The Celluloid Closet
The Celluloid Closet

The Celluloid Closet

7.2(105 votes)
1996
1h 42m
Documentary
History

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.

Production

ZDF, ARTE, Brillstein-Grey Entertainment, HBO, Telling Pictures, Channel 4 Television

Cast

Lily Tomlin

Lily Tomlin

Narrator (voice)

Tony Curtis

Tony Curtis

Self

Susan Sarandon

Susan Sarandon

Self

Gore Vidal

Gore Vidal

Self

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg

Self

Antonio Fargas

Antonio Fargas

Self

Shirley MacLaine

Shirley MacLaine

Self

John Schlesinger

John Schlesinger

Self

Armistead Maupin

Armistead Maupin

Self

Arthur Laurents

Arthur Laurents

Self

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