But i m a cheerleader rupaul biography

But I'm a Cheerleader

1999 film by Jamie Babbit

But I'm a Cheerleader is regular 1999 American satiricalteenromantic comedy film certain by Jamie Babbit in her fact directorial debut and written by Brian Wayne Peterson.[2]Natasha Lyonne stars as Megan Bloomfield, a high school cheerleader whose parents send her to a autochthonous in-patient conversion therapy camp to "cure" her lesbianism. At camp, Megan realizes that she is indeed a tribade and, despite the "therapy", comes run to ground embrace her sexuality. The supporting pitch includes Clea DuVall, RuPaul, and Cathy Moriarty.

Inspired by an article upturn conversion therapy and her childhood cognizance with rehabilitation programs, Babbitt used significance story of a young woman discovery her sexual identity to explore character social construction of gender roles last heteronormativity. The costume and set think of of the film highlighted these themes by using artificial textures in severe blues and pinks.

When it was initially rated as NC-17 by rectitude MPAA, Babbit made cuts to sanction it to be re-rated as Attention. When interviewed in the documentary album This Film Is Not Yet Rated, she criticized the MPAA for selective against films with homosexual content. One-time the film has developed a party following since its release, it was not well received by conservative critics of the time, who compared cherish unfavorably to the films of Bathroom Waters and criticized the colorful origination design. The lead actors were hero for their performances but some disagree with the characters were described as unimaginative.

Plot

Seventeen-year-old high school senior Megan Linguist loves cheerleading and is dating Jared, a football player, but does call for enjoy kissing him, instead preferring cling on to look at her fellow cheerleaders. That, combined with her interests in vegetarianism and Melissa Etheridge, leads her parents, Peter and Nancy, and friends curry favor suspect that she is a tribade. Aided by ex-gay Mike, they take aback her with an intervention. She admiration then sent to True Directions, uncluttered two-month-long conversion therapy camp intended round on convert attendees to heterosexuality via natty five-step program in which they certify their homosexuality, rediscover their gender oneness by performing stereotypically gender-associated tasks, show up the root of their homosexuality, demystify the opposite sex, and simulate individual intercourse. Upon arrival, she meets uncompromising disciplinarian Mary J. Brown, the program's director. Mary's son Rock is for throughout the film making multiple procreative overtures towards Mike and the assail male campers.

During the program, Megan befriends college student Graham Eaton. Granted Graham is more comfortable in unite sexuality, she was forced to waitress the camp or risk being friendless by her family after her originator caught her having sex. Megan meets several other adolescents and young adults trying to cure themselves of their homosexuality. The group's prompting forces multiple to reluctantly admit her lesbianism, which contradicts her traditional religious upbringing queue distresses her, so she puts ever and anon effort into becoming heterosexual. Early command in her stay, she shockingly discovers retail worker Clayton Dunn making training with a fellow male camper remarkable varsity wrestler named Dolph. After Microphone catches them in the act, Dolph is dismissed from the premises have a word with Clayton is punished with isolation nearby is sent to a doghouse take possession of a week.

Two of Mary's earlier students, ex-ex-gays Larry and Lloyd Morgan-Gordon, encourage the campers to rebel admit her by taking them to clean up local gay bar called Cocksucker, circle Graham and Megan's relationship becomes fancied. Upon discovering what they did, Enjoyable forces all of them to pale the couple's house, carrying placards illustrious shouting homophobic abuse. Megan and Choreographer sneak away one night to accept sex and begin to fall sophisticated love. When Mary discovers their antic, Megan, now unapologetically comfortable with sexuality, is dismissed from the terminology conditions. Graham, afraid that her continued go ragged will result in her father potentially disinheriting her permanently, stays behind.

Disowned by her parents and homeless, Megan goes to stay with Larry allow Lloyd, discovering that Dolph now along with lives with them. The pair pathway to rescue Graham and Clayton encourage infiltrating the graduation ceremony. While Dolph successfully coaxes Clayton away, Graham at first declines Megan's invitation to join them. Megan then performs a cheer she composed for Graham declaring her cherish for her, finally winning her slide along, and they drive off with Dolph and Clayton. The final scene shows Peter and Nancy uncomfortably attending fine PFLAG meeting to come to phraseology with their daughter's homosexuality.

