GAY PEOPLE, GAY MOVIES, GAY STORIES, GAY HISTORY

CLASSY GAY STUFF is author George Gardiner's quick-read hot-sheet of recent Net highlights you probably missed. These are leading-edge choices from around the web of probable appeal to a GLBTQ sensibility. Yes, they may be very gay-friendly but, hey, are definitely NOT only for LGBTQ folk.

The blog opens with an online-store guide to buy my widely-praised Roman-era crime/mystery/erotica novel THE HADRIAN ENIGMA. This is a real-life romance of Rome's emperor Hadrian & his Greek 'favorite', Antinous. See reviews, prices, & delivery options below. Disclaimer: This blog makes no claims about the sexual orientation of any person mentioned in text, image, or by inference. So, WELCOME to all! _________________________________________________________________________________


SUPERMAN checks himself out ...

SUPERMAN has what it takes ...

This clip is somewhat late, but better late than never. Henry Cavill, the (very appealing) new Superman, talks to entertainment reporter Chris Van Vliet from CBS-19 in Cleveland about putting on his Superman: Man of Steel costume for the first time. You know, underpants on the outside. He calls viewing it "one of the best moments of his life".




CLASSY GAY STUFF's opening pages ... now for something serious


This page highlights your host, George Gardiner's, recently-published historical novel THE HADRIAN ENIGMA: A Forbidden History. This is a Roman-era romance/mystery/erotic whodunnit seething with maverick passion based on a notorious true-life historical romance. Paperback or ebook purchase is available at the online storefront links below. But, hey, if you are a returning visitor, then instead you should ...

**** SCROLL DOWN TO THE NEWEST POSTS A LITTLE FURTHER BELOW


M/M Romance, ancient Roman style, told by the BBC's Dan Snow ...

HADRIAN & ANTINOUS - history's most unusual love story ...

HADRIAN & ANTINOUS - history's most unusual love story ...
... back & front cover of THE HADRIAN ENIGMA. Click on the pic for direct link to its Amazon page for paperback or Kindle ebook.

HADRIAN AND ANTINOUS ... GLOBAL OPINIONS OF "THE HADRIAN ENIGMA" ...


"Five Stars ... The best book I've read on Hadrian and Antinous."
JANE (Canada), at Amazon USA

"...I recommend it to any historical fiction fan, especially any fan of the redoubtable Mary Renault. ..."
J.R. Tomlin, author of historical fiction, at :- http://jeannetomlin.blogspot.com/

"Five stars ... a tour de force ..."
Elisa Rolle, Amazon Top 1000 Reviewer, USA & UK

" ... an absorbing new book ... compelling writing ... action sequences that are brilliantly staged & paced ... on a higher plane than mere homoerotic titillation ... courageous & convincing ..."
Reader Down Under (Australia), at Amazon USA (scroll further below to unedited review)

"... extensively researched picture of life in the Roman Empire ... a mix of mystery, comedy, gay & straight romance - is an entertaining read ..."
Laura Staley, Historical Novels Review, USA, at :-
http://www.historicalnovelsociety.org/hnr-online.htm

"... an age-old love story with a twist ... an unexpected delight ... his storyline hooked me immediately ..."
Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson of READER VIEWS, Austin TX, USA
http://www.readerviews.com/ReviewGardinerTheHadrianEnigma.html

"... You will feel engaged and challenged ..."
Nan Hawthorne, author Beloved Pilgrim, USA
http://allsheread.blogspot.com/2011/01/hadrian-enigma-forbidden-history-by.html

"... extremely readable ... it's a page turner ... Gardiner has written an interesting & gripping story ..."
Kim at http://www.desicritics.org/ India

"... 5 stars ... a compelling crime mystery ... a hard book to put down ..."
Terence Charters, Hobart, Australia, at Amazon USA

"... An adventure through Hadrian's world. The story is easy to read and full of the homoeroticism that we love about this era. ..."
P. Novotny, London, at Amazon UK

"... a definitive 5-star read for me ..."
Aleksandr Voinov, UK, reviewer at Speak Its Name
http://speakitsname.com/2010/04/22/review-the-hadrian-enigma-by-george-gardiner/

"Five stars ... A masterful recreation of Ancient Rome ... the historical details are a delight ... characters are outlined in a vivid way which is like meeting old friends ... "
Ernest Gill, Hamburg, at Amazon USA & UK

LUST, LOVE, INTRIGUE, & MURDEROUS REVENGE: A tale suggested by true events - history's most unusual love story ...

