11.25.2004

Gay Hero Movie opens to praise!

Gay Hero Movie opens to praise!

This is amazing. I will be going to the show this weekend. It will be good to see a gay man portrayed in such a leadership role. Watch for American opinion to state he wasn't that great a leader. Am I being too cynical?


Gay Alexander Film Draws Praise


Oliver Stone's big budget biopic about the life and loves of Alexander the Great is drawing high praise for its inclusion of the legendary leader's historically documented relationships with men as well as women.
"For a big-budget Hollywood movie about historical figures, 'Alexander' breaks new ground," says Joan M. Garry, Executive Director of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).

GLAAD is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

Movies like Oliver Stone's biopic Alexander, according to GLAAD, help to increase the visibility and acceptance of GLBT people by portraying positive gay relationships on film.

"Not only are there sexually charged moments between Alexander [Colin Farrell] and Bagoas [Francisco Bosch], but Hephaistion [Jared Leto] is clearly portrayed as the true love of Alexander's life -- and their romance is one of the central themes of the movie," says Garry.


"Colin Farrell himself has said that, in an ideal world, two men this passionate about each other would have been depicted having a loving sexual relationship. He's absolutely right. And Oliver Stone's willingness to explore the love between these two characters moves us one important step closer to that ideal world."

However, while praising Oliver Stone and his film Alexander, Garry notes that there is still much work left to be done in battling discrimination against gays both in film and in the real world.


"It's important to note that big-budget Hollywood films have barely begun to scratch the surface in terms of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender portrayals. There's a lot of work ahead. Public opinion does not change overnight, and our visibility continues to be one of our most vital tools in creating understanding and acceptance of our lives. And making sure we are a part of Hollywood's storytelling -- from independent films to big-budget studio epics -- serves an important role in reminding people that we are an enduring, integral part of American society."

Source and Copyright: GayWired

see also: My Queer Thoughts on Alexander and Greeks Sue Over Gay Alexander

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