The Cherry Life

May I present the best apple:

PRIDE & PREJUDICE (2005) Dir. Joe Wright

“Grace says he would like half of dome to be water.”

“Oh, is necessary for humans to have large amounts of water question?”

Small Eridian equivalent of a sigh. “No. Not needed for life. In fact Grace will die if he falls in water and does not get out.”

“Tell him we give him water in containers that won't kill him. Lots lots lots of water on Erid for Grace to drink.”

“No. Grace say he want water on ground. Also want it with excess sodium chloride compound so it will be unhealthy for drink.”

“Grace want this liquid for celebration.”

“Of course.” They scan it. “You have wrong liquid. This contain compounds which are poisonous for humans.”

“Yes yes yes. Grace say humans like feeling of being slightly poisoned.”

Remember when Lil Nas X beautifully explored his sexuality, seduced and killed the devil to the banger of all time, and instead of cheering on this openly gay and proud Black artist for his artistry and fighting back against respectability politics, suddenly said respectability politics was all the Queerest Place on the Internet cared about? Hm. Wonder what happened there.

This movie got made because Robin Williams said yes to it (and it's important that Gene Hackman did as well). Williams in the 90s was a mega-star of a type that's not present in the current media environment (maybe Tom Cruise, but I personally think that's echo from his salad days). Even his flops made money on the back end in the video rental market, which also doesn't exist anymore (streaming is different). Hackman was on the other side of his A-list career but still Hollywood nobility if not full royalty.

Playing gay was considered career suicide in the 90s. There had been a number of actors who put lie to that belief stretching back decades, but this was Williams and Hackman (yes, being on screen next to a gay character was enough to get you blacklisted) saying "screw that" and doing it anyway.

Being gay and out was career suicide in the 90s.

Nathan Lane had a really nice gig going for himself. The Lion King put him into the Disney rep company with people like Williams, Bette Midler, and Whoopie Goldberg (check their IMBD list from the 90s--they were making bank at Disney).

Lane didn't come out until several years later (nice summary: https://deadline.com/2024/06/nathan-lane-robin-williams-advice-coming-out-birdcage-1235975010/).

I don't want to imply that this was a Sorkinized moment where everything changed because of one thing, but this was a very important movie that caused real movement in the needle on queer acceptance.

Robin told him he wouldn't let that happen. He would protect him.

Oprah did exactly what Nathan was afraid of, and I've watched the clip, you can see the fear in his eyes. It wasn't time yet. It wasn't safe. He wasn't ready. And Robin, that beautiful man, improvised. Oprah had made her tone faggy, for lack of a more direct term, and Robin jumped on it, imitated and exaggerated, started riffing, made her laugh, and kept the attention on him and off Nathan long enough for her to need to move to a new question. Without Nathan ever saying a word.

The man was a saint. If I could choose a father. If I could choose someone to bring back.

and to speak to the original post, yeah the queer content of the film aged gorgeously.

what's hard and dated are the hetero bits and in particular their awful demon of a son Val. I have said it a thousand times but the film should have ended with Val being crushed by that stupid crucifix and Albert and Armand officially adopting Agador and finally letting him audition for their club 😤

You do an eclectic celebration of dance!

Once upon a time there were three very different little girls who grew up to be three very different women with three things in common: they're brilliant, they're beautiful, and they work for me. My name is Charlie.