%
1
gled with general drama, comedy and music
sections. Mohan adds that films specifically tai
lored to queer clientele sometimes find their
way into the cult section with other films that
defy categorization.
“W e don’t necessarily seek out gay or les
bian films per se,” Mohan says, “W e just try to
get the best films that are out there.”
Just Out readers many be familiar with
owner Jill Gadeke’s Video-rama at 2940 N.E.
Alberta St., featured in a recent article about
the area’s Alberta Art Walk. But does she have
decent queer offerings? Definitely.
“ Initially, I was going to have a gay and les
bian section,” Gadeke explains, “but I decided
that this neighborhood is so mixed, my store
should reflect that mixture. Also, I had a cou
ple o f lesbians tell me that
_
people might
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the end o f Beautiful Thing
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American Family
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here. Look to the
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lesbian section for
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Above: Native mammal stocks
up for the winter
Left: Feeling a little left out in
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American
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manager Kevin
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Rienecker says
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that while cus-
tomer requests
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play a part in his ordering deci
sions, the store zeros in on box office numbers
before making video purchases.
“W e’ve also tried to suit the neighborhood,
so there are a few titles that are less main
stream and a little more on the art house side,”
he says, adding that he doubts any other stores
in the Kaiser-based AFV chain have queer
video sections: “ Mostly they’re in small towns.’
You can also check out the Southeast’s
Clinton Street Video for some fun and unusual
choices. Avid filmgoers Tina O ’Neil and Chris
Slusarenko own the store at 2515 S.E. Clinton
St. They keep tabs on Cinema 21 and North-
Boys Life 2
Below: Director Cheryl Dunye
(left) toasting with the cast of
Watermelon Woman
Ifftf*
It « 3 * *
Above: The neon lights
may be pretty, but don’t
linger on the sidewalk
— go in!
Left: N o need to get
out o f bed for High Art
a
1
■P
So many videos, so little time
west Film Center screenings to nurture a hearty
awareness o f the alternative film scene.
For an unusual queer-theme pic, Slusarenko
gives thumbs-up to gay German director Frank
Ripploh’s Taxi Zum Klo.
“ ICheryl Dunye’sJ Watermelon Woman has
been really popular; that’s been out a few
months,” says Slusarenko. “ Also, the really cool
thing about independent films is that there’s a
lot o f short film compilations out; I love short
films. Luckily, there are a few available like
Boy's Life and Boy's Life 2— that one just came
out.
If your winter hibernation plans make even
a trip to the video store too great a burden to
consider, there is a new service designed specif
ically for the queer community: The Alterna
tive Video Shop offers queer videos for rent by
mail. The business’s Lesbian/Gay Video Rental &
Sales Catalogue presents the stock, listed in
alphabetical order by title, with snappy and
intelligent little blurbs about the films, along
with the director’s name and purchase and
rental prices. To order a copy o f the catalogue,
call 1-877-878-0500 or visit the company’s
W eb site: altemativevideo.com.
■ S uzanne S igmund is a Portland-based free
lance entertainment tenter.