MD Poll: Victor/Victorious

In a bittersweet victory, Victor/Victoria was named your biggest, gayest movie musical of all time per our latest MD Poll.

As we're sure you have already heard, Blake Edwards, the director of Victor/Victoria (as well as such other cinematic classics as Breakfast at Tiffany's, Days of Wine and Roses and The Pink Panther series), passed away earlier this week at the age of 88. In honor of his memory, here's a video tribute to his comic genius.

See the comments section below for the complete results for the poll.

MD Poll: Let's Sing a Gay Little Show Tune

In the mood for a little "Le Jazz Hot"? Or perhaps some "La Vie Boheme"? Do you have a "Wig in a Box" just waiting to do the "Time Warp" again? Is life, for you, a "Cabaret", ol' chum?

Then get out your tap shoes, Francis, this is the MD Poll for you! We've compiled a list of the biggest, gayest movie musicals of all time, and now it is your turn to pick, well, the biggest and gayest!

Choose your favorite and place your vote in the poll located in the right hand sidebar. Results will be revealed on Saturday December 18!

UPDATE: This poll is now closed; click here for the results, and click here to vote in the latest MD Poll.

Monthly Wallpaper - October 2010: Doctors Demented

The doctors are in for this month's Movie Dearest Calendar Wallpaper, but you may not want to make an appointment with them.  You see, these cinematic doctors are a bit, shall we say, demented.

Mad scientists, evil physicians and demonic dentists are all on call for the month of October, including Doctors Doom, Frankenstein (both -stein and -steen), Furter, Jekyll, Lecter, Moreau, No, Phibes and Strangelove.  And yes, they do perform house calls ... but you may not want to let them in.

All you have to do is click on the picture above to enlarge it, then simply right click your mouse and select "Set as Background". (You can also save it to your computer and set it up from there if you prefer.) The size is 1024 x 768, but you can modify it if needed in your own photo-editing program.

Queer Ear for the Movie Musical Soundtrack

This post is part of Film Babble Blog's "Soundtrack September".
As every good show queen worth their Playbill collection knows, nothing beats a good show tune, whether belted out on the Great White Way or on the Silver Screen.

So, as a service to our readers (as well as sexually confused high school drama students everywhere), we here at Movie Dearest have compiled the following list (in no particular order) of our 25 Favorite Movie Musical Soundtracks, a.k.a. the "Gayest" Soundtracks of All Time. Not all of the following movies are gay (and one isn't even technically a musical), but they — and their soundtracks — certainly have their gay fans.

The Wizard of Oz(1939): Judy sings "Over the Rainbow". 'Nuff said.

A Star is Born(1954): Judy sings "The Man Who Got Away". Ditto.

Cabaret(1972): And now it's Liza's turn, old chum, in this Kander and Ebb classic.


Grease(1978): Dig the homoeroticism in "Greased Lightning" (even with that whole "pussy wagon" thing) as well as "good girl gone bad" Olivia Newton-John doing a fierce "You're the One That I Want".

Xanadu(1980): Speaking of ONJ ... The movie may be terrible, but who can resist such hits as "I'm Alive", "Suddenly" and the roller disco title track.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show(1975): From Tim Curry's "Sweet Transvestite" to the audience participation-ready "Time Warp", you'll know why this was a midnight movie staple for years.


Hedwig and the Angry Inch(2001): The hard rockin'-est of the lot, featuring tour de force vocals from John Cameron Mitchell.

Hairspray(2007): Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's Tony Award winning score is brought to life with an all-star cast. (And the soundtrack for John Waters' 1988 original is none to shabby either.)

Beauty and the Beast(1991): We had to include at least one Disney toon tunefest, and this one's Oscar winning music by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman fits the bill ... especially with Gaston singing about how "every last inch of me's covered with hair."


Hair(1979): Speaking of hair ... A hunky Treat Williams sings all about his in the titular song ... as well as his tits in "I Got Life".

West Side Story(1961): You'll feel "pretty and witty and gay" with the landmark Stephen Sondheim/Leonard Bernstein score.

Zero Patience(1993): The most obscure of the bunch, this musical about AIDS (really) is well worth seeking out, both on DVD and CD.


The Sound of Music(1965): Admit it: you twirl around like Julie Andrews on that hilltop every time you hear it.

Victor/Victoria(1982): Speaking of Julie ... she bends her gender, rolls her shoulders and gives us her best "Le Jazz Hot".

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert(1994): Not exactly a musical per se, but from the lip-synced wonders of "I've Never Been to Me" to the finale "Finally", you won't care. No more f*cking ABBA ...?


Mamma Mia!(2008): Not quite. Yes, Pierce Brosnan's croaking is unlistenable, but the marvelous Meryl Streep and awesome Amanda Seyfried more than make up for him.

Funny Girl(1968): Early Barbra Streisand at her very best, from her signature song "People" to the show-stopping "Don't Rain on My Parade" to channeling Fanny Brice in "My Man".