THE HADRIAN ENIGMA: A Forbidden History
A novel
(C) George Gardiner
ISBN13: 978-0-9807469-0-7 (at Lulu)
ISBN13: 978-0-9807469-1-4 (at Amazon US, UK, etc)
in 498-page paperback or Kindle & iPad ebook formats

The scene: ancient Rome, 130 years after Christ yet two centuries prior to Christianity being made legal. Caesar Hadrian is the popular ruler of a vast pagan empire at the height of its power & wealth.

Hadrian, one of Rome's "five good emperors" searches for & eventually locates the love of his life .. Antinous, an elite Greek athlete, huntsman, & cavalry cadet. They become 'companions' under the ancient Greco-Roman mentoring tradition of an erastes (mentor) & his eromenos (student).

During an imperial pleasure tour of Egypt Antinous is discovered dead in the River Nile. Hadrian is distraught. Is the death a drunken prank gone wrong, suicide, murder, or something far more sinister? Hadrian assigns historian playboy Suetonius Tranquillus to investigate.

THE HADRIAN ENIGMA is the outlawed record of Caesar's investigation into one of history's most suspicious fatalities. It reveals more than Hadrian may want to know, or wants others to know. Set in a society increasingly reflecting facets of our own times, it portrays an era of torrid relationships, raging ambition, wealth inequalities, & uninhibited morals within a severely macho culture of honor, shame, pride & prejudice.

Only purchased online (not in street stores), CLICK NOW ON A LINK BELOW to select best price & delivery options ...

For Lulu USA with low-cost shipping for a paperback, or Lulu's instant iPad/ePub download :
http://www.lulu.com/browse/search.php?fListingClass=0&fSearch=THE+HADRIAN+ENIGMA

For an Amazon USA paperback :
www.amazon.com/HADRIAN-ENIGMA-Forbidden-History/dp/0980746906/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269738721&sr=1-1

for Amazon's Kindle ebook or Kindle-For-PC's download :
http://www.amazon.com/HADRIAN-ENIGMA-Forbidden-History-ebook/dp/B003LSSEQA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&m=A24IB90LPZJ0BS&s=books&qid=1273695704&sr=1-2

for Amazon UK :
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hadrian-Enigma-Forbidden-History/dp/0980746906/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271810088&sr=1-1

for Apple iBookstore's iPad Download :

for Barnes & Noble NOOKbook download:

Australian, New Zealand, & South Pacific buyers ...

Speedy 7-day delivery of a 498-page trade-paperback copy of THE HADRIAN ENIGMA for Asia/Pacific buyers is only available from www.Lulu.com (USA-based but printed & dispatched from Australia at more-affordable shipping rates).

_____________________________________________________________________________

Classy Gay Stuff's IMPORTANT NAVIGATION HINT !! ...


... if you have arrived at this blog via an archived post title (not the generic url address), or via clicking-on the Most Popular Item menu at the top, you will see your choice immediately below this message. However, THE PAST MONTH'S 25 OTHER POSTS WILL HAVE BEEN DISPLACED TO DO SO (rendering sidebar pics & videos totally off-topic). To restore these recent posts to view with their parallel pics & videos, click on this blogspot's url, here, after you have read your chosen entry selection :-


A feast of equally interesting current posts awaits you there ...



AND NOW FOR THE LATEST CLASSY GAY STUFF ...



Friday, December 9, 2011

Hillary Clinton's Amazing Speech | GAY HISTORY

A Speech Worth Waiting For ..
Hillary Rodham Clinton’s address before the United Nations in Geneva will be remembered by history, with the Secretary of State unabashedly arguing to the world that LGBT rights are human rights.
See the powerful video or read the Complete Transcript of the Speech, as Provided By the US State Department, published at The Advocate, 6 December 2011.  Some very brief extracts :-
      " ....  In the 63 years since the declaration was adopted, many nations have made great progress in making human rights a human reality. Step by step, barriers that once prevented people from enjoying the full measure of liberty, the full experience of dignity, and the full benefits of humanity have fallen away. In many places, racist laws have been repealed, legal and social practices that relegated women to second-class status have been abolished, the ability of religious minorities to practice their faith freely has been secured. ....
....  Today, I want to talk about the work we have left to do to protect one group of people whose human rights are still denied in too many parts of the world today. In many ways, they are an invisible minority. They are arrested, beaten, terrorized, even executed. Many are treated with contempt and violence by their fellow citizens while authorities empowered to protect them look the other way or, too often, even join in the abuse. They are denied opportunities to work and learn, driven from their homes and countries, and forced to suppress or deny who they are to protect themselves from harm.
      I am talking about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, human beings born free and given bestowed equality and dignity, who have a right to claim that, which is now one of the remaining human rights challenges of our time. ....  So we, like all nations, have more work to do to protect human rights at home. .... "
----  see all of US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's address transcript, or view a video, at The Advocate site at :- http://news.advocate.com/post/13844217337/watch-the-speech-youve-been-waiting-for
---- and see a separate article about her speech at dallasvoice.com, a Texas media voice for LGBT people, at :- http://www.dallasvoice.com/clinton-history-speech-u-n-1096370.html

