Antonio Banderas,
Quentin Crisp,
Antonio Fargas,
Whoopi Goldberg,
Farley Granger
... see more 
Based on Vito Russo's groundbreaking 1981 work of film history, The Celluloid Closet gathers clips from dozens of mainstream Hollywood films to illustrate how the movies have dealt explicitly -- and m... read more
Directed by: Jeffrey Friedman, Rob Epstein, Robert Epstein
Release Date: March 15, 1996
DVD Release Date: May 29, 2001
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Stats: 215 reviews
Your Rating
Flixster Reviews (215)
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October 15, 2010"It's amazing how, if you're a gay audience and you're accustomed to crumbs, how you will watch an entire movie just to see someone wear an outfit that you think means that they are a homosexual. The whole movie may be a dud but you are just sitting there waiting for Joan Crawfo... read more
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December 26, 2007A huge collection of clips from Hollywood's past, some subtle and some blatant in their homosexual themes. It is a touching and revealing look at gay subtext, which can sometimes be amusing when it becomes obvious. It drags a bit long, but is well put together.
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March 31, 2011Documentary about the presence (or lack thereof) of gay men & women in Hollywood film, starting with the silent era all the way through to Tom Hanks kissing Antonio Banderas. Interesting.
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December 3, 2009A great documentary! Incredibly interesting look at homosexuality in film from silent pictures up to 1995, when this was made. I'd like to see this documentary updated to include the past 10 years, it would be interesting to see if/how perceptions have changed.
It's really funn... read more -
February 27, 2009Such a cool documentary! Great interviews, clips from the movies being discussed. So much insight into movies I never thought twice about.
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March 11, 2010Very interesting, particularly for film buffs. And there's a great scene with Abbot and Castelo in bed that every chaser will love.
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November 27, 2009Excellent and well researched documentary, filled with wonderful clips fom movies over the past 90 years. The guest stars commentaries are excellent ind insightful. Very well edited, always interesting.
Critic Reviews
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
Top-notch entertainment, not only because it's enjoyable, but because it argues its case with an effectiveness that would impress even a top-notch, homophobic attorney. Full Review
January 1, 2000
Stanley Kauffmann, New Republic
It's interesting to see how gay and lesbian themes began to be treated openly in films, but it's fascinating to see how -- earlier -- those themes were used subtextually in films that make no overt re...
January 1, 2000
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
Even if The Celluloid Closet ... isn't quite the most perfectly political piece of filmmaking that you'd expect (or hoped) it would be, it's still a pretty convincing argument and, what's more, likabl... Full Review
August 20, 2009
Rob Nelson, City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul
How ironic that a movie about the dangers of the closet would so confine one's freedom of interpretation. Full Review
May 31, 2006
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Instead of an angry diatribe against Hollywood, the film shrewdly opts for a wity, often campy commentary by gay figures (Gore Vidal), directors (Wyler) and actors (Tom Hanks) who shed light on the co... Full Review
April 6, 2006
Mark Bourne, DVDJournal.com
It's engrossing, brings a healthy sense of humor to the discussion, and enlightening without being bludgeoning. Full Review
February 4, 2005
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
An engaging documentary touching on Hollywood's on screen treatment of homosexuality. Full Review
January 1, 2005
Michael A. Smith, Nolan's Pop Culture Review
Rock Hudson was gay? Who knew?
August 21, 2003
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Entertaining but ultimately shallow.
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The Celluloid Closet
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