Making the Boys Making the Boys

Broadway Hollywod Success Betrayal Sex Death Redemption

Before Prop 8, Milk or Will & Grace, before the AIDS epidemic, gay pride parades or the Stonewall uprising, The Boys in the Band changed everything. MAKING THE BOYS explores the drama, struggle and enduring legacy of the first-ever gay play and subsequent Hollywood movie to successfully reach a mainstream audience. Beloved by some for breaking new ground, and condemned by others for reinforcing gay stereotypes, The Boys in the Band sparked heated controversy that still exists four decades later. Featuring anecdotes from the surviving cast and filmmakers, as well as perspectives by legendary figures from stage and screen, MAKING THE BOYS traces the behind-the-scenes drama and lasting legacy of this cultural milestone.

documentary

90 mins   More details at IMDb / TMDb

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  • kaila Starr

    Review by kaila Starr ★★★ 2

    not knowing or growing up with "The boys in the band " I was wondering if I was going to connect with this or not but I did and now Im interested in seeing the movie.

    nice job

  • jdetrick

    Review by jdetrick ★★★★

    Great documentary, looking back on the making of The Boys in the Band. OF everything one can learn from his documentary, I think the most important is an ability to view art and entertainment in the context of when it was originally released. When this play was written, it was revolutionary, because no one was writing anything with overtly gay characters, and certainly not anything that allowed those characters to take the spotlight and to be the focus of the story. Sure, the characters look like big gay stereotypes today, but 40 years ago, they were groundbreaking.

    At the same time, those same stereotypes make entertainment like this difficult to watch. But I think this documentary makes a very good case for why this play (and eventual movie) was so monumental, and why so many other gay-centric entertainments all their existence to its success.

  • a jigglypuff seen from above

    Review by a jigglypuff seen from above ★★★★

    edward albee has the quote of the film: "i remain totally vigilant... because i'm not convinced the good things that have happened are necessarily there permanently." if there's one thing the lgbt* youth of today needs to learn, it's that we would not be where we are without the blood, sweat, and tears of the fags and dykes and queers who came before us. "the boys in the band" was the very first piece of mainstream art to portray gay people as people, and it has been largely forgotten by today's community. we've got to stop being complacent and remember our past, or they WILL take away our future.

  • j Gregory Barton

    Review by j Gregory Barton ★★★½

    If you loved the movie, or are old enough to have seen the play...don't miss this. It is insightful, kind, and accurate to the time. Sadly the time had lots of men dying of gay cancer. Luckily many of us can look back and remember, having been made better by them.