Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt

I am a health teacher who has used this film many years ago..but had thought it might have been too old to use now. But after giving it a lot of thought, NOW is the time to show the film more than ever as kids today (and many young adults) do not know the history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and how those caught up in the early stigma filled days, coped with the disease. Of course stigma still exists around the subject, but this movie brings a compelling human face to the tragedy and neglect that was brought about through ignorance and prejudice.

The haunting images of the past, coupled with the story telling, create a 'must view' for today. As others have said, it packs a powerful punch, so be aware of the difficult outcomes of those involved. This film is definitely 'one for the ages'...

I've got to say that I hadn't thought of this incredible film in a while, but it came up recently (the current year is 2009) and I decided to check out the reviews here. The reviews, all by themselves, and the memory of the film, and the music, and of what the film meant and of the stories of the people in it, made me cry all over again--THAT'S how powerful it is, memories of it in my heart 20 years later.

In my view, this movie should be required viewing for all those people out there who still hate. And for all those precious people out there who genuinely love, this movie will find a welcome home in your heart, whether this be a first viewing, or a refreshed memory from decades ago.

Winning the 1990 Oscar for Best Documentary, this originally aired on HBO. Watching After Stonewall reminded me of this documentary, and even just seeing the Quilt on THAT program made me tear up - simply from the memory of this documentary.

As a documentary, it's not very impressive - it's pretty rote and basic. However, in 1990, AIDS was still a strong fear - remember, the next year Bruce Davison was nominated for Longtime Companion - but the Bobby McFerrin music and the visuals affected me, in the same way that the Vietnam War Memorial scene from In Country.

This is a must-see documentary.

Every life has a story. Here are a few of the stories of people who died from AIDS, told by their survivors.

More than three quarter of a million Americans have died from AIDS since we began to notice it, about forty years ago. Worldwide, the figure seems to be a bit more than 40 million. Do a little math, and we as a nation look lucky. Human lives are not measured statistically, and people do not die by nations, but individually. Try to speak of the enormity of something, saying eighty million people have died from AIDS, or 6.9 million from COVID-19 or what have you and the horror and sadness gets lost in the the crowd. But one by one, with those they leave behind to assess the values of those lives. "My son died"; "My lover died"; "My friend Jim died": these are the words that make me weep. That's why this movie is so effective.

This documentary accomplishes what most films sent out to do; move and transform audience members. What we have here is a remarkable movie which managed to change the way people viewed the AIDS crisis.

The success of the film's impact lies in its structural simplicity; we hear from the survivors of AIDS victims in ways which humanize their suffering.

Much has been written about the haunting musical score.

I had one slight problem with the film; its Amnerican-centric message. I wish the filmmakers would have paid more attention to the subject matter by giving us more of a world-view. This would have increased the film's credibility.

However, this is a quibble. What we have here is a motion picture which gives lasting testament to the personal courage exhibited by both victims and survivors.