurents
Tom Hanks
Farley Granger
Quentin Crisp
Harry Hamlin
Sharon Stone
Susie Bright
Jay Presson Allen
Jan Oxenberg
Paul Rudnick
Ron Nyswaner
Stewart Stern
Harvey Fierstein
Paul Newman
James Dean
Sal Mineo
Natalie Wood
