MovieChat Forums > Shelter (2009) Discussion > No references to gay culture

No references to gay culture

posted 14 years ago by gbarriere
25 replies | jump to latest

One of the things I found very interesting about this film was the lack of any references to gay culture. As a 47 year old gay man who came out in my late teens long before the internet, my relationship to gay culture was a very important part of my identity. By gay culture, I mean all the ways we preformed our visibility amongst ourselves and to the outside world, including bars, bathhouses, dance music, erotic art, pride parades, fashion, house and dinner parties, ect.

The only real references to the gay culture outside the relationship was Zach being cruised in the parking lot at the surfing beach and I guess Shaun's reference to Barcelona, a gay travel hotspot. Jeannie also references the gay marriage debate with her reference to their "big gay wedding". The lack of any more significant references reminded me of Brokeback Mountain, with the only reference in that film being to the hustlers in Mexico.

The lack of gay culture references made sense in Brockback but here was a little more interesting. While it could be a reflection of how that separate or different gay culture is no longer as necessary or central to being gay, the film is still about coming out in a homophobic world and dealing with internalized homophobia - and historically gay culture provided ways to deal with all that although not always in the healthyist of ways. It may be precisely because Zach's process of coming out happened within the insular world of their relationship that Zach had such a difficult reaction when he was forced to deal with the consequences of the inevitable relevation of his sexual identity to those outside that relationship - Gabe, Jeannie and Tori. Zach really had no one to turn to except Shaun and of course Shaun represented the very thing he was struggling with - opening up about his sexual identity.

I also found that it was interesting that it was straight characters that ended up supporting Zach with that struggle - Zach in the dinner and most importantly Tori at the location overlooking the ocean.

I would like to hear what other readers, especially those in their twenties thought of his aspect of the film.

Garth

[–] camcorderr 13 years ago

Living in a beach community and 30min. down the coast from San Pedro, I feel a deep connection with Zach and i almost lost myself in a mirror image on the screen. Im 22 and surf and have other friends who surf as well. Most would not know I am gay if I didn't tell them. I do not "try" acting straight, its most likely just my surroundings and my love for the coast that shaped me. I felt this movie was very unique and I enjoyed it more than any gay films I have seen since it didn't revolve around the typical gay lifestyle. It's very hard to find other gay surfers and this movie makes me feel anythings possible. I can't stop watching it!

[–] b-claudio 13 years ago

Im really glad for you. Having so many similarties with the movie and main characters must be very emotional when you watch the movie.

[–] Memes_Girl 13 years ago

I watch this movie repeatedly and I believe one reason I love it so, is its non reference to gay culture.
I enjoy all types of gay themed films and have probably seen hundreds of them. But the one thing I don't particularly care for is the gay culture stereotypes. Not all gay people live in that world. It was refreshing to see a movie in which the men are gay and they're living their lives - not based on a stereotype or cliche.

Zach is beautiful...

A donkey's lips will not fit on a horse's mouth.

[–] smelse 12 years ago

That's one of the reasons I liked this movie so much. I'm only ten years younger than you are, and I've been to a gay film festival or two. With very few exceptions, most films there were one or more of the following

* The same rehashed coming-out/coming-of-age/hostile environment story
* Heartbreaking tragedy told with a melodramatic soap-opera bent
* Borderline porn (really, if I want porn I know where to find it, thank you very much)
* A ham-handed attempt to be edgy by appealing to a laughably narrow definition of 'gay culture'.

I like that neither of the two leads had any of the affectations that so many writers love to burden gay characters with. They were both just...human.

I loved the fact the nobody gave a rat's ass about Zach's sexuality except his sister. And I loved the way Zach knew that the sister was in no position judge or use her disapproval for any sort of leverage.

I guess I loved that this movie had none of the baggage that we have come to expect from movies with gay characters. It was just a damn good story.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] outterspaces 10 years ago

An old topic but I just watched the movie and had to browse this section..

As some before me said, the lack of references to the gay culture is what made this for me very emotional and realistic experience. I've been through the same thing (minus the happy ending)and despite the fact that I live in one of the largest metropolitan areas in Europe, most of the gay people I've met don't connect to the gay culture. I myself (I'm 34) have never been to a gay bar, or gay parade or anything that is considered Gay-Pride. And it's not because I'm afraid of the weirdos on the street - it simply isn't a trend everywhere, not even in the US. I think that most of the gay bars actually went bankrupt over here. I never liked the idea of a 'gay-bar' but I guess that was the only way in the 70's and 80's.

I gave the film a 10...It hit all the right notes and made me a happy camper for the night, albeit a little nostalgic. This is going into my Top 5 gay-themed films for sure.

[–] AltaireIII 10 years ago

I watched this for the first time yesterday. It is an good entertaining film that happens to have a gay theme.

As for references to gay culture, I found it be refreshing.

I came out in the mid 1980's in a town large enough to support a gay club and have gay culture. Frankly, the whole setup of gay culture was really off putting and de-liberating.

When I came out I did not and still do not desire to surrender who I am and what I stand for to any group think or group identity. However gay culture was flinging that very concept my direction.

This film stuck to the issues these two individual gay men faced. Gay culture or not the issues don't vanish.

[–] rascal67 8 years ago

One of the things I found very interesting about this film was the lack of any references to gay culture.
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And that is a good thing. Not all gay people are into the LGB...(remove the 'T'-not a sexuality) thing and community.

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