Tuesday, March 21, 2006

An Illustrated History of...Gender Bending

It's Tuesday. Time for "A History of..." But today we're doing things a little differently. It's an Illustrated History of Gender-Bending @ The Movies. Today's topic is inspired in part by the fact that it's the birthday of one hit wonder Jaye Davidson who startled moviegoers in The Crying Game many years ago.

1930s Marlene Dietrich puts on a suit. Garbo strolls around like she has an extra bit between her legs. Millions swoon.

1959 Hollywood's first transgendered gay marriage

1970s Susan Sarandon squeaks. Tim Curry peaks.

1980s Hollywood's gender-bending apex.
Dustin hoffman plays "Tootsie", Streisand is "Yentl", Julie Andrews plays a woman impersonating a man impersonating a woman. and Daryl Hannah begins passing.

1992 oops...


1993 Kurt Russell discovers eyeliner in Tombstone. Val Kilmer still upstages him.

1994 Guy Pearce cannot find a copy of The Texas Chainsaw Mascara. Still looking. Has now also misplaced his career. I swear that Guy. If his head weren't attached...

2006 Amanda Bynes in She's the Man finally replaces Barbra Streisand in Yentl as the world's most unbelievable and ugly boy. Babs sends 'thank you' note.

If you're here for the first time...
please check out the blog entire, homebase, and some other histories...
Jodie Foster * Bald Women * Sarah Jessica Parker *
Gay Cowboys * Julianne Moore's Screen Kids * Gyllenhaal
Enjoy!

Tags: She's The Man, gender, movies, Amanda Bynes, Barbra Streisand, celebrities, Rocky Horror, gay, transgender

10 comments:

Pedro said...

What about Transamerica? Felicity playing a man in the process of becoming a woman.

Anonymous said...

I also see you left out Hilary Swank. Of course, you hate her, but she was good in that role.

--A

NATHANIEL R said...

sorry folks. these things can't be 6 pages long.

and they're supposed to be good humored. Boys Don't Cry --not exactly a laugh riot.

Anonymous said...

I didn't get that Daryl Hannah joke. That was a joke, right?

cal roth

Anonymous said...

Where's Rob Schneider as THE HOT CHICK?!?!

Anonymous said...

Nath, on a completely unrelated topic (as much as I LOVE this week's 'A history of...':

If you want to check out this year's Oscar winner for Live Action Short, Six Shooter, you can on this link

http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=154712

The only reason I mention it is that I was rereading your FilmBitch awards from this year and saw you hadn't seen any of the Live Action Short nominees. This film is breathtaking (so much so that it made my Original Screenplay final 6 this year) - it's replete with the themes of mortality and justice that pervade so much of McDonagh's work.

It's the first film written and directed by the playwright Martin McDonagh - who I think is responsible for this decade's finest play, The Pillowman. Did that ever come to New York?

Anyway check this film out. I can't believe McDonagh, Ang Lee, Witherspoon, Santaolalla all have Oscars now - kinda softens the immense Brokeback blow.

Anonymous said...

Is it bad that I liked She's the Man? Amanda is completely unconvincing as a guy, but she was funny.

And what a coincidence, I used the gender bender title on my review of that film.

Anonymous said...

um... there's just no way this can be complete without Too Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar.

NATHANIEL R said...

there's no way this could be complete without being about 20 pages long ;)

Anonymous said...

Now let's not forget that strictly speaking Jaye Davidson was a two hit wonder. His performance (and outrageous costumes) in Stargate will attest to that.