Hush Up Sweet Charlotte

Billy Clift has done it again. He delighted us with his first film which parodied the Bette Davis classic "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane" titled "Baby Jane?" where he introduced us to the talented Matthew Martin in the Bette Davis role. This time he takes us on a wild ride through the 1965 thriller "Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte" but aptly titled "Hush-up Sweet Charlotte" again bringing to the screen Martin in the Davis role. Jason Stuart plays a wonderfully re-imagined Mr. Wills and nails it. Mink Stole is the perfect foil as Velma to Jeffrey Roberson's fiendishly evil Melanie. Anyone who is a fan of classic film will definitely laugh and enjoy the references not only to "Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte" but to other classics films, names, and characters. There is an Easter Egg around every corner. It's hard to find gay independent comedy so well written and with this much talent. A must see.

My buddies and I were looking for something to do in San Francisco during the week and came across a movie premiere at the Castro Theater. I had never heard of the film or the actors but thought when in Rome.... There were many people in line and in the theater who were well aware of the actors and the subject matter and excited for the showing. I am not a fan of old movies and became aware that this was not really a remake but a parody of an old black and white horror movie. I was skeptical - however after the first 10-15 minutes I was hooked. Never once did this film pretend to be a big box office Hollywood smash but had great lines, very awesome photography, and some great comedic acting. At one point the lights went out in the area and there was an unplanned intermission. Normally I would have walked away and found something else to do. Strangely enough - the non-fan-boy of classic films found himself patiently waiting for the electricity to be restored so the show could go on. Go figure. I want to see it again.

THIS is how bad gay movies have become? Produced on a dime it looks like it cost even less. Choppy editing, bad cinematography, LOUSY screenplay - just jaw dropping bad - one sort of funny performance by a drag queen (HAVE WE NOT SEEN ENOUGH OF THAT???!) the rest of the actors are so amateurish you'd think they dug them up off the street and English was their second language. There IS no direction - it's just scenes that flop along until THE END comes up and you are glad it's over. Too cheap to pay for a real screenwriter, clearly they again dug some homeless guy up off the street and said here, type, and then filmed it. As Spielberg said, "It all starts with the word." If only these people had spent a dollar and got a real writer things might have been tolerable.

What is so sad is that producer Colichman has done some good stuff in the past. But boy, this is really the bottom of the barrel. What happens to these guys? Desperation I guess.