Thank you for pointing out how incredibly great both these movies are and that we didn't raise an eyebrow or flinch that they were in cineplexes. Priscilla is probably the better film, because it was much more raw and honest about the cost of living as your authentic self, but I have a super soft spot for To Wong Foo. The town scenes were filmed in Loma, Nebraska, where no one actually lives in town (but the bar may still be open), and the extras in the festival scenes were locals. (My 90-year old dad is still sorry he didn't get picked.) The crew bought a bunch of stuff from local farms, including my family's (next town over, not abandoned), and in general were just lovely to everyone they encountered. In turn, everyone was so lovely to them that Swayze bought a condo in Lincoln, since it was one of the few places he was left alone even when folks recognized him. It would be impolite to interrupt his dinner, after all.
We like to think of "red states" and "flyover country", but a whole bunch of people in those regions are good, welcoming, and will mind their own business except when they're gossiping about you (which is just how it works in tiny towns, and even then, they only dis you heavily if they know you well). Unfortunately, they are outnumbered by yahoos without enough critical thinking skills to recognize when they're being bamboozled. That doesn't make the kindly ones less worth reaching nor the need to save all of them (and the rest of us in the bargain) less important. After all, one of my dear friends who is trans came from the depths of flyover country, and I cannot imagine how much more difficult it is for queer and trans kids now. They need us to care about all of them, even if their grandpa voted for fascism.
Thank you! I really appreciate your response. What you said about small town gossip reminded me of a line from HOUSE where Dr. Taub said that the modern concept of "privacy" didn't really exist in in the past, where people lived in smaller communities where everyone knew everyone else's business!
❤️ this so much! I saw Priscilla in Santa Barbara on vacation in the 90’s and loved it so much that I saw it again at every opportunity in the ensuing couple years and bought the soundtrack (on CD!). I did not know that Terence Stamp had passed, he was a remarkable actor- the space on the continuum between Bernadette and The Limey is pretty wide, but he did both beautifully.
Loved Priscilla but never saw Wong Foo. WRT to trans people using the bathroom, I had a trans friend and she was absolutely terrified to use the bathroom in public places preferring to hold it rather than go. And this was a good 20 years ago before the right got their hackles up about it all. Also encountered a trans woman in a restaurant bathroom in a west village eatery in the 90’s. She promptly apologized and was about to leave when I walked in. I assured her it was ok but she was still afraid. And THAT was a very trans friendly location.
I simply cannot imagine the terror that must strike them now.
Never saw Too Wong Foo but I did see Priscilla. Didn't know the background for it at all! I remember it being a good time even though I was just a high schooler then.
I’ve always loved Terence Stamp. I’m old enough to remember him from the movie Far From the Madding Crowd in the mid-60s, with Julie Christie and Peter Finch. My favorite high-school movie.
Somehow in all my years, I've never seen Priscilla, but To Yong Foo is one of my favorites. I'd also throw in The Birdcage (1996), although I can't remember if any characters are trans. Drag queens have always been awesome, it really sucks we are in such a shitty time right now.
I haven't seen either movie, but remember when they were released, and don't remember anyone caring about them being about drag queens. Cross dressing has been around forever, supposedly J. Edgar Hoover liked to wear women's clothes, as did Ed Wood, and some of the Roman Emperors. Woman-less weddings were a thing in the 1950s - Daddy was in one, as the father of the bride, when he was in college (UNC Chapel Hill).
I have seen "Some Like it Hot" and noticed that Jack Lemon's Daphne was much happier than his Jerry was, so the musical making his character a ".. somewhat of a trans coming out story" seems appropriate.
Thank you for pointing out how incredibly great both these movies are and that we didn't raise an eyebrow or flinch that they were in cineplexes. Priscilla is probably the better film, because it was much more raw and honest about the cost of living as your authentic self, but I have a super soft spot for To Wong Foo. The town scenes were filmed in Loma, Nebraska, where no one actually lives in town (but the bar may still be open), and the extras in the festival scenes were locals. (My 90-year old dad is still sorry he didn't get picked.) The crew bought a bunch of stuff from local farms, including my family's (next town over, not abandoned), and in general were just lovely to everyone they encountered. In turn, everyone was so lovely to them that Swayze bought a condo in Lincoln, since it was one of the few places he was left alone even when folks recognized him. It would be impolite to interrupt his dinner, after all.
We like to think of "red states" and "flyover country", but a whole bunch of people in those regions are good, welcoming, and will mind their own business except when they're gossiping about you (which is just how it works in tiny towns, and even then, they only dis you heavily if they know you well). Unfortunately, they are outnumbered by yahoos without enough critical thinking skills to recognize when they're being bamboozled. That doesn't make the kindly ones less worth reaching nor the need to save all of them (and the rest of us in the bargain) less important. After all, one of my dear friends who is trans came from the depths of flyover country, and I cannot imagine how much more difficult it is for queer and trans kids now. They need us to care about all of them, even if their grandpa voted for fascism.
Thank you! I really appreciate your response. What you said about small town gossip reminded me of a line from HOUSE where Dr. Taub said that the modern concept of "privacy" didn't really exist in in the past, where people lived in smaller communities where everyone knew everyone else's business!
❤️ this so much! I saw Priscilla in Santa Barbara on vacation in the 90’s and loved it so much that I saw it again at every opportunity in the ensuing couple years and bought the soundtrack (on CD!). I did not know that Terence Stamp had passed, he was a remarkable actor- the space on the continuum between Bernadette and The Limey is pretty wide, but he did both beautifully.
To Wong Foo is one of my favourite movies and Patrick Swayze's greatest role, IMHO. Miss Vida Boheme reminded me of one of my aunts.
Loved Priscilla but never saw Wong Foo. WRT to trans people using the bathroom, I had a trans friend and she was absolutely terrified to use the bathroom in public places preferring to hold it rather than go. And this was a good 20 years ago before the right got their hackles up about it all. Also encountered a trans woman in a restaurant bathroom in a west village eatery in the 90’s. She promptly apologized and was about to leave when I walked in. I assured her it was ok but she was still afraid. And THAT was a very trans friendly location.
I simply cannot imagine the terror that must strike them now.
Never saw Too Wong Foo but I did see Priscilla. Didn't know the background for it at all! I remember it being a good time even though I was just a high schooler then.
I’ve always loved Terence Stamp. I’m old enough to remember him from the movie Far From the Madding Crowd in the mid-60s, with Julie Christie and Peter Finch. My favorite high-school movie.
He was ALWAYS beautiful.
Yes he was.
"That's just what this country needs: a cock in a frock on a rock."
~ from "Priscilla"
Somehow in all my years, I've never seen Priscilla, but To Yong Foo is one of my favorites. I'd also throw in The Birdcage (1996), although I can't remember if any characters are trans. Drag queens have always been awesome, it really sucks we are in such a shitty time right now.
I haven't seen either movie, but remember when they were released, and don't remember anyone caring about them being about drag queens. Cross dressing has been around forever, supposedly J. Edgar Hoover liked to wear women's clothes, as did Ed Wood, and some of the Roman Emperors. Woman-less weddings were a thing in the 1950s - Daddy was in one, as the father of the bride, when he was in college (UNC Chapel Hill).
I have seen "Some Like it Hot" and noticed that Jack Lemon's Daphne was much happier than his Jerry was, so the musical making his character a ".. somewhat of a trans coming out story" seems appropriate.
Lovely