The Celluloid Closet
(1996)
Overview
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.
Directors
Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Writers
Vito Russo, Sharon Wood, Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman, Armistead Maupin
Top Billed
Lily Tomlin
Keywords
Top Billed Cast
Crew
Reviews
CinemaSerf
⭐ 7/10November 17, 2025
Ok, so perhaps some of the claims made in the narration about some of the stars featured here are a bit optimistically speculative, but it still manages to use some very well researched archive and the benefit of hindsight to portray a sort of “Hollywood Babylon” approach to a century of gay Hollywood film-making. Starting way back, pre-code, with films from the likes of Cecil B. DeMille, it presents and engaging analysis of cinematic history tha… read the rest.
Status
Released
Original Language
EN
Budget
—
Revenue
$1,400,591