The Celluloid Closet
Seen it?1996 | 102 min | Documentary, History
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (97% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office and little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for the curious and history buffs. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Eye-opening.
- The pace
- Moves along nicely, at 1 hr 42 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Exuberant, eye-opening movie that serves up a dazzling hundred-year history of the role of gay men and lesbians have had on the silver screen. Film contains fabulous footage from 120 films showing the changing face of cinema sexuality, from cruel stereotypes to covert love to the activist triumphs of the 1990s.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
97% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.3 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
Won 1 Peabody Award: Peabody Awards.
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$1 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 35K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
- Lily TomlinNarrator (voice)
- Tony CurtisSelf
- Susan SarandonSelf
- Gore VidalSelf
- Whoopi GoldbergSelf
- Antonio FargasSelf
- Shirley MacLaineSelf
- John SchlesingerSelf
- Armistead MaupinSelf
- Arthur LaurentsSelf