There is an assumption—or, often, a stereotype—that the musical is an inherently gay genre. The strange reality is that, in terms of characters and themes, queer representation is historically quite scarce within the film musical, a genre that largely revolves around heterosexual romance. In this edition of Queersighted, host Michael Koresky and special guest Andrew Chan, editor of Criterion’s online magazine, Current, discuss a selection of tuneful standouts—from the golden age of Hollywood to deconstructed French homage to Taiwanese experimentation—that queer the movie-musical form, whether through subtext, via thrilling subversion, or by virtue of the queer auteurs behind them.
This new conversation between critic and programmer Michael Koresky and Criterion web editor Andrew Chan, discussing the films in Queersighted: The Musical!, was recorded in 2022.
Directed by Jacques Demy • 1967 • France
Starring Catherine Deneuve, Françoise Dorléac
Jacques Demy followed up THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG with another musical about missed connections and second chances, this one a more effervescent confection. Twins Delphine and Solange, a dance instructor and...
Directed by D. A. Pennebaker • 1970 • United States
Starring Stephen Sondheim, Elaine Stritch, Donna McKechnie
This legendary, long-unavailable documentary from Direct Cinema pioneer D. A. Pennebaker captures the behind-the-scenes drama that went into the making of a classic Broadway recording. ...
Directed by Blake Edwards • 1982 • United Kingdom, United States
Starring Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston
Blake Edwards’s brilliant boudoir farce stars a never-better Julie Andrews as Victoria Grant, a struggling 1930s cabaret singer who cooks up a scheme that makes her the toast of ...
Directed by Chantal Akerman • 1986 • Belgium, France
Starring Delphine Seyrig, Fanny Cottençon, Pascale Salkin
The exuberant enchantments of the singing, dancing musical meet the feminist, formalist sensibility of cinematic visionary Chantal Akerman in this uniquely captivating vision of love an...
Directed by Tsai Ming-liang • 1998 • Taiwan, France
Starring Yang Kuei-Mei, Lee Kang-sheng, Miao Tien
Set just prior to the start of the twenty-first century, this apocalyptic tale of pandemic alienation follows two residents of a crumbling Taipei building who refuse to leave their homes despite...