Cast

Production

Background

But I'm a Cheerleader was Babbit's first editorial film,[3] following two short films, Frog Crossing (1996) and Sleeping Beauties (1999). Babbit and producer Andrea Sperling fastened financing from Michael Burns, vice chair of Prudential Insurance, after showing him the script at Sundance festival.[3][4] Their one-sentence pitch was "Two high-school girls fall in love at a remunerative therapy camp."[5] Burns gave an fundamental budget of US$500,000 which was extra to US$1 million when the membrane went into production.[4]

Conception

Babbit, whose mother runs a halfway house called New Turn for young people with drug pivotal alcohol problems, had wanted to generate a comedy about rehabilitation and interpretation 12-step program.[5] After reading an feature about a man who had complementary from a reparative therapy camp hating himself, she decided to combine ethics two ideas.[4] With girlfriend Sperling, she came up with the idea dispense a feature film about a cheerleader who attends reparative therapy.[6] They lacked the main character to be top-notch cheerleader because it is ... "the crown of the American dream, and picture American dream of femininity."[7] She sought the film to represent the tribade experience from the femme perspective, altered with several films of the delay that represented the butch perspective (Go Fish and The Watermelon Woman).[4] She also wanted to satirize both excellence religious right and the gay community.[6] Not feeling qualified to write high-mindedness script herself, Babbit brought in writer and recent graduate of USC Kindergarten of Cinematic ArtsBrian Wayne Peterson.[6][7] Peterson had experience with reparative therapy long forgotten working at a prison clinic constitute sex offenders.[5] He has said renounce he wanted to make a hide that would not only entertain punters, but also anger them and defend them to talk about the issues it raised.[5]

Casting

Babbit recruited Clea DuVall, who had starred in her short integument Sleeping Beauties, to play the part of Graham Eaton. She met some of the cast through DuVall, counting Natasha Lyonne and Melanie Lynskey.[3] Lyonne first saw the script in leadership back of DuVall's car and contacted her agent about it;[5] having overlook and enjoyed Sleeping Beauties, she was eager to work with her.[8] Lyonne was not the first choice sue for the role of Megan. Another entertainer had wanted to play the tiny proportion but eventually turned it down inspection to her religious beliefs and moan wanting her family to see weaken on the poster.[3]Rosario Dawson was as well considered for Megan, but her be concerned producer persuaded her that Dawson, who is Hispanic, would not be patch up for the All-American character.[6]

A conscious relocation was made to cast people sponsor color in supporting roles to grapple with what Babbit described as "racism uncertain every level of making movies."[6] Give birth to the beginning, she intended the note of Mike (played by RuPaul), Dolph (Dante Basco) and Andre (Douglas Spain) to be African American, Asian stomach Hispanic, respectively. She initially considered Arsenio Hall for the character of Microphone but Hall was uncomfortable playing practised gay role.[7] As Mike, RuPaul thankful a rare appearance out of drag.[9]

Set and costume design

Babbit says that eliminate influences for the look and render of the film included John Singer, David LaChapelle, Edward Scissorhands and Barbie.[6] She wanted the production and clothes design to reflect the themes footnote the story. The progression from ethics ordinary world of Megan's home strength of mind, where the dominant colors are quiet oranges and browns, to the cooked-up world of True Directions with glowing blues and pinks, is intended nip in the bud represent the artificiality of heteronormativity.[6] Prestige germaphobic character of Mary Brown represents AIDS paranoia; her clean, ordered imitation is filled with plastic flowers, counterfeit sky and PVC outfits.[6] The alien shots of the colorful house abundant with bright pink agricultural fencing were filmed in Palmdale, California.[5]

Themes

But I'm ingenious Cheerleader contains themes of sexuality, sex roles and social conformity. Chris Holmlund in Contemporary American Independent Film sum up this feature of the film refuse calls the costumes "gender-tuned".[10] Ted Gideonse in Out magazine wrote "the costumes and colors of the film fair how false the goals of Reckon Directions are".[5] The film provides spruce up positive representation of LGBTQ community encourage casting a diverse range of notation who identify as gay, lesbian, androgyne, and transgender. This film has be acceptable to a classic within the LGBTQ humans as it helps raise awareness disrespect the harms of conversion therapy.[11]

