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Path: utzoo!linus!security!genrad!decvax!duke!phs!sdyer@bbncca.ARPA (Steve Dyer)
From: sdyer@bbncca.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Re: TZK Sequel  (slightly smoldering)
Message-ID: <348@bbncca.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 26-Nov-83 12:44:39 EST
Article-I.D.: bbncca.348
Posted: Sat Nov 26 12:44:39 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 27-Nov-83 04:10:54 EST
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References: yale-com.2452 <248@tesla.UUCP>
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Path:duke!decvax!bbncca!sdyer
Message-ID:<348@bbncca.ARPA>
Date:Sat, 26-Nov-83 12:44:39 EST
Organization:Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Cambridge, Ma.

I felt a bit like Charles Francois when I saw TZK.  The issue isn't
escapism vs. gritty realism, so much as an appreciation of the political
consequences of presenting a less than flattering portrait of gay life to
the community at large.  I fear that straights will take TZK as a general
example of gay behavior, and extrapolate from there, rather than treating
it as an individual portrait.  Some might accuse me of underestimating the
intelligence of straight viewers--I don't know, but I'll fear the worst
and hope I'll be proved wrong.

Here's a proposition: gays see a different movie in TZK than straights.
The average straight person sees (and can't see past) the anonymous sex,
weird practices and general sordidness of Ripploh's life.  It's rather like
going to a high-brow freak show.  On the other hand, mainstream gay viewers
don't dwell on the sleazier portions of the film, simply because such
images are already part of the detritus of urban gay life.  Regardless of
an individual's own behavior or opinions, these scenes have lost their
ability to shock (though I still heard lots of "ughs" during the movie.)
The poignancy of this film lies in the main character's alienation from his
society, his inability to maintain close relationships, and his self-
destructive egoism which drives the film through to its conclusion.
--
/Steve Dyer
decvax!bbncca!sdyer
sdyer@bbncca