Yentl(1983): More Babs, all Babs, all sublime.


Can't Stop the Music(1980): Now to the ridiculous ... But just try to listen to the Village People anthem "Y.M.C.A." without doing the "Y.M.C.A." arms.

Moulin Rouge!(2001): First, a sexy Nicole Kidman purrs "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend", than a dreamy Ewan McGregor croons "My Song", then they cap it off with the ultimate romantic duet "Come What May". And who can forget the "Elephant Love Medley"?

De-Lovely(2004): Everyone from Robbie Williams to Alanis Morissette to John Barrowman get a crack at the legendary Cole Porter song book.

Evita(1996): Well, I couldn't forget Madonna, could I?


Dreamgirls(2006): Sure, it's got Beyoncé, but Jennifer Hudson brings the house down with her blistering interpretation of "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going".

Were the World Mine(2008): For those who wanted a gay High School Musical ... OK, an overtly gay High School Musical. "Faeries away!"

That's Entertainment!(1974-1994): From Singin' in the Rain to The Band Wagon to Gigi, the deluxe CD box set is a crash course in MGM musical history.

Click on the titles to purchase the CDs from Amazon.com.

Out in Film: Lea DeLaria

Idol worship: Lea DeLaria, comedian/actress/singer.

- "Famously controversial", she made television history as the first openly gay comic to break the "late-night talk-show barrier" with her 1993 appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show. Later that same year, she hosted Comedy Central's Out There, the first all-gay stand-up comedy TV special.

- She is also known for her touring shows Dos Lesbos (a "musical comedy about perverts") and Girl Friday, as well as her comedy albums (Bulldyke in a China Shop and Box Lunch) and book (Lea's Book of Rules for the World).

- As Hildy in the 1998 Broadway revival of On the Town, she stopped the show and received rave reviews. She switched genders and played the dual role of Eddie and Dr. Scott in the 2000 revival of The Rocky Horror Show, and also co-starred in the Off-Broadway production of Paul Rudnick's The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told.

- On film, she can be seen in The First Wives Club, Homo Heights and Edge of Seventeen and the mini-series Armistead Maupin's Further Tales of the City, as well as guest spots on such TV faves as Friends, Will & Grace and One Life to Live.

- As well as integrating musical performance into her stand-up comedy, she has released several popular music albums, covering the genres of be-bop jazz and pop standards.

The Latest on DVD: Musical Mania

A veritable smorgasbord of movie musical delights can be found in MGM and Fox's new Hollywood Musicals Collection,available today.

Consisting of 50 films on 61 discs (!!!), this hefty doorstop of a box set includes Oscar winning Best Pictures (The Sound of Music, West Side Story), beloved Broadway adaptations (Fiddler on the Roof, Guys and Dolls), cult classics (The Apple, The Rocky Horror Picture Show), modern favorites (De-Lovely, Moulin Rouge!) and even a few new-to-DVD gems (Hallelujah, I'm a Bum!; Kid Millions).

Check out the all-new Latest on DVD widgets located in the sidebar for more of this week's new DVD releases available today from Amazon.com.

MD Poll: The Late Night Double Feature Picture Show

Well, it may not be the most horror-ific on the list, but it certainly is the gayest. In the last MD Poll asking you to name your favorite "Homo Horror" movie, The Rocky Horror Picture Show easily Time Warped itself to victory with over a third of the votes.

The gay slasher flick Hellbent and the Hitchcock classic Rope round out the top three. See the comments section below for the full stats, and stay "tooned" for the next MD Poll.

Illustration by Ken Taylor.

The Latest on DVD: Over at the Frankenstein Place

Now, 35 years after it first debuted on stage, see The Rocky Horror Picture Show as you've never seen it before with Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Tribute Show,available on DVD for the first time today.

Two years ago, Richard O'Brien reunited with his original RHPS cast mates Patricia Quinn and Little Nell Campbell at the theater where it all began, the Royal Court, for a special performance of the cult musical legend. Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Anthony Head joined them onstage for a little "Sweet Transvestite" action, along with Michael Ball (now playing Hairspray's Edna in London) stepping in for the "Floor Show".

Check out the Latest on DVD widgets located in the sidebar for more of this week's new DVD releases available today from Amazon.com.

More Kudos for Billy

Billy Elliot the Musical, which won four Olivier Awards for its original London production, picked up seven more accolades at the 8th Annual Helpmann Awards, the Australian equivalent to the Tony Awards.

The acclaimed tuner, based on the 2000 movie of the same name and featuring a score by Elton John, received awards for Best Musical, Best Director for Stephen Daldry (who was Oscar nominated for the original film) and acting honors for Genevieve Lemon (as ballet teacher Mrs. Wilkinson) and the show's quartet of Billys, Lochlan Denholm, Nick Twiney, Rarmian Newton and Rhys Kosakowski.