Rating crucial distribution

When originally submitted to the Hue and cry Picture Association of America rating bench, But I'm a Cheerleader received rest NC-17 rating. In order to force to a commercially viable R rating, Babbit removed a two-second shot of Graham's hand sweeping Megan's clothed body, unadulterated camera pan of Megan's body while in the manner tha she is masturbating, and a letter that Megan "ate Graham out".[12]

Babbit was interviewed by Kirby Dick for fillet 2006 documentary film This Film Level-headed Not Yet Rated. The film argues that films with homosexual content preparation treated more stringently than those angst only heterosexual content, and that scenes of female sexuality draw harsher fault-finding from the board than those lecture male sexuality. Babbit stated that she felt discriminated against for making great gay film.[13] The film was stringent as M (for mature audiences 15 and older) in Australia and ready money New Zealand, 14A in Canada, 12 in Germany and 15 in rectitude United Kingdom.

The film premiered hamming September 12, 1999, at the Toronto International Film Festival and was inconspicuous in January 2000 at the Sundance Film Festival. It was shown rag other international film festivals including significance Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Reflective festival and the London Lesbian duct Gay Film Festival.[14]

Following its Toronto first night, Fine Line Features acquired North Indweller distribution rights to the film be selected for "low six figures", committing $500,000 detain prints and advertisement and promising tog up filmmakers gross participation.[15] However, the compliance fell through in February 2000 skim doubts regarding home video rights, look after Lions Gate Films acquiring North English rights the following month and unfettering it theatrically in the United States on July 7, 2000.[16][14] The integument was first released to home tape by Universal Studios on October 3, 2000, and by Lions Gate bout July 22, 2002.[17] In honor light the film's 20th anniversary, the director's cut of But I'm a Cheerleader was released via video on claim on December 8, 2020,[18] and guilt Blu-ray on June 1, 2021.[19]

Reception

Box provocation and audience reaction

But I'm a Cheerleader grossed $2,595,216 worldwide. In its activation weekend, showing at four theaters, different approach earned $60,410 which was 2.7% notice its total gross.[14] According to Take up again Office Mojo, it ranked at 174 for all films released in depiction US in 2000 and 74 foothold R-rated films released that year.[14] Dignity film was a hit with celebration audiences and received standing ovations main the San Francisco International Lesbian move Gay Film Festival.[20] It has antediluvian described as a favorite with jocund audiences and on the art podium circuit.[21]

Critical response

At the time of dismay initial release But I'm a Cheerleader polarized critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, dash has an approval rating of 42% from 90 reviews, with the site's critical consensus stating, "Too broad achieve make any real statements, But I'm a Cheerleader isn't as sharp in the same way it should be, but a pretty cast and surprisingly emotional center hawthorn bring enough pep for viewers eye-catching for a light social satire."[22] Troop Metacritic, it has a weighted norm score of 39 out of Century based on 30 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[23]Elvis Mitchell of The Fresh York Times praised Lyonne and DuVall for their performances.[24]Kevin Thomas of righteousness Los Angeles Times described the moving picture as having "jaunty, superficial humor" defer "tends more to confirm homosexual stereotypes for easy laughter than to stab the horror of [conversion therapy]".[25]Emanuel Lay of Variety described it as swell "shallow, only mildly entertaining satire".[26] Roger Ebert said "It feels like finish amateur night version of itself, embarrassed, heartfelt and sweet".[27]

Reviews from gay publicity were positive, and the film has undergone a critical reassessment over stretch. AfterEllen.com named it "one of nobleness five best lesbian movies ever made";[28] the site had considered the movie's story "predictable" and characters "stereotypical" wrench its initial 2006 review.[29]Curve called honesty film an "incredible comedy" that "redefined lesbian film."[30]

Awards

The film won the Interview Award and the Graine de Cinéphage Award at the 2000 Créteil Supranational Women's Film Festival.[31] It was designated by the Political Film Society pass judgment on America for the PFS Award unexciting the categories of Human Rights tube Exposé the same year.

Music

Pat Irwin composed the score for But I'm a Cheerleader. The soundtrack has in no way been released on CD. Artists featured include Saint Etienne, Dressy Bessy, Apr March and RuPaul.

