The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin

I was clicking through the LGBTQ titles on Netflix yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to see that a documentary was available about Armistead Maupin.

Of course, I had to watch it immediately! I've read almost all of his books and loved the original Tales of the City on PBS.

It was excellent, I enjoyed this documentary very much, I highly recommend it.

It was very personal for me because I briefly dated Armistead Maupin before he met his current husband.

If you love a good documentary, you love San Francisco and you are a fan of Armistead Maupin, get comfy on your sofa with a cup of tea and enjoy this wonderful film.

This documentary has all the pluses. Excellent use is made of original footage from the 70's onward. A good cross-section of interviews with Maupin's friends, family and acquaintances bring the man "to life" and confirm the positive impact he has on so many different levels worldwide.

The challenges of a gay man raised in a conservative, Southern household with Confederate roots, was a real eye-opener. I was surprised to learn that Maupin (in trying to please his parents and family tradition)ended up being invited to the White House during the Vietnam war, where he shook hands with none other than Nixon. Maupin's complete about-turn afterward, is fascinating to absorb. His friendship with Rock Hudson was another stunner. Footage from PBS Tales of the City is also interwoven to good effect (as well as the most welcome presence of Laura Linney reflecting on those times and her sustained friendship with Maupin). Don't miss this!

1/11/18. Maupin shares his life on paper and his southern roots and how they were influenced by his life as a gay man. You can tell he has made peace with himself during a time when being gay was not so acceptable while he was growing up. Being a literary icon made his story-telling interesting to listen to.

Not only was I amazed by Armistead Maupin's life story, his charming candor, and the characters he's created; I also loved the portrait of San Francisco through time. The historical footage, and the recent footage came together in a way that told an authentic and beautiful story of the city I grew up near and now call home. It was especially amazing to see this film on the big screen at the Castro Theatre---I hope they screen it again because I would go see it again!

Never heard of Maupin before. NetFlix suggested it to me and I said why not. It starts as a regular documentary. Boring. I was about to close the window and it started to give more about Maupin. The guy is fun! Amusing. So, once more, I said why not. And it turned out to be quite a pleasant experience. A nice story with a nicely done arc. And if I had seen it back in 2018, I would have said 8 out of 10 stars is enough for a well polished biography. But I have seen it in 2021, after the Governments of the world started the Covid measures. 10/10. Thank you for examining that San Francisco!