Posted by George Gardiner

... and now CLASSY GAY STUFF (aka M/M ROMANCE NOVELS) returns to its extended duration pages ...


... the following pages offer trailers of upcoming movies, notable"M/M Moments" from past cinema, review snippets of THE HADRIAN ENIGMA, & useful links from around the web's related sites ...


________________________________________________________________________



The ALIEN prequel is approaching ...

PROMETHEUS opens in many global markets in May- June 2012 :-

“When the first Alien movie and Blade Runner were made, I thought that in the near future the world will be owned by large companies. This is why we have the Tyrell Corporation in Blade Runner, and Weyland-Yutani in Alien. They sent the Nostromo spaceship.
The Prometheus is owned by an entrepreneur called Peter Weyland, who is played by Guy Pearce. That’s the connection between the two films, and nothing more. Prometheus is a new film, a new world, and is full of new ideas. And of course new monsters as well.”
---- quote by Prometheus director Ridley Scott, courtesy AVP Galaxy at GeeksOfDoom.com. His new movie Prometheus opens globally from May onwards, & in the US on 8 June.



GLEE's Chris Colfer shows his skills ...

GLEE's CHRIS COLFER is 'STRUCK BY LIGHTNING'...

Chris Colfer has written and will star in an upcoming film about a teen who gets 'Struck By Lightning.' Colfer is best known for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on GLEE, for which he has received several nominations and awards, including the Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actor in 2011. No US release date of his movie has yet been decided. See more at :-
http://movies.broadwayworld.com/article/STAGE-TUBE-Chris-Colfers-Struck-By-Lightening-Trailer-20120219



THE HADRIAN ENIGMA | A review by historical fiction author J.R. Tomlin ...

An excerpt from a review of August 15, 2011

" .... In 130 AD, while accompanying the Emperor Hadrian on a tour up the Nile, the beautiful youth Antinous plunges into the Nile and drowns. Hadrian, near maddened with grief, declares Antinous a god. However, Suetonius just happens to be along on this imperial tour. Already the author of juicy books on contemporary Roman life, he is perfectly placed to investigate this mysterious death, so Emperor Hadrian commands him to investigate and find the murderer within 48 hours or suffer the consequences.

In the imperial compound on the Nile, Suetonius searches for clues. Here, semi-isolated, the bubbling cauldron of the Roman court has been transplanted to a fabulous tent city. Yet, the mystery of Egypt is an ever present backdrop to this baffling death. .... Why was Antinous clad in heavy ceremonial parade armor and weapons when he died? How did he come by a slit on his left wrist and strange marks on his throat? And how can Suetonius unravel all this when the Emperor refuses to let Suetonius even touch the body to examine it? The characterization is vivid and the historicity meticulous in this novel. I enjoyed savoring the characters and setting as Suetonius unraveled the imperial goings on. .... "

See more of J.R. Tomlin's review at her author's blogsite "Writing & More" at : http://jeannetomlin.blogspot.com/


M/M ROMANCE IN THE CINEMA ... movie history's first same-sex kiss

M/M ROMANCE IN THE CINEMA - "Wings" (1927) ... the first same-sex kiss

Wings is a 1927 silent film about World War I fighter pilots, produced by Lucien Hubbard, directed by William A. Wellman and released by Paramount Pictures. Wings was the first film, and the only silent film, to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.[4] Wings stars Clara Bow, Charles "Buddy" Rogers, and Richard Arlen. Gary Cooper appears in a role which helped launch his career in Hollywood and also marked the beginning of his affair with Clara Bow. See more at :-



ABRAHAM LINCOLN VAMPIRE HUNTER sends its trailer ...

