I am looking at two movies which have a particular person as a focal point to pull them together. The two films are Arena: Larry Kramer a 57 minute documentary/interview type film about the Aids activist, Author and Playwright Larry Kramer. The other is The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me.

The first is quite simply an interview of not only Larry Kramer but of friends and his family (including his mother and brother) about life with this very much involved fighter for more research and funding for an Aids cure. He admits that he is not popular in the Gay community because of what he has to say about many behaviors in the gay culture. By the same token, he is not popular in the medical profession because of his tendency to call people quacks and "nazies" and other sundry thing that people tend to be offened when called. What has to be admitted about Larry Kramer, however, is that he has, with his founding of Act-up and constantly gadfly type behavior, has brought attention that might not otherwise have been brought to the issue. I have said elsewhere, in my blog, that I tend to liken Larry Kramer, the gadfly, to the Old Testament prophets. Neither told you what you wanted to hear, but perhaps what you needed to hear.

The second movie in the duo is a one man show by David Drake. It is basically a history of his Gay life, starting with an early childhood fascinanation with musicals like West Side Story. Of particular resonance is a slightly later fascination with Chorus Line, and a particular hispanic preformer. The show follows him throught his life, his obsession with the gym, easy sex, and continuing to the present and even a projected future...a future that will be better than "this". Some of his "predictions" are quite amusing.

One of the things that I find of interest about The Night is that the voice seems so close to Larry's. There is a certain anger and frustration that is expressed that is very remincent of Kramer as show here.

Some of you may not know who Larry Kramer is. I would suggest that if not, you try and found out, because he has been very active in the Aids arena, as well as more generally on Broadway and in the Gay community. Taken together, you get a very real taste of what the Gay community has been through and what our hopes, dreams and fears were and continue to be. Younger Gay and Lesbians, that are not familar with this history would do well to learn about it..and these two shows are a more or less entertaining way of doing so. Altought many in the mainstream culture may find either or both hard to follow, they might also find it very educational.