This week three films about trans people recommended by transgender friends of ours and one film by a trans woman. We discuss these films in broad terms for general viewers with the hope that will help them be seen by more people and for those viewers to begin larger dialogs. We are not the people who should, or even really could, have a more in depth discussion about them. Trans rights are human rights.
Boys Don't Cry- inspired by the true story of Brandon Teena, a trans man who tried to find himself and love but instead was brutally murdered by two cishet male acquaintances.Black Lizard (1968)- Sanae is kidnapped by the notorious criminal mastermind Black Lizard. Her father enlists the help of master detective Kogoro Akechi to bring her home. Twists, double crosses, disguises within disguises, a brilliant lead performance, and multiple abrupt love stories make this a tragically overlooked classic.
Funeral Parade of Roses- Eddie works as a host at Genet night club. Leda is the club's managing "lead girl" and begins to suspect that Eddie is sleeping with the owner, who also happens to be Leda's partner, to move up the ranks. Leda is correct. There are also flashbacks of murder, film students, and documentary interviews with the cast as their real life selves. A brilliant art film that smears lines and disregards conventional narrative for a fascinating meta look at the Tokyo scene it was created in.
Solomon Kane- Based on the pulp character created by Robert E Howard. The Devil comes to claim the soul of Puritan and privateer Solomon Kane. Kane flees to a remote monastery but is soon set on his path of redemption. A path that will carve a bloody trail all the way back to his childhood.
All that and a far from gentle reminder that trans rights are human rights. We condemn the attacks on this simple truth, not just the current massive push at local and national levels across the globe but those through out history.
Episode 250- Trans People Films to Spit in Transphobic Eyes (OR... JK Blocks Us)