ABRAHAM LINCOLN a vampire hunter? Eh?

The Movie: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, adapted from the graphic novel.

The Hype: "From Producer Tim Burton ... and the director of Wanted"; "slays in slo-mo."

The Setup: A mass exodus of vampires from Europe to the land of opportunity sets the stage for the U.S. president's rise to power. Years after his grandfather and mother fall victim to the fanged invaders, Lincoln sets out to avenge their deaths in the way that's most natural to him: by pursuing the Civil War. He is dedicated throughout to the proposition that all men are indeed created equal, which is to say, in this little case of historical revisionism, non-vampiric.

Read more at Esquire at : http://www.esquire.com/the-side/movie-trailers/abraham-lincoln-vampire-hunter-6655047#ixzz1mPYS7Dh9


AN UNEDITED REVIEW OF 'THE HADRIAN ENIGMA"....

Hooray for Hadrian (and for George Gardiner) !, August 31, 2010
By a reader down under (New South Wales, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is for: THE HADRIAN ENIGMA: A Forbidden History (Paperback)

George Gardiner's absorbing new book, which focuses on the relationship between the Roman emperor Hadrian and his young paramour, Antinous of Bithynia, quite possibly heralds the thrilling emergence of a new Mary Renault. (As uneven as it is in some places, to my mind it is a big improvement on Margeurite Yourcenar's book on Hadrian from the 1950s).

Gardiner begins his narrative with the discovery of the dead body of the beautiful youth, who has apparently drowned in the Nile. He coopts as his central figure cum narrator the actual historical figure of Suetonius Tranquillus, who is charged by the supreme colonial ruler Hadrian Caesar with the urgent responsibility of uncovering the reasons for, as well as the manner of, the death. Suetonius works night and day as a kind of investigator/ prosecutor and his dogged inquiry drives the plot. The narrative unfolds as a kind of antique murder mystery, then, and one of the book's great strengths is in the well-paced twists and turns of the plot, throwing up a number of suspects and scenarios along the way that keep the reader intrigued until the very end. Gardiner's humour shines through this character, who is forced to carry out his investigation under the double pressure of a pressing deadline (why is Hadrian so intent of winding it all up in such a short time, we wonder) and the threat of execution if he doesn't come up with the answers.

This is compelling writing. Suetonius is a good choice, as he is known for his history of a dozen Caesars, and the author brings him vividly and humorously to life. Indeed, Gardiner skilfully and imaginitively re-works established historical figures and creates a cast of composite characters where necessary to serve his narrative ends. The fact that he can do this convincingly, with such an extraordinary mixture of ethnicities and beliefs, is writing of a high order. The mastery of research is remarkable, not only for Gardiner's command of the details of ethnic artefacts, weaponry, costume, architecture and so on, but also for the complex politics of Roman colonial expansionism in its abrasive encounter with other cultures. The era was marked by a complex intermingling of belief systems, and Gardiner's fictional world is woven from a rich and amazingly detailed fabric. Very occasionally the research seems almost oversupplied but for the most part it serves to underpin his imaginative reconstructions with persuasive authenticity.

Also among the book's strengths are the finely imagined conversations between characters, both historical and concocted, that move the investigation so beautifully along. There are certain set action sequences pieces, too, that are brilliantly staged and paced--the boar hunt, for example, when Hadrian rescues Antinous, and the marvellous climactic scene where Suetonius brings his prosecutorial charges home (albeit uncertainly, with some lines of inquiry that don't pan out).

The only thing that broke the spell for me was Gardiner's occasional jarring choices in language idioms. There's no doubt that the language(s) of the time and place would have been salted with colourful vulgarities, and the dialogue should reflect that, but some of the terms chosen have such strong contemporary associations for us, here at the beginning of the 21st Century, that they they jar and jolt in the reading. `Toyboy' is one example, `getting your rocks off,' `muscular stud' and `gaga' are others that don't ring well to my ear. It's a pity, because sometimes they drop the reader right out of the spell he weaves so skilfully, otherwise.

In contrast, many of the scenes and dialogue move with stately Latinate constructions within a convincing and well-sustained narrative voice. Gardiner has set himself the difficult task of creating a hybrid language that can include both convincing formal language, and everyday vulgarisms, that ring true within his own reconstruction, yet sound right to our contemporary hearing. It's a delicate juggling act and sometimes he drops his balls. (If he had perhaps reserved their use strictly in dialogue, say, to help with characterisation? Perhaps some of his choices might be better realised in a second edition.)

