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QUEER CINEMA CLICHÉS

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THE SCRAP KISS

Two previously straight male friends start to play-fight. The male-to-male contact proves too hot to handle and they end up kissing.

 

Examples: Brokeback Mountain, Free Fall, Floating Skyscrapers, God’s Own Country

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INACTIVITY SYNDROME

A film that thinks featuring LGBT characters is enough to justify its existence but forgets entirely about having an actual plot.

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Examples: Blue Is The Warmest Colour, Beau Travail, Death In Venice, Sodom, Bromance, The Book Of Gabrielle, To Each Her Own, Paths

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THE SMDW

(Straight, Married, Dissatisfied Woman)

 

A straight woman has realised that there is something wrong in her marriage, which she can only put her finger on when she meets a free-spirited, headstrong (and considerably younger) lesbian.

 

Examples: The Gymnast, A Marine Story, Raven’s Touch, Aimée & Jaguar, Desert Hearts, High Art

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DADDY! TEACH ME!

A young man comes out of the closet, so obviously the only person who can show him the ropes is a considerably older man.

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Examples: Call Me By Your Name, Eastern Boys, Shelter, Gerontophilia, Sodom

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IT'S HARD TO BE GAY IF...

A very specific and niche community are put under the spotlight fo their treatment of LGBT people: eg. police, army, farming, professional sport, religious group.

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Examples: Brokeback Mountain, Free Fall, Burning Blue, Eyes Wide Open, God’s Own Country, Drown, The Pass, Mario, Floating Skyscrapers

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THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MOMMY

A gay man grew up in the shadow of his very strong mother and he’s never really recovered.

 

Examples: All About My Mother, I Killed My Mother, Mother, Lilting, Prayers For Bobby, Mater

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DBF

(Drag Best Friend)

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Are you even gay if you don’t have a drag best friend? According to LGBT Cineman, no, no you’re not.

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Examples: Rent, Wild Awakening, Victor/ Victoria, Flawless, Before Night Falls, Trick

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DO THE HUSTLE!

LGBT and down on your luck? The answer is sex work. Obviously.

 

Examples: Mysterious Skin, Hedwig And The Angry Inch, Postcards From London, My Own Private Idaho, Midnight Cowboy, Tangerine

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FIRE ISLAND

It’s the US in the early 80s and AIDS Crisis is about to start… but in the meantime, every single gay man can can be found on Fire Island.

 

Examples: Longtime Companion, The Normal Heart, Parting Glances, And The Band Played On

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WCHA

(White Cis Heterosexual Actor)

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A landmark Queer Movie is made but its landmark Queer character is played by a white, cis, heterosexual actor/actress to make it more “marketable”.

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Examples: Stonewall, The Danish Girl, Dallas Buyers Club, Carol, The Kids Are All Right, Milk, The Adventures Of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, A Single Man, Transamerica

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THE ACID TONGUE

The most flamboyant character shows the outside world that they are actually tough by having a razor-sharp, scathing sass-mouth

 

Examples: The Adventures Of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, La Cage Aux Folles, The Birdcage, The Boys In The Band, Party Monster

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MURDEROUS REPRESSION

Disenfranchised by a society that represses them, instead of coming out defiantly, these lovely characters instead go on a killing spree.

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Examples: Heavenly Creatures, Monster, The Talented Mr Ripley, Beach Rats, Beauty, Cruising, Notes On A Scandal, The Skin I Live In

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