Flat foot floogie with a floy floy...

[ealgylden]

So. Leni Riefenstahl died yesterday, and very smart people said very smart things about her complicated position in filmmaking and history, and about the responsibilities and culpability of artists living under oppressive and murderous regimes. Me? I watched Swing Kids.

If you haven't seen it, and you like pretty, slashy boys in very stylish period clothes, you should give it a rent. Peter (Robert Sean Leonard) defies the Nazis by listening to Benny Goodman and charming Thomas (Christian Bale) into falling for him. But alas, Thomas isn't ready to deal with all these new feelings he's having for his best friend, so he sublimates with a little vandalism. To straighten him up, his parents force him to join the Hitler Jugend, where wrestling muscular blond boys in their underthings is an approved activity. He thrives, and even tries to transfer his affections to loyal Nazi pup Emil (Noah Wyle), who's safe because he'll never return them (unlike sweet, dangerous Peter). But it doesn't work, of course, and he spends the rest of the movie in angry denial. Violence and evil are just no fit substitute for the love of a pretty brown-eyed boy. If only Thomas had accepted his need for a life full of swing music and Peter, they could have had... well, most likely not a happy ending, but at least a happy middle. Pity. Anyway, it's a good-looking, well-acted, enjoyable movie with a great soundtrack. Also, slashy as heck. Check it out if you haven't.

And nicked from kathlaw,

Morpheus


?? Which Of The Greek Gods Are You ??
brought to you by Quizilla

Comments

[carolinecrane.livejournal.com]

I love that movie so much. It's so gay. And so tragic. And it has wee Frank Whaley. And did I mention that it was gay?

Um. I might be focusing on the 'gay' too much and making it seem like I missed the point of the movie. I didn't, it's just that Robert Sean Leonard breaks me in everything he films, so I have to focus on the gay when I think about it to keep myself sane.

[ealgylden.livejournal.com]

Tcha, I would never accuse anyone, least of all you, of missing the point and focusing too much on the gay. The point wasn't subtle; you'd have to be blind, deaf and stupid to miss it, so no worries there. The gay is a lot more enjoyable (and not exactly subtle either). I'd forgotten how much I liked this movie, since it had been so long since I'd seen it. And Robert Sean Leonard just kills me, I swear- when he cries, I cry. But I never really realized how much influence his movies had on me as a slasher. He's like my first fandom all by himself. *g*

(Frank Whaley used to be my "local actor" of choice, until I found out that Viggo has ties to Watertown, which is an hour's drive more local than Syracuse. I think Frank's still more my type of guy, though.)