Gore Vidal – MRQE

Middle Sexes: Redefining He and She (TV)

Sat, 06 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Examines the diversity of human sexual and gender variance around the globe, with commentary by scientific experts and first-hand accounts of people who do not conform to a simple male/female binary.

Best of Enemies

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

A documentary about the legendary series of nationally televised debates in 1968 between two great public intellectuals, the liberal Gore Vidal and the conservative William F. Buckley Jr. Intended as commentary on the issues of their day, these vitriolic and explosive encounters came to define the modern era of public discourse in the media, marking the big bang moment of our contemporary media landscape when spectacle trumped content and argument replaced substance. Best of Enemies delves into the entangled biographies of these two great thinkers, and luxuriates in the language and the theater of their debates, begging the question, “What has television done to the way we discuss politics in our democracy today?”

Salinger

Sat, 06 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

An in-depth investigation into the private world of the American writer J. D. Salinger (1919-2010), who lived most of his life behind the impenetrable wall of a self-imposed seclusion: how his dramatic experiences during World War II influenced his life and work, his relationships with very young women, his obsessive writing methods, his many literary secrets.

Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Anchored by intimate, one-on-one interviews with the man himself, Nicholas Wrathalls new documentary is a fascinating and wholly entertaining tribute to the iconic Gore Vidal. Commentary by those who knew him bestincluding filmmaker/nephew Burr Steers and the late Christopher Hitchensblends with footage from Vidals legendary on-air career to remind us why he will forever stand as one of the most brilliant and fearless critics of our time.

Paul Bowles: The Cage Door is Always Open

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

The American composer and author Paul Bowles was a man with a great deal of charisma and influence. When he moved to Tangier, Morocco, in 1949, half the world followed him to the enigmatic city. His marriage with author Jane Bowles was a loving relationship of opposites, even though both were homosexual. Based on exclusive interviews with Bowles shortly before his death interwoven with anecdotes recounted by his friends and co-workers, the film portrays a daring and visionary life as well as a relationship shaped by an interdependency that encompassed much more than sexuality.

Norman Mailer: The American

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

A provocateur, a rebel, a performer, and a true American, Norman Mailer never stopped giving people something to talk about. This documentary goes beyond the Mailer of the bookshelves and NY Times best seller list to Mailer the social critic, family man, filmmaker, and lover. Here’s a look into the life of a complex, intellectual, working class hero. With never before seen footage of Adele Morales Mailer’s startling revelations after being stabbed by her husband. Featuring unseen footage and interviews from wives and lovers, enemies and admirers, his children and the man himself.

Inside Deep Throat

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

In 1972, a seemingly typical shoestring budget pornographic film was made in a Florida hotel, “Deep Throat,” starring Linda Lovelace. This film would surpass the wildest expectation of everyone involved to become one of the most successful independent films of all time. It caught the public imagination which met the spirit of the times, even as the self appointed guardians of public morality struggled to suppress it, and created, for a brief moment, a possible future where sexuality in film had a bold artistic potential. This film covers the story of the making of this controversial film, its stunning success, its hysterical opposition along with its dark side of mob influence and allegations of the on set mistreatment of the film’s star.

American Masters:: The Education of Gore Vidal (TVE)

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

A contrarian and wickedly funny man, “The Education of Gore Vidal” explores Vidal’s extraordinary life and work, joining him at his cliff-side villa in Ravello, Italy.

Gattaca

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

In a future society in the era of indefinite eugenics, humans are set on a life course depending on their DNA. Young Vincent Freeman is born with a condition that would prevent him from space travel, yet is determined to infiltrate the GATTACA space program.

The Celluloid Closet

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

This documentary highlights the historical contexts that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals have occupied in cinema history, and shows the evolution of the entertainment industry’s role in shaping perceptions of LGBT figures. The issues addressed include secrecy which initially defined homosexuality as well as the demonization of the homosexual community with the advent of AIDS, and finally the shift toward acceptance and positivity in the modern era.