SEASON 1, EPISODE 1
Available on Apple Podcasts and practically anywhere else you stream your podcasts! (Don’t have one of these fancy apps? Then click right HERE.)
There are so many movies out there that shine a deviant light on the lives of odd girls. And, if you listen to S1, E1, The Top 5 Perverted Lesbian Films of all Time, you will get a blast from past as I detail some of the most outrageous cinematic portrayals of lesbians you can possibly imagine!
Did I overlook any particular movies that defile lesbians beyond belief? Please leave a note in the comments so I can add it to my list!
Fortunately, not all lezzie movies are total downers. And before we get into it with the five pervy flicks, I’d like to start off by sharing with you some unique and positive cinematic options for queers of all stripes! (And following all the positivity, you can find some dark and fascinating supplemental content to S1, E1.)
Get a dose of kinky, queer, and one-of-a-kind flicks from Femme Power Productions.
Our friends at Autostraddle are on top of it! Check out their 2021 list of the The 200 Best Lesbian, Bisexual & Queer Movies Of All Time.
And don’t miss Glamour’s 27 Movies About Queer Women of Color You Can Stream Right Now.
I don’t know about you, but I like my oldies but goodies GROUND BREAKING! Keep on streaming Cheryl Dunye’s The Watermelon Woman.
Looking for an LGBTQ film historian who also curates, makes movies, and writes books? For the love of the Goddess, visit Jenni Olsen’s website.
Oh! Here’s another great find: “Forgotten Roads”, by Chilean filmmaker NICOL RUIZ BENAVIDES
Folks, there are so many hidden gems out there, won’t you please share them with me and all the readers in the comment box below?
And finally, for those curious listeners who can’t get enough pervy lesbian portrayals, check out some tidbits on each of the Top 5 Perverted Lesbian Films of all time!
1. Sister My Sister
As you know, Sister My Sister was based on a true story. (The true story I’m talking about are the sisters Christine and Léa Papin, who were maids, and murdered their employer and her daughter in 1933.) What you may not know is French writer Jean Genet (1910-1986) wrote a play titled The Maids based on the Papin’s real life story titled. Not long after it was written, this drama played on the stages of Paris, England and the United States. It remains a very popular show, with endless productions of it being produced. Checkout the Cutting Ball Theatre’s 2006 production, Trafalgar Studios 2016 production and Home’s 2018 production to get a sample of what’s out there.
But there’s more! Playwright Wendy Kesselman wrote the play My Sister in this House based on the Papin sister’s story and it was produced by the Actors Theatre of Louisville in 1980. Then, she adapted it into a screenplay and that’s how we ended up with the hot and heavy sibling-on-sibling action in Sister My Sister. Even though it’s utterly heartbreaking, it really is a great flick. It was directed by Nancy Meckler and stars Julie Walters, Joely Richardson, Jodhi May and Sophie Thursdfield.
2. Notes on a Scandal
The movie was based on the 2003 novel, Notes on a Scandal by Zoë Heller. What was Zoë thinking when she wrote this? Well, apparently she based her story on the real life crime of teacher Mary Kay LeTourneau, who in 1997 had an affair with one of her students in Burien, Washington.
Not to be like this but, what was she REALLY thinking when she wrote Notes on a Scandal??? I did a little sniffing around and found out that Zoë is originally from London and attended the private, Haverstock School, for students between the ages of 11-18. She went on to study at St Anne’s College in Oxford.
And then, she attended Columbia University in New York City—which is just across the street from guess where? The famous Gay until Graduation Barnard College. (Just for the record, I do support expanding one’s sexual experiences.)
Did she encounter a co-ed Barbara at Barnard? Or, did Zoë watch The Killing of Sister George too many times? Where are these real life “Barbara’s? (Barbara is the name of the character Judy Dench so deviously plays.)
There is a lot to criticize about the portrayal of lesbians in this movie. But I will be honest. This movie is my guilty pleasure. I just LOVE how exquisitely jealous Judy Dench gets. I just love the way she ogles Cate Blanchett while she is “casually” having a cigarette. I just love all peeking in the windows, around the corners, and really, any peek opportunity Judy can get at Cate. Ooooh! I am getting the chills! If you love Notes on a Scandal, please read more about it in Jill Dolan’s critique in The Feminist Spectator.
I wonder how Zoë Heller would feel if I rang her doorbell in the middle of the night?
3. Pariah
This excellent movie really shouldn’t be on this list, but I can’t tell you how shaken I was watching the teenage character Alike experience the wrath of her mother when she gets “caught” being her queer self. It’s every closeted teen’s nightmare on so many levels. Pariah stars Adepero Oduye, Kim Wayans, Charles Parnell and Assha Davis, and, is directed by Dee Rees. (Dee has directed, produced and written tons of movies. Listen to Dee’s great interview with Terry Gross about her film Mudbound on Fresh Air.)
Another delightful fact about Pariah is that it premièred at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011 and received the Excellence in Cinematography Award! Watch it on SUNDANCE NOW or on just about any VOD streaming service!
4. The Killing of Sister George
Who thought this was a good idea? The movie was based on a play, by the same title, written by Frank Marcus. To be honest, there are a couple of good things about both the play and the movie but I’m not going to link to them. I am leaving a link to the original trailer for you to watch and get your jollies.
5. The Children’s Hour
Originally it was a 1934 play by Lillian Hellman – who I wouldn’t be surprised if she had been lurking around Barnard back in the day. You know, in the movie, the repressed lesbian, famously played by Shirley MacLaine, hangs herself at the end because she realizes she’s some kind of unspeakable salacious pervert. Here’s some insiders info: at the end of the stage play, she shoots herself in the head with a gun!!
As a little side bar we need to put together a “Hedda Gabler” list of plays. Plays that end with the lead female character committing suicide, by gun. There’s ‘night, Mother by Marsha Norman. (Marsha I love you, I am so sorry your play is on this list!) Are there any theatre historians out there know of any other plays? Please share those titles in the comments below and I will add them to this list.
In the meantime, here’s a bit of Hollywood tea. The little girl who makes this story take a tragic turn by accusing Shirley and Audrey Hepburn of being lesbians, was played by child actress Mimi Gibson whose mother swindled her out of all of her acting income. Mimi was in over 50-movies and she didn’t have a dime to her name when she turned 18!
Look, the film of The Children’s Hour is almost 2-hours long and if you try to watch it you will be so frustrated and feel so neutered you’ll be ready to pull your hair out. If you want to get an idea of what this flick is like, watch the 5-minute coming out scene on Youtube and then you’ll be cheering for the mom in Pariah for making you feel alive.
That’s all I know! I hope you are looking forward to listening to S1, E2 which is about someone who is both beautiful on the inside and out, Koko the Gorilla.