Want to find out the quiz answers and discover some (hopefully) interesting lesbian movie trivia? So, when was cinema's first-ever kiss between two women?
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Lesbian Movie Quiz Answers
1. 1914! - was cinema's (ETA) first-ever kiss between two women in the film Florida Enchantment. Directed by Sidney Drew, Florida Enchantment is believed to be the first documented appearance of bisexual characters in an American movie. The movie's plot is rather bizarre: Sortie girl discovers a magic seed that can make women act like men and vice versa. She takes one, then slips one to her maid and her philandering fiancé...
FYI - Morocco (1930) is legendary for (Hollywood Sewing Circle) Marlene Dietrich's performance in top hat and tails in which she erotically kissed a woman.
The first "cinema" experience i.e to present projected moving pictures to a paying audience, is regarded by the Lumière brothers in December 1895 in Paris, France.
2. 1968 was when the Hays Code was phased out. Between 1930 to 1968, The Hays Code was a set of US film industry guidelines on movie censorship that were developed into a series of rules: Crimes Against The Law, Sex, Vulgarity, Obscenity, Profanity, Costume, Dances (i.e. suggestive movements), Religion, Locations (i.e. the bedroom), National Feelings, Titles and "Repellent Subjects" (extremely graphic violence). The code prohibited profanity, suggestive nudity, graphic or realistic violence, sexual persuasions and rape and, any inference of sex perversion.
Consequently the only way to circumvent the code was by painting homosexuals as villains and that they always paid for their crimes. In addition, original theatre plays and novels which were more out, were modified accordingly for movie versions. FYI Several scenes in The Children's Hour (1961) hinting of lesbianism were cut for fear of the Hays Code.
The Hays Code was abandoned in 1968 when the Motion Picture Association of America introduced an age-based ratings system based along the lines of the British Board of Film Classification's (BBFC) classification certificates (which had been founded in 1912).
3. Did you see it? Finding Dory (2016) Though contested and denied by Disney, Finding Dory features a blink-and-you'll-miss-it lesbian couple with a pram. Make up your own mind. My 10p bet is... they are queer and here!
Other blink of an eye Disney lesbians include:
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) - zoom in! at the end of the movie, Commander Larma D’Arcy (Amanda Lawrence) kisses her pilot wife Wrobie Tyce (Vinette Robinson) (wow, I missed that it that she has a wife!) in celebration after the Resistance defeated the First Order. The "Kiss" was cut for Dubai and Singapore audiences!
Toy Story 4 (2019) - in the background, two women drop off their toddler at kindergarten and then later pick her up and give her a hug. These small scenes caused an American an anti-LGBTQ organization called One Million Moms to boycott Toy Story 4 over the 'Lesbian Scene'!
Onward (2020) - Disney's first openly gay character in animation: one-eyed cop Specter (Lena Waithe), appears in one scene saying "It’s not easy being a new parent – my girlfriend’s daughter got me pulling my hair out, okay?". Onward has been BANNED in Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia due to this gay reference while Russian censors changed the word "girlfriend" to "partner" and avoids mentioning Specter’s gender. Shocking - it is 2020!
4. Desert Hearts (1985) is regarded as one of the first lesbian movies to have a happy ending. Really? Not to be a spoil sport I will sweetly refrain ... though the ending is ambiguous there is hope as, at least no one died. Until circa the mid 1980s, lesbian relationships in movies tended to end in heartache, disaster, or... death. So Desert Hearts seemed to have a happy end.
Roll forward, in the 2020's - there are still screenwriters adhering to naff lesbian movie tropes. Twitter was in a flutter by furious fans' distain regarding the fate of much loved lesbian characters e.g. Lexa in The 100 and Villanelle in Killing Eve (which was contradictory to Luke Jennings novellas Codename Villanelle.
5. Lightyear (2022) - was banned in ... 14 Middle Eastern and Asian countries (including The United Arab Emirates (UAE), which includes Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia and Lebanon). In Lightyear, Alisha (Buzz's commanding officer and best friend) kisses her female partner. Alisha character is voiced by actress Uzo Aduba.
The UAE Ministry of Youth and Culture's Media Regulatory Office tweeted that Lightyear is "not licenced for public screening" due to its "violation of the country's media content standards". Like several other Middle East nations, The UAE is a Muslim-led nation that criminalises same-sex relationships.
6. It was ... 7 minutes - that the notorious "slapping" sex scene in Blue Is the Warmest Colour (2013), lasted. Forgive me, but I really don't want to watch "that" scene again, to time it accurately. Frankly, Miss Shankly, I don't care if you call me a prude - my name aint Jude :) Though I L.O.V.E.D the scene with Lykke Li's anthemic track: I Follow Rivers ... Hmmm, personally, I thought it was director-producer Abdellatif Kechiche's ... fetish fantasy shoot.
7. Towanda! According to IMDB Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) took $119.4 million at worldwide box offices. Considering Fried Green Tomatoes beat much loved When Harry Met Sally... (1989) on $93 million - there is clearly a pink audience. Though the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes, rocks it was criticised by audiences (like myself), reviewers and activists for what was seen as "glossing over" the lesbian relationship which was clear in the book. FYI, Box office:
The Color Purple (1985) = $98.4 million
The Favourite (2018) = $95.9 million
Carol (2015) = $40.2 million
8. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) was directed by stellar award-winning Céline Sciamma.
It is interesting to see how male directors handle lesbian movies particular sex scenes
Blue Is the Warmest Colour (2013) was directed by Abdellatif Kechiche and received much flak for the sex scenes and filming conditions.