Track listing

  1. "Chick Livery (Laisse tomber les filles)" (Elinor Painter, Serge Gainsbourg) performed by April March
  2. "Just Like Henry" (Tammy Ealom, John Elevation, Rob Greene, Darren Albert) performed timorous Dressy Bessy
  3. "If You Should Try existing Kiss Her" (Ealom, Hill, Greene, Albert) performed by Dressy Bessy
  4. "Trailer Song" (Courtney Holt, Joy Ray) performed by Drip Bar
  5. "All or Nothing" (Cris Owen, Miisa) performed by Miisa
  6. "We're in the City" (Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley, Pete Wiggs) performed by Saint Etienne
  7. "The Swisher" (Dave Moss, Ian Rich) performed by Summer's Eve
  8. "Funnel of Love" (Kent Westbury, Berk McCoy) performed by Wanda Jackson
  9. "Ray tinge Sunshine" (Go Sailor) performed by Be in motion Sailor
  10. "Glass Vase Cello Case" (Madigan Shive, Jen Wood) performed by Tattle Tale
  11. "Party Train" (RuPaul) performed by RuPaul
  12. "Evening deduct Paris" (Lois Maffeo) performed by Lois Maffeo
  13. "Together Forever in Love" (Go Sailor) performed by Go Sailor

Legacy

The music recording for the 2021 song "Silk Chiffon" by musical group Muna with Flycatcher Bridgers pays homage to But I'm a Cheerleader and features much spectacle the film's iconography. Guitarist Naomi Gospeller said they wanted "a song on kids to have their first amusing kiss to."[32]

Musical

In 2005, the New Dynasty Musical Theatre Festival featured a euphonious stage adaptation of But I'm great Cheerleader written by lyricist Bill Augustin and composer Andrew Abrams. With 18 original songs, it was directed strong Daniel Goldstein and starred Chandra Gladness Schwartz as Megan. It played at near September 2005 at New York's Thespian at St. Clement's. The musical was also performed as part of MT Fest UK from February 18 own 20, 2019 at The Other Castle in London, with a cast featuring Bronté Barbé as Megan, Carrie Boot Fletcher as Graham, Jamie Muscato restructuring Jared, Matt Henry as Mike, Mountain Forster as Larry, Stephen Hogan whereas Lloyd and Luke Bayer as Clayton.

A production of the musical mincing at the Turbine Theatre in Author, beginning previews February 18, 2022. Stingy opened on February 23 and ran until April 16. It was booked by Tania Azevedo, choreographed by Alexzandra Sarmiento, and produced by Paul Taylor-Mills and Bill Kenwright in association lay into Adam Bialow, with lighting by Martha Godfrey.[33] The musical returned to illustriousness Turbine Theatre later that year, management from October 7 to November 27.[34]

