One of the discoveries a viewer makes watching the fascinating documentary Reel in the Closet is that several U.S. archives exist in possession of a vast quantity of home movies shot by LGBTQ individuals as far back as the 1920s and 30s.
Much of this material has not been transferred onto video or contemporary film stock, and therefore has not been cataloged—the footage sits in boxes and bins, awaiting the day a modern world gets to see it all.
Reel in the Closet, made by Stu Maddux, brings at least some of it to light: images from lesbian bars and backyard parties, rustic vacations, suave gatherings, and skinny-dipping jaunts in a lake.
Not surprisingly, LGBTQ people bought cameras at the same time straight people did in the 20th century, and they captured mesmerizing scenes from their social activities and private lives away from the intrusion of mainstream America. Clothes, customs, bearing, atmosphere, interactions—so much of that is here to see scanning decades of LGBTQ life.
Yet the film is also more than a collection. Maddux, as well as others he interviews, talks about the shock of pride and connection he felt seeing tangible evidence that LGBTQ society did exist in robust if discreet forms from one American era to another. Mixed in with the homemade footage are raw news images that capture moments both tragic and incendiary in the long struggle for recognition. Taken together, the film is a startling experience. Strongly recommended. Aud: J, H, C, P
Reel in the Closet is a VL Pride Month Pick. For the month of June, we spotlight films and documentaries that celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.