Another of the book's great strengths is hinted at by the book's sub-title. It's a `forbidden history' not simply because Hadrian issues an edict that only the official `party line' should be recorded (and by implication, Suetonius' project of recording events for us to read goes dangerously gainst the edict of his Emperor). It's forbidden history too because Gardiner has constructed a counter-narrative to the centuries of heavily judgemental readings of this iconic same-sex relationship. Positive affirmations of same-sex bonding were exiled in silence as soon as the early Christian commentators started to impose their dominant narratives over all acceptable behaviours and ideals.

In Yourcenar's 50s version, Antinous's moody adolescent pouting makes Hadrian looks like a bit of a fool for dallying with the youth, but Gardiner proposes a heroic reading here that highlights the finer elements of the erastes/eromenos partnering, which was not only tolerated but celebrated in ancient times. For me, this moves the book onto a higher plane than a mere homoerotic titillation and places the relationship where it belongs, in the heroic company of Patroclus/Achilles and the legendary band of Theban warrior-lovers.

Gardiner successfully and daringly recuperates the much-despised and consistently misrepresented ideal of man-to-man love, here based on respect, admiration and the inspiration of noble ideals, as much as the undeniable and enjoyable erotic attraction, which we see only fitful glimpses of among sporting figures and others today. During the continuing culture wars of our own times it's a relief to read this inspiring alternative with its healing potential as an affirmative voice emerging from the diminishing, culturally imposed silence.

In a strange way `The Hadrian Enigma' is reminiscent of E.M. Forster's gay-affirmative novel `Maurice', which Forster was unable to publish during his lifetime. Forster's wistful happy ending for a same sex coupling was unthinkable in the mid-twentieth Century, and even today, it's hard to read such partnering as anything other than morally sinful - such is our pervasive indoctrination by churchmen - or psychologically misdirected (`homosexuality' is still construed as a kind of `failed development' in conventional psychological readings). Certainly such a relationship will still be regarded as second best to the pressing imperative of reproduction. Gardiner has struck a blow with this courageous and convincing re-telling.

So, for me this is a 5 star book for the outstanding and detailed research and the creative work that underpins the imaginative reconstructions; at least 4 stars for its plotting, but only 3 stars for the strange inconsistencies in his prose style. This averages out to a solidly earned 4 stars.

I do hope Gardiner is deep at work on his next book of historical fiction. He certainly has all the skills required.

See this review in situ at Amazon at :-
http://www.amazon.com/HADRIAN-ENIGMA-Forbidden-History/product-reviews/0980746906/ref=cm_cr_dp_synop?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending#R2SKZXVJX6CTT7

FOR LOVERS OF MIDDLE EARTH, DWARVES, ELVES, GOBLINS, & ORCS ....

"THE HOBBIT - An Unexpected Journey" ... Middle Earth aficionados take notice!

20 December 2011

It's not especially gay, but producer/director Peter Jackson of "Lord of the Rings" fame has released the first trailer for the next Tolkien saga installment: Part One of "THE HOBBIT", subtitled "An Unexpected Journey". The movie will hit global screens in 14 December 2012. Part Two will be released in December 2013.


M/M ROMANCE in the cinema | "LOVE SONGS" (France 2007)

Love Songs (French: Les Chansons d'amour) is a 2007 French musical film directed by Christophe Honoré, starring Louis Garrel, Ludivine Sagnier, Chiara Mastroianni, and Gregoire Leprince-Ringuet. It was one of the 20 films selected for the main competition at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
The movie is noted for its portrayal of an intensifying relationship between a 20-year old Breton, Erwann (Gregoire Leprince-Ringuet), & mid-twenties Parisian Ishmael (Louis Garrel) in today's Paris. The 4-min scene above displays the eventual consummation of the pair's growing relationship. (See further M/M ROMANCE MOMENTS in movies beneath the recent post pages below.)


"SPEAK ITS NAME" reviews THE HADRIAN ENIGMA :

Aleksandr Voinov of Speak Its Name reviews
my novel ...

A specialist review site for gay historical fiction, Speak Its Name has reviewed my novel The Hadrian Enigma. I am told Speak Its Name receives 700 hits a day from readers of this genre, making it a prominent source of opinion for readers of gay historical fiction. Speak Its Name pursues a tough line in its reviewing standards. It says it takes gay history, history in general, & the quality of the writing into critical consideration.