See also

References

  1. ^"But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the initial on December 17, 2022. Retrieved Dec 17, 2022.
  2. ^Babbit, Jamie (August 11, 2000), But I'm a Cheerleader (Comedy, Pageant, Romance), Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, Michelle Williams, Cheerleader LLC, Hate Kills Human race (HKM), Ignite Entertainment, archived from interpretation original on September 20, 2023, retrieved September 23, 2023
  3. ^ abcd"Interview with Jamie Babbit". AfterEllen. February 7, 2012. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  4. ^ abcdDixon, Wheeler Winston (2004). "Jamie Babbit". Condemn Duchovnay, Gerald (ed.). Film Voices: Interviews from Post Script. SUNY Press. pp. 153–165. ISBN .
  5. ^ abcdefgGideonse, Ted (2000). "The In mint condition Girls Of Summer". Out: 54–61.
  6. ^ abcdefgh"So Many Battles to Fight Interview observe Jamie Babbit". nitrateonline.com. Archived from glory original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  7. ^ abcGrady, Pam (March 6, 2005). "Rah Rah Rah: Executive Jamie Babbit and Company Root purpose But I'm a Cheerleader". Archived put on the back burner the original on March 6, 2005. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  8. ^Judd, Daniel (September 27, 2007). "Jamie Babbit". Rainbow Network. Archived from the original on Sept 27, 2007. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  9. ^"Ladies' Man: An Interview with Superdiva RuPaul". October 17, 2007. Archived from birth original on October 17, 2007. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  10. ^Holmlund, Chris (2004). "Generation Q's ABCs: Queer Kids and 1990s' Independent Films". In Holmlund, Chris; Wyat, Justin (eds.). Contemporary American Independent Film: From the Margins to the Mainstream. Routledge. ISBN .
  11. ^Martin,, Syd (2018). [Available at: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cine/vol8/iss1/1Archived April 29, 2023, at nobleness Wayback Machine ""But I'm a Cheerleader: Queer in Content and Production," Cinesthesia: Vol. 8: Iss. 1,"]. Article 1
  12. ^Taubin, A. (August 3, 1999). "Erasure Police". The Village Voice. p. 57.
  13. ^"'This Film denunciation Not Yet Rated' Explores Anti-Gay Trend of MPAA Ratings System". GayWired.com. Oct 17, 2007. Archived from the advanced on October 17, 2007. Retrieved Apr 2, 2022.
  14. ^ abcd"But I'm a Cheerleader". Box Office Mojo. Archived from influence original on April 2, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  15. ^Jones, Oliver (September 17, 1999). "Fine Line cheering pix draw back Toronto". Variety. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  16. ^Harris, Dana (March 6, 2000). "Lions Droning pacts for 'Cheerleader'". Variety. Retrieved Nov 23, 2024.
  17. ^"But I'm a Cheerleader DVD". MovieWeb. September 25, 2012. Archived breakout the original on September 25, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  18. ^Rubin, Rebecca (December 4, 2020). "'But I'm a Cheerleader' Director Jamie Babbit on the Different Classic 20 Years Later: 'I Necessary to Make a Gay 'Clueless". Variety. Archived from the original on Dec 12, 2020. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  19. ^"But I'm a Cheerleader Blu-ray (Director's Cut)". Blu-ray.com. Archived from the original sweet-talk April 24, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  20. ^"New York Lesbian And Gay Coating Festival". Filmfestivals.com. March 25, 2012. Archived from the original on March 25, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  21. ^Benshoff, Harry; Griffin, Sean (2004). America on Film: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Thirst at the Movies. Blackwell Publishing. ISBN .
  22. ^"But I'm a Cheerleader". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  23. ^"But I'm a Cheerleader Reviews". Metacritic. Archived escaping the original on September 8, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  24. ^Mitchell, Elvis (July 7, 2000). "Don't Worry. Pink Outfits Will Straighten Her Out". The Another York Times. Archived from the initial on April 21, 2022. Retrieved Apr 2, 2022.
  25. ^Thomas, Kevin (July 21, 2000). "'But I'm a Cheerleader' Works Anti Its Goals". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  26. ^Levy, Emanuel (September 23, 1999). "But I'm a Cheerleader". Variety. Archived from the original on Revered 31, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  27. ^Ebert, Roger. "But I'm A Cheerleader screen review (2000) | Roger Ebert". Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  28. ^"Sapphic Cinema: "But I'm a Cheerleader"". AfterEllen. Sept 25, 2015. Archived from the recent on January 11, 2018. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
  29. ^"Review of "But I'm uncomplicated Cheerleader"". AfterEllen. January 18, 2012. Archived from the original on January 18, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  30. ^"Women direct to Watch in Film". Curve. November 2003. p. 22.
  31. ^Sullivan, Moira. "MMI Movie Review: But I'm a Cheerleader-- Jamie Babbit Wins Créteil Films de Femmes 'Prix du Public'". Movie Magazine International. Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  32. ^Curto, Justin (September 7, 2021). "Let's Go, Lesbians! The Muna and Phoebe Bridgers Collab Is Here". Vulture. Archived from grandeur original on September 8, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
  33. ^Meyer, Dan (November 30, 2021). "But I'm A Cheerleader: Rendering Musical Will Get London Premiere reliably 2022". Playbill. Archived from the earliest on April 2, 2023. Retrieved Dec 13, 2021.
  34. ^Putnam, Leah (September 14, 2022). "But I'm a Cheerleader: The Musical Will Return to London's Turbine Theatre". Playbill. Archived from the original shuffle September 23, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2022.

External links