Other notable winners include two awards each for Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show and the opera version of Dead Man Walking, including acting prizes for the former's Columbia, Sharon Millerchip, and the latter's Joseph De Rocher, hunky baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes.

Next for Billy Elliot the Musical, which begins performances on Broadway October 1: the Tonys.

Women We Love: Susan Sarandon

Object of our affection: Susan Sarandon, actress/ ageless enchantress.
- Why we love her: For her resume-full of strong and sexy roles.
- Awards on her mantel: For her heart-breaking performance as Sister Helen Prejean in Dead Man Walking, she was the first actress to win an Academy Award for playing a nun; also nominated for Atlantic City, Thelma & Louise, Lorenzo's Oil and The Client.
- Other choice roles: Seduced by Tim Curry in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and by Catherine Deneuve in The Hunger; seducer of her future longtime companion Tim Robbins in Bull Durham and James Spader in White Palace; various (and varied) mothers in Little Women, Stepmom and Igby Goes Down.
- Side jobs: Goodwill ambassador for UNICEF; outspoken supporter of several liberal social causes.
- You go girl: Campaigned to get the TV show of conservative homophobe Dr. Laura taken off the air; has appeared in PSAs advocating GLBT acceptance.
- Bet you didn't know: Landed her first movie role (a lead in Joe) when she tagged along on an audition with her then-husband, Chris Sarandon (who did not get a part himself).
- Yes, it's true: She keeps her Oscar in the bathroom.
- Can we quote you on that: On her role in The Hunger, from The Celluloid Closet: "You wouldn't have to get drunk to bed Catherine Deneuve, I don't care what your sexual history to that point had been."
- And another thing: Also from Closet, on the homoerotic subtext of westerns such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: "They did what guys do in movies, instead they got their guns out. Because they couldn't get their dicks out ... That's what boys do."
- Where we can see her next: As the evil queen/ wicked hag Narissa in Enchanted. Will also star in two eagerly anticipated (and very different) upcoming movies: Speed Racer and The Lovely Bones.

Link via Imdb.com.

Mark Your Calendars 2008

Every movie fan needs a calendar (to write down such important dates as when the Oscars are on or when the next Johnny Depp movie comes out), and Mega Calendarshas something for everybody on your holiday shopping list:

- For gay movie fans, you could do no wrong with Brokeback Mountain. Or, for the sweet transvestites out there, there's the official Rocky Horror Picture Show calendar. And of course, there's always Tinker Bell.
- If it's man candy your looking for, there's a slew of them, from Daniel Craig and Wentworth Miller to Christian Bale and Jason Statham.
- If a classic film buff is on your list, try the perennial The Wizard of Oz, or more current favorites like The Lord of the Rings, Napoleon Dynamite or Dirty Dancing are also available. Or, if you want to give them an offer they can't refuse, try The Godfather or Scarface.
- Current cinematic obsessions abound, such as Hairspray, Harry Potter and High School Musical 2, plus such stalwart fan boy faves as Star Trek and Star Wars.
- For the couch potatoes out there, take your pick from Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, Lost, Ugly Betty, The L Word, Smallville, Desperate Housewives, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Brothers and Sisters and the ever-present I Love Lucy.
- And finally, no calendar shopping spree would be complete without the likes of such legendary style icons as Audrey Hepburn, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe.

Of course, while you're filling up your shopping cart and crossing names off your list, don't forget to treat yourself to one too.

Click here to purchase any of these Mega Calendarsfrom Amazon.com.

This is Halloween

All Hallow's Eve is fast approaching, and theme parks around the world are trotting out all manner of ghoulish delights for fearless guests:

- Hong Kong Disneyland may be hurting for attendance at all other times of the year, but their new "Glow in the Dark" Parade (led by Nightmare Before Christmas' Jack Skellington) seems to be drawing in the crowds eager for a fun-filled scare or two.

- At Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, kiddie-flavored thrills can be found at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, which includes a nightly visit from the Headless Horseman. You can also check out the newly updated Haunted Mansion, complete with floating Madame Leota head.

- But if it's real scares you're looking for, skip Disney's family friendly fare and head over to Universal Studios Hollywood or Universal Studios Orlando for their annual fright fests, Halloween Horror Nights. This year's events feature three monster movie icons as your hosts: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre's Leatherface, Friday the 13th's Jason Voorhees and A Nightmare on Elm Street's Freddy Krueger, as well as a live stage show based on The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The must-see show at any HHN is Bill & Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure, and this year's appears to be no different. A schmorgasboard of all the latest in pop culture, this time our two favorite surfer dudes stumble into all manner of recent movie characters, from the likes of Saw, 300, Spider-Man 3, Grindhouse and Transformers, not too mention a Hero or two. It even looks like Rosie O'Donnell and Chris Crocker make appearances. Gee, I'm sure they handle that well.

Links via LosAngeles.bizjournals.com, HKDLSource.com, Blogs.OrlandoSentinel.com, Screamscape.com, LaughingPlace.com and HalloweenHorrorNights.com.