Aleks Voinov, an author in his own stead & one of the site's key reviewers, has given the book serious thought. Overall he gives the book a satisfaction rating of 4.5 out of 5, by which it defines the book as VERY good in Speak Its Name's eyes.

As a reviewer Mr. Voinov finds a great deal to admire and many things to critique. But that's the way it goes in literary criticism, folks. Check Speak Its Name's fascinating website & review lists, plus read Mr. Voinov's full 2-page critique at :-
http://speakitsname.com/2010/04/22/review-the-hadrian-enigma-by-george-gardiner/#comments



M/M ROMANCE in the cinema : "Victim" with Dirk Bogarde (UK 1961)

"VICTIM" (UK 1961) - A Contribution to Shifting Attitudes on Homosexuality ...


---- excerpts from a lengthy article by Andrew Roberts | Published in History Today Volume: 61 Issue: 10 2011 :-

"Fifty years ago a British film challenged widespread views on homosexuality and helped to change the law. In late 1960, what appeared to be a run-of-the-mill British crime film, complete with trilby-hatted detectives in their bell-clanging Wolseley police cars roaming a bomb-scarred London, went into production. The casting seemed notably deluxe for such a seemingly mainstream enterprise, but on its release in 1961 Victim became one of the few pictures to genuinely shift social attitudes. ....

.... In 1861 Parliament had passed The Offences Against the Person Act, section 61 of which removed the death penalty as the punishment for ’buggery’ and replaced it with a minimum period of penal servitude. Almost a century later, after the Second World War, Sir Theobald Matthew, the Director for Public Prosecutions, embarked on his long campaign against homosexuals .... [so] the Home Secretary agreed to the appointment of a departmental committee to examine and report on the laws relating to homosexuality, chaired by Sir John Wolfenden .... The committee deliberated over a period of three years and in the Report of the Departmental Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution [the Wolfenden Report], published on September 3rd, 1957, concluded that ‘homosexuality cannot legitimately be regarded as a disease .... It is not, in our view, the function of the law to intervene in the private life of citizens, or to seek to enforce any particular pattern of behaviour’.

In short the committee considered that homosexuality should be treated on a par with other forms of sexual behaviour that, although viewed as repugnant by some, were not proscribed by law. ....

.... These developments inspired the film producer Michael Relph’s plans for a picture with ‘... the same point of view as the Wolfenden Report, that the law should be changed ... The film [Victim] shows that homosexuality may be found in otherwise completely responsible citizens in every strata of society’. ....

.... Victim was released in the UK in autumn 1961 to critical plaudits. As with most of Dearden’s films it is a polished production with some of Britain’s finest character actors – Nigel Stock and Norman Bird in particular – conveying a real sense of pervading fear .... "

---- see more of Andrew Robert's informed article about this pivotal moment in cinema history at History Today (UK) at :-

http://www.historytoday.com/andrew-roberts/shifting-attitudes-homosexuality

and check the movie's 1961 trailer (above), starring Dirk Bogarde, Sylvia Sims, Peter McEnery, & Dennis Price.

M/M ROMANCE in the cinema | "MAURICE" - the missing shots rediscovered

MAURICE (UK 1987) - A reconstructed bedroom scene - M/M MOVIE MOMENTS

MAURICE, a novel about homosexual love by the British author of "Room With A View" (1908) and "A Passage To India" (1924) - E.M. Forster (1879-1970) - was written in 1913-14 but not permitted to be published until after the author's death in 1970. In 1987 the British film-makers James Ivory & Ismail Merchant produced a movie version of the novel. Ivory, the director, delivered an elegant & stylishly visualized rendering of the Forster novel, establishing the highly-regarded 'Merchant/Ivory' style of movie.
The 1987 film starred James Wilby as the pivotal character Maurice Hall, a young London stockbroker, with Hugh Grant as his initial lover Clive Durham, a university companion. As the story progresses & political considerations preclude Maurice & Clive from continuing their relationship, Maurice finds solace in the arms of Alec Scudder, Clive's estate gamekeeper, played by Rupert Graves. One night Scudder climbs into Maurice's bedroom at Clive's country seat to express his passion.
The movie's bedroom sequence is reconstructed here to its original edited format. The colored shots represent the sequence as depicted in the 1987 movie, while the discolored shots show the scenes included in the first edit but deleted from Ivory's final movie.
With many thanks to YouTube & the clip's original postees - G.G.