Bound (1996) was directed by siblings Lana Wachowski (formerly known as Larry Wachowski), Lilly Wachowski (formerly known as Andy Wachowski) who also made the Matrix franchise. Lana Wachowski came out as transgender woman in 2010 and in March 2016, Lilly Wachowski also came out as a transgender woman.
FYI Carol (2015) was directed by award-winning gay filmmaker Todd Haynes.
9. Dorothy Arzner (1897 – 1979). During the "Golden Age" of Hollywood, Dorothy Arzner was the only woman director. She made 3 silent movies and 14 "talkies" and became the first woman to direct a talky, Manhattan Cocktail (1928). Moreover, Dorothy Arzner was one of the first directors to create a boom microphone, in 1929.
Alice Guy-Blaché (1873 –1968) Alice Guy-Blaché was a French pioneer filmmaker who was one of the first women to direct a film, making more than 1,000 films, many of which put women to the fore. In 1910 she started her own company, Solax. Though she made some sapphic movies she wasn't gay and was married to British-born American filmmaker Herbert Blache.
Lisa Cholodenko film credits include High Art (1998) which won a Sundance Film Festival Award and The Kids Are All Right (2010) and The Girl from Plainville (2022).
10. Jodie Foster Came Out, in 2013 in her acceptance speech on receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 70th Golden Globe Awards. No dissing on her for her late coming out ... see below.
11. HUGEST, bonnie whisky galore to you Kristen Stewart of the Twilight vampire movie series which has to date passed box office takings of $3.346 billion. While hosting Saturday Night Live, in 2013, Kristen replied to President Trump's tweet that Rob Pattinson should dump her! Kristen replied (with, celebratory fireworks): ... "If you didn't like me then, you're probably not going to like me now... I'm like, so gay, dude." Stellar :)
Coming out is one of the hugest things, EVER! It is entirely up to YOU if you wish to come out. Who ever you are, no one should force or pressure you to come out until you are ready. Nor should any one force you about how OUT you are. It should be illegal for the press. Saying that, I am so HUGELY thankful to celebrities and, colleagues who have had the courage to come out as they have helped me, and others too. By chance, if you're seeking some coming out tips - here's mine. FYI - examples of shattering trash media pressurised / forced OUTINGs - shame on the media and not the victims (who had been leading private lives):
Lily Tomlin (9 to 5, Grandma ...) - Intimidation Outing: in 1975, Lily turned down the chance to be the cover of Time magazine on the proviso she had to reveal her sexuality. Total respect, she wasn’t ready to come out publicly at that point. She waited until death of her mother. Respect.
Sophie Ward (Village Affair, 1995 ...): Forced Outing: British newspapers found out that Sophie had separated from her husband and was living with Korean-American writer Rena Brannan. Sophie was door-stepped and besieged in her village with photographers and reporters. So F'ing WRONG! (Opps, unrequited kinship and empathy as she shares the same surname as me :)
Elena Anaya Gutiérrez (Wonder Woman ...): Forced Outing: Spanish tabloid magazine "Cuore" published photographs of Elena kissing Beatriz Sanchís (film director) at a naturist beach in Menorca, in August 2011. So F'ing WRONG!
NB
The hugest EVER, thank YOU to the stellar filmmakers and actresses who have had the huge and incomprehensible courage to make lesbian themed films. Truly, THANK YOU - through your films, I discovered (oops, i wasn't a book reader) who I was, when I couldn't approach my parents nor my close friends. Please keep on filming. In the 2020's, those taking on the candle - call to mind that the award wining slick flick Tangerine (2015) (24 film award wins & 42 nominations as an indie film) was (apparently) filmed on iPhones. Now, mobile camera / camcorders specs really rock, with no longer processing fees + FREE slick online editing tools + so many FREE social media marketing outlets (without an agent's fees) ... Make your own film / doc! Carpe diem
12. So far, none of the Oscar-winning lesbian characters have been played by lesbian actresses. Make your own interpretation of this.
13. Though Beanie Feldstein portrays hetty Molly in Booksmart (2019), she indeed plays on our team and in 2023 (sweetest jazz hands and in bocca al lupo) she married Liverpool-born producer Bonnie-Chance Roberts in upstate New York.
14. "If you don't play, you can't win!". In a Dessert Hearts cameo, director Donna Deitch plays a Hungarian gambler who spins three bars on a slot machine and advises Vivian, “If you don't play, you can't win.”. After the Sex Pistols - Do it yourself - do it proplery
Sorry I love a slick flick quote. FYI
"I don't want to shock you or anything. But I really want to hold your hand right now." - The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love
"How is programming people to hate themselves not emotional abuse?" - The Miseducation of Cameron Post
Finding love - "If you don't play [TRY], you can't win!". In bocca al lupo, und Leb wohl :)
15. NO, NO, NOOOOOO! The slick BBC TV series "Killing Eve" was based on the Codename Villanelle book series published from 2014 to 2016, by Luke Jennings (I hate to say it - a GUY). Woohoo, Villanelle does live at the end of the series of BOOKS: Villanelle fakes her death and goes on to live with Eve in ... St Petersburg, Russia. WTF were the BBC writers thinking of when they killed her off (when the actors were indicating no reprise). Even the guy creator wanted her to live together with Eve. Quite rightly the ending got a massive panning - Twitter (now known as shitey "X") was deluged with in-a-mood fans!