Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 18, 2000)
august 2000 » J u t M t .33 Darcelle X V Productions presents the 19th annuai boyfriend, a seemingly dimwitted sheriff and an acid-tongued spinster (scene stealer Lisa Kudrow). Hilarious, unpredictable, bitchy and touching, this film begs you to love the nasty characters as much as the nice ones— and you will. The DVD features both the regular and widescreen versions of the film, a director’s commentary and deleted scenes. V ictor /V ictoria Image ulie Andrews reprises one of her unforget table film roles in this all-new Broadway musical version of the story. As a down-and-out English soprano, she teams with a gay producer in 1920s Paris to refashion herself as Count Victor, the world’s greatest female impersonator. But can a woman playing a man playing a woman contin ue the charade when she/he catches the amorous attention of a macho Chicago gangster.7 This filmed version of the Broadway show was one of Andrews’ final per formances ever, before surgery forced her retire ment from singing. W ith spectacular produc tion numbers and new songs intermixed with familiar tunes from the film, you’ll adore this adaptation. The DVD features some back ground on Andrews and the stage production as well as two introductions by the actress her self. I t ’ s in the W ater Wolfe he small Southern town of Azalea Springs is rocked to its core when a rumor breaks out: Drinking the local water will turn you gay! It certainly seems to be true in the case of a local debutante, whose kiss with another woman in a hospital supply room leads to out rageous discrimination. It’s in the Water is funny at times, although it tries too hard to wear its heart on its sleeve. W ith a cast including gay men, lesbians, drag queens and people with AIDS, it really wants to be everything to everyone. This is one of those rare gay films that you could watch safely with your parents but that might feel a little patronizing if you watched it with queer friends. The DVD fea tures a commentary track by the lesbian direc tor and her two (straight) female leads as well as an isolated track for the score and theme song. K iller C ondom Troma robably the strangest gay video you ever will see, Killer Condom is a German film adaptation of the famous comic books by ay creator Ralf Konig. Gay detective Luigi 4ackeroni must search the streets and brothels t New York to find and stop a condom with a oracious appetite. It already has eaten dozens f men’s dicks— and one of Luigi’s balls— and ow seems to be spawning equally hungry car- ivorous children. W ith the help of his hustler oyfriend, a police partner out of his element nd one ugly drag queen, Luigi tries to make "*e city safe for safe sex. Surreal and funny, this not for the squeamish but would make a reat party film. T he DVD features English jbtitles, lots of production stills, trailers and a ammentary track by the director and the spe cial effects man, who get increasingly drunker the more they talk about dicks and condoms! V ampyres Anchor Bay xploitation movies of the 1970s featured lots of scantily clad or naked women, and the 1974 cult horror film Vampyres ranks among them. What makes it dif ferent is this British import is about two bisex ual female vampires who lure men to their estate to feed on their blood. Although it was released as X-rated— it’s tame by today’s standards— it still was censored. However, Vampyres is uncut on this DVD. I’ll warn you that the film has nothing political or even especial ly queer-themed other than some steamy sex scenes, so I only am rec ommending it to queer horror fans, goth kids and anyone with a taste for exploitation. The DVD features trailers, produc tion stills and a hilariously ribald commentary track between the director and producer. M ore T ales of the C ity DVD International rmistead Maupin’s well-loved series of books so far has been translated into two television Iminiseries, but only the second is available on DVD. The story follows a group of charac ters— gay, lesbian, straight, bisexual and trans- gendered— through the heyday of San Francisco in the late 1970s. Nominated for five Emmy Awards the year it was made, More Tales o f the City is great fun for everyone, with tremendous scripts, bravura acting and a story that is by turns dramatic, humorous, horrific and sexy. Available in a two-DVD boxed set, More Tales itself is almost six hours long. You also get more than 4 1/2 hours of audio commentary from the writer and stars, delet ed scenes, rehearsal footage, pro duction photos, handwritten script pages, a tour of the sets and props, interviews with the cast and much more. The boxed set is one of the best examples of how important DVD technology can be for those who truly enjoy the art of filmmaking. And with Showtime now in prixluction on Fur- ther Tales o f the City, here’s your chance to brush up on the fabulous characters and stories. ■ To find these queer DVDs and others, visit Port- land’s Gai-Pied, 2544 N .E . Broadway, or Movie Madness, 4320 S.E. Belmont, or order them through gay'owned Wolfe Video, (800) G ET'W O LFE, or TLA Video, (800) 333'8521. A ndy M angels is a longtime Portland enter' tainment writer with three books and hundreds o f comic books and magazine articles to his credit. You can unite him at AM angeLsSW@aol.com. L a fem m e fMagnifique International Tageant pageant to crown te most glamorous fem ale impersonator *. in the w orld Sunday; September 3,2000 Ticket info: (5031 222-5338 • pageant 8 pm $25 • tables of ten available Grand Ballroom • Double Tree Hotel-Jantzen Beach www.darcellexv.citysearch.com Portion of ticket soles donated to M m M. fdwards Scholarship Fund 909 North Hayden Island Drive Portland, Oregon 97209 • Fa« [5031 248-6771 Music M illennium R e c o r d s , T apes a n d C D ’ s S in c e 1969 Ml S I I NW Portland 23rd & NW Johnson ( 5 0 3 ) 248-0163 Mil I l N \ ■ East Portland 32nd & E Burnside (503)231-892.6 Rock» Folk» Jazz» Country» Soundtracks» Soul» Gospel» New Age» World» Bluegrass» Blues» Easy Listening» Oldies» Local» Cajun/Zydeco» Lounge» Rap» Broadway Cast» Classical and Much More! Anthony Hopkins and Jessica lange star in a daring epic of lust, murder and betrayal. “Anthony Hopkins is as brilliant as over." Jack Mathews, New York Daily News “tango's performance
