Homophobia in Hollywood

In 1992 the release of “Basic Instinct” and “The Silence of the Lambs” resulted in gay and lesbian activists organising nation-wide protests against Hollywood’s portrayal of gay characters in films. “Homophobia in Hollywood” features interviews with director Paul Verhoeven (Basic Instinct), screen- writer Ted Tally (Silence of the Lambs) and producer Howard Rosenman (Father of the Bride) who discuss their reaction to gay and lesbian critics of their work. Gay director Tom Kalin (Swoon) discusses some of the difficulties he has with notions of “positive” and “negative” representation. This video is a revealing insight into the conservative attitudes and artistic bankruptcy of the Hollywood entertainment community.