Butch Camp

An amateur production filmed in Chicago with with lots of stereotypes. From dykes with bikes, to cross dressers to bitchy queens, the fill is a complete guide to gay stereotypes. The film goes on way too long...you will find yourself looking at watch...A LOT. Bad script. Even worst editing. Lousy acting. The film half of the film is barely passable, the second half is terrible. Just turn off the DVD and go do other more important things...like ironing. Paul Denniston is a likable sort but cannot carry a film. So called comedian Judy Tenuta is embarrassing to watch. Her segments seem to have been filmed separately and inserted into the film randomly. The rest of the cast should look for a new line of work...acting is out.

I rented this movie from one of my local video stores and hunkered down to watch. I wanted to love it. I really, really did, but...

While I love Judy Tenuta and always will, but her performance was rather weak, and her scenes at the Butch Camp were horribly directed and boring. In fact, it didn't seem like much of a camp at all. Perhaps "camp" in the title was supposed to mean that this film was supposed to be campy (which it wasn't).

But overall, the acting was probably the best thing about this meager attempt to be funny (which it rarely was). I guess it probably broke ground as a gay film when it was originally released, but the plot was incredibly flimsy and rambled a bit. I didn't care about most of the characters. There seemed to be many good ideas, but none of the plot lines offered much of a payoff in the end.

Having been a big fan of the Giver-Goddess (Judy) for over a decade, I rented this flick the other day. True, the acting and the direction of the actors could've been a lot better. The film is loaded, purposefully, with innuendo, cliché and stereotype humor. I knew that when it all started! The characters are likeable and the writing is ripe with gay sarcasm and campiness. What I loved most of all is my being pleasantly surprised that this is actually, in the end, an adorable romantic comedy! Well worth viewing. A thoroughly enjoyable film. Some queens just want everything to be all wrapped up in one perfect movie: Get real.

If you choose to watch a movie called "Butch Camp" about a lesbian (pictured on the poster or DVD cover wearing leather and brandishing a whip) who runs a training course meant to toughen up wimpy gays, it might be a tad ingenuous to complain about it leaning heavily on stereotypes, as at least one reviewer did. It's a bit like watching a Marx Brothers movie entitled "A Day at the Races" and complaining that Dr. Hackenbush wasn't really a qualified physician… what did you expect? I hasten to add that I'm not implying this movie is on a par with a Marx Brothers production.

Assuming you're in the mood for a farce that employs slapstick, ridiculous characters, improbable situations and, yes, exaggerated stereotypes, this was reasonably well done. Paul Denniston, who played the lead, may have slightly overdone the clueless nature & reactions of his character, and somewhat disturbingly wore the same clothes 24/7, but he and the other central actors were likable and their performances were actually quite good given the context in which they were working.

It's a bit hard to give the movie a rating. The premise and the story development are both absurd, but the actors manage to save it from being a disaster. It's not rolling-on-the-floor funny, but it is amusing. If you enjoy this sort of thing, it's definitely watchable, but not exactly memorable.

I don´t know what other ppl were expecting, a gay revolution maybe, but I don´t think movies must have that role, they must just entertain and be simple, as Butch Camp is. A light romantic comedy, and the actors they were not bad. I really liked Judy Tenuta, after seeing the film I became a fan of her style and Jason Teresi had that "thing" you know? Even if he wasn´t so beautiful I think he would still be standing tall in his acting. And of course Paul Denniston was very funny as the fragile and always temerous Matt. Those ppl bashing this movie are used to gay porn, so I guess they were frustrated not to see any - and terrified to find out gay people can actually love and desire a steady relationship, with love and everything. That´s it!