M/M ROMANCE in the cinema | Nicholas Hoult bares all in "A Single Man" 2009

Nicholas Hoult in "A Single Man" ... a M/M MOVIE MOMENT

A Single Man is a 2009 drama film based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Isherwood. It is the first film directed by Tom Ford. The film stars Colin Firth, who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of George Falconer, a depressed gay British university professor living in Southern California in 1962. The film also starred young British actor Nicholas Hoult as Kenny, who becomes Falconer's lover. The film premiered on September 11, 2009, at the 66th Venice International Film Festival and went on the film festival circuit.




An unedited review from READER VIEWS USA. 5.0 out of 5 stars : Gripping Mystery and Fascinating Love Story, May 2010 :

"The HADRIAN ENIGMA: A Forbidden History" -
(c) George Gardiner
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson, May 2010, for Reader Views at :-
http://www.readerviews.com/ReviewGardinerTheHadrianEnigma.html


THE HADRIAN ENIGMA could be definitely classified as an age-old love story with a twist. “He” is the Roman Emperor Hadrian, a strong and powerful figure. “She” is not really a she, but rather another male, the young and winsome Antinous of Bithynia. The two develop an intense and powerful attachment, based on the erastes-eromenos relationship.

This premise alone would make for an interesting story, but things get really interesting when Antinous is found dead one morning, having obviously drowned in the river Nile. A renowned lawyer, Gaius Suetonious Tranquillus, is hired by Hadrian himself to investigate the death of the unfortunate youth. Was it an accident, suicide, murder, or possibly religious sacrifice?

Gaius Suetonious Tranquillus proceeds to interrogate anybody with possible knowledge of the deceased as well as of the intricate relationships within the imperial court; finally reaching a conclusion and unraveling the tangled web of deceit surrounding Antinous’ death. How will Hadrian react to this revelation?

THE HADRIAN ENIGMA by George Gardiner is an unexpected delight in many ways. While I definitely enjoyed it greatly as a mystery, based on the historical facts, it also opened my eyes to the erastes-eromenos relationships, which were common and accepted in Classical Greece and the Roman Empire. It prompted me to do quite a bit more reading and research on that topic, which was so far unknown and definitely very exotic to me. As somebody who appreciates having her mind stimulated and who loves to learn about new things, this was a welcome challenge to me.

I’ve also greatly enjoyed Gardiner’s attention to detail, vivid descriptions of people, customs and rituals as well as intricate political games depicted in his book. His characters were well defined and believable. His storyline hooked me quickly, and even the many excursions into the tangled past did not confuse me. He truly brought the ancient world to life for me, and I am thankful that I dared to venture outside of my usual comfort zone.

This book would definitely appeal to open-minded people who are curious about “alternative” lifestyles as well as those who simply enjoy well written historical fiction, based on real events. Regardless of the reasons prompting a reader to pick up this book, I am certain that everybody will appreciate Gardiner’s lessons on love and human relationships.

Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson
Reader Views, Austin TX, USA, May 2010
http://www.readerviews.com/ReviewGardinerTheHadrianEnigma.html



Copyright


This blog claims no credit for the images or text featured here. All media content is copyright to its respective owner, with many thanks for this opportunity to study, review, & promote their work. Content is credited where a credit is available, & links to originating sources are provided. Material will be removed on request for anyone who perceives their copyright is infringed.

Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "Fair Use" (or "Fair Dealing"), including non-profit, educational, or personal. Further disclaimer under the Speech Act of 2010 (USA). No copyright infringement intended.

CLASSY GAY STUFF and M/M ROMANCE NOVELS makes no claims as to the sexual orientation of any person mentioned or pictured in this blog.



Bye bye, for now from George Gardiner's CLASSY GAY STUFF...


Thank you for visiting my CLASSY GAY STUFF (aka: M/M ROMANCE NOVELS), even though it's about far more than m/m romance, isn't it?

Thanks too to those whose texts or visuals have been studied, reviewed, & promoted in the posts. Their item & its link to the originating source remains in the line-up for about four weeks. Comments are welcome, but should be posted at the originating sites. The originators deserve your feedback.

New entries are posted almost daily. Please come back...and bring a friend. Immediately below this bye-bye lies the bibliography consulted to research THE HADRIAN ENIGMA, its times & historical personalities. Come back soon for another dose of classy stuff.

GEORGE