MIGUELGOMEZ said:

read the ultimate x-men line. they made colossus gay and in love with the alpha flight guy.

But aren't there already some gay superheroes?

whistle said:

Milk was great and important in many ways, but Sean Penn in an issue historical movie recycling his I Am Sam voice isn't quite what I mean.

Shorty said:

Yes.

But

Too many movies still tokenize gay male characters, and when they do include them they're the sexless, faggy shopping buddy or the comic relief. That is a problem. I think someone in mainstream Hollywood needs to be brave enough to break that mold and make the hero of a piece the gay character.

NDRU said:

It'll be a long way off, if it ever does happen, that a mainstream action film has a gay hero. I think perhaps a political thriller or spy drama might be an easier place to start.

GirlBrother said:

YES!

Lacking TV I still haven't had the opportunity to watch Torchwood, but this is EXACTLY what I have in mind. There needs to be more "hero" type characters like the lead in Torchwood.

Folks, I am not talking about superheroes. That'd be an obvious choice, but no.

I just mean the lead man in a story.

No, the gay superhero idea would be great.

But he should also have some conflicting views too, like you know, an affinity for mussolini or something. Just for neutrality.

I want Pixar to make this movie

how much time should be spent on the character's sexuality, though? a couple of casual mentions would seem timid and dismissive, but repeated sex scenes would seem like cheap exploitation.

How about a GAY VILLAIN?

novabrkr said:

actually, from about mid 60s up through the early 90s, there were a lot of gay villains, murderous transvestites, and such. one of the bond movies even had gay villains.

thankfully, that was done away with.

which is part of why it's kind of ridiculoous that there have been no gay heros in these kinds of movies. we're allowed to be the plot device and the bad guys, and later the minstrel best friend character, but rarely the empathetic lead. and in the rare instances we are, the movie then has to be about being gay, which instantly turns off most heteros from wanting to see it.

it is getting better, but really really slowly. we have "brokeback mountain" and to a lesser extent "milk".
[Edited 1/12/10 6:13am]

whistle said:

This is a good point! allot of times the "relationship" part of a movie that isn't about a relationship is really unnecessary and could be left out anyway. I'm saying that in many movies where the focus isn't on any relationships, the main character might well be gay...who's to say they are or are not? it's just not the focus of the movie.

Shorty said:

it's not the main focus, but it's a focus. the reason all those hero movies provide some kind of love interest is a writer trick.

if you give the protaganist a love sub-plot, it makes the character human and more relatable to the audience. without some kind of internal struggle, they play woodenly. giving them internal conflict makes them human and not gods. and the audience san then see themselves in the character in some way.

since so many action movies are ridiculously macho, the romantic plot character (almost always female since the hero is almost always male in these movies) also gives the women who aren't hypnotized by the ridiculous testosterone orgy on-screen someone to relate to... in a sad mysoginistic way, mid you, but that's what they give.

same with "chick flics", except the roles are reversed, and they only focus on the love story, and the other becomes the sub-plot.

novabrkr said:

WHY WE LOVE 90s PRINCE

Cinnie said:

!!!

So I guess if the protagonist is straight then lets have all the flirting and sexual shenanigans but if he/she is gay, then lets just leave that out.

cborgman said:

very very well put. you're absolutely right. but to me this means what hollywood needs is to re-evaluate characters and character development but I'm still not convinced that means what hollywood needs is a gay hero. I think they might have a small market for that but I don't think it would be a blockbuster hit which is what they are after. I guess I trip on details...and the thread title was what hollywood "needs" and I just don't see that as what it needs. Hollywood NEEDS a whole LOT...the list could go on and on.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

That's not what I said at all. Maybe you're referring to someone else...
what I said was they could leave all that flirting and sexual shenanigans out in most movies anyways cause it's ususally a distraction and not necesarry

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

It's very important for kids to see positive images of those who they can most easily relate to...and for gay kids, considering the rates of suicide, it's even more important.

Alexander focuses somewhat on the homosexual nature of the world's greatest conquer.

however Troy left off the homosexual relationships in the Iliad as did the 300 leave off the strictly enforced homosexual nature of Spartan military forces.

meow85 said:

Did you ever see Watchmen? The film had two gay superheroes in it, but I think the gay guy murdered the gay girl as part of a fascist set up. It's long and there are many subplots but it is very cool to watch, great special effects.
[Edited 1/12/10 13:18pm]

Shorty said:

it could work, but it would take a good writer, director, and cast.

things that most action movies tend to be bereft of, but it could be done.

i could see a cop buddy pic, a la leathal weapon, or a heist movie with a gay character as one of the main leads. i could see superhero movies with a gay hero. i could even see a die hard i'm-just-a-regular-guy-in the-wrong-place type of movie like this with a gay mclaine.

it wouldn't be a HUGE blockbuster, but the right script could make it feasible. i certainly would have no interest in writing one, because action's not my style of writing, but it could be done.

applekisses said:

very much agree. it's one thing i love about comics, although those need to grow a LOT in the lgbt stories.

and, oh, by the way...

APPLES!!!

ehuffnsd said:

alexander was such a tedious film unless you're a history or military stategy fan.

i was dissapointed troy wussed on it.

One word: DUMBLEDORE...

MrsGoodnight said:

certainly him, but we're talking action movie with action hero and possibly love interest.

i think...

whistle said:

If I were King of the World...

That is, if I were in charge of production of such a film, I would try as best as possible to keep the character's sexuality neutral in portrayal. It wouldn't be his defining feature, but it would get better than just a vague allusion. You're right that too much in the way of sex scenes would come across as shock value for the sake of it, but an openly portrayed queer character deserves better than an offhanded reference or a quick camera shot of His and His towels in the bathroom.

meow85 said:

almost like "dog day afternoon" if they were stopping bank robbers instead of being bank robbers and his lover were'nt a trannie.