Homosexuality In Blockbuster Films

The coexistence of the blockbuster and independent films in America helped to provide a means for producers to create films without incurring the heavy financial burden of costs typically associated with studio film making and at the same time introduced a new arena to stimulate competitive creativity in the film market. While blockbuster films found their success through formulas based in deep market focus and metrics, independent film makers found success with the niche market of films that were created by film makers that did not fit the “white-heterosexual-male norm of studio Hollywood”. (Lewis 2008) One of the genres that exemplified this attribute was LGBT film making in the 1990's. While several films were created over the time of film making up until this point dealing with LGBT themes, they were frequently presented in a less than flattering manner and depicted the 'life style' as taboo or alternative. Films up until around the 1990's were in a back handed or mocking nature of gay mannerisms, behavior or just outright portrayal of disgust or abomination …show more content…
There were many films addressing this issue throughout the decade but one of the most memorable staring a well established and Hollywood respected Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington was, “Philadelphia” directed by Jonathan Demme, 1993. The film was Hollywood's first real attempt to bring a predominantly “gay” issue into the lives full screen to the masses. It was particularly significant to this era because of the unpopularity of the topic of AIDS. It was very successful in bringing this topic not only to light but also in putting a face thereby a humanity to the plight of AIDS and thus removing as a problem experienced by somebody else to deal with.(Roger Ebert.com