The Queer Movie Poster Book

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Summary: Witty, wicked, smart, & entertaining gay lesbian film book
Review: Filmmaker and queer film archivist and historian Jenni Olson returns to print with this dazzling visual tour through the history of marketing Queer films to mostly straight, and eventually gay and lesbian audiences.

Starting in 1915! and moving to the present day, the beautifully designed QMPB chronicles the evolution of imagery and words used to convey queer-themed films to the ticket buying public, from the homophobic to the homoerotic, from the exploitative to the honest, and from the cryptic to the comic.

You'll find many recurring visual themes such as the the torn image (Victim), the shameful downward glance (The Children's Hour), is he or isn't he? (The Fourth Sex, The Gay Deceivers), the optical illusion lesbian line drawing (The Killing of Sister George, The Fox), the nelly visual tell (The Leather Boys, La Cage aux Folles), the insert photo of insignificant character of the opposite sex to make the film seem less gay (Desert Hearts) and the mother of all movie poster phalluses (Querelle, Prick up your Ears). Written themes include exclamation marks! ... elipses, double entendres, cliches, stereotypes, first person self-loathing ("I couldn't live in a man's body! and "I don't want to live the rest of my life as a man...") and lurid alliteration ("Powers and Passions without Precedent in Motion Pictures). Chapters include Dykesploitation, Early Gay Porn, Queers of Color, and Guys with their Shirts Off.

Olson packs each page with fascinating behind-the-scenes anecdotes that illuminate each illustration. Sure to be under the Christmas tree and on the coffee table of every film lover gay and straight alike, QMPB takes you on a powerful journey through Hollywood, Bollywood, underground cinema and the indie scene where one picture encapsulates thousands of frames of celluloid.

Also, be sure to get Olson's companion DVD, Homo Promo (2004) which offers many of the same film's coming attractions. Olson's first feature film, The Joy of Life, bows in 2005.