Tag Archives: Bound

Gina Gershon Discusses her Legendary Lesbian Role in ‘Bound’

Gina Gershon was a guest on The View last week, to discuss her new film Staten Island Summer, and to also talk about her famous part as Corky in the Lana and Andy Wachowki film Bound.

bound-02

Raven-Symone asked about her taking on LGBT characters when she’s not part of the community, and Gina joked, “Well, I’m not a Hasidic Jew either!” about another recent part she’s played.

The actress, who has played queer character in other films like Prey for Rock ‘N Roll and Dealin’ With Idiots, told a great story about making a decision to take a chance, even when the people around her told it was a bad idea.

You know, it’s a funny thing with Bound. I remember I loved the script so much and no one knew these unknown directors and I wanted to meet them just because I thought, ‘The writing is so spot on.’ And as soon as I met them, I was like ‘These guys are great.’ You could tell they were geniuses. But my agents and everyone was like ‘You’re not doing this movie — it’s going to end your career.’ I’m like ‘Why?’ They’re like, ‘Well, you’re playing a lesbian—it will ruin your career.’ It’s like ‘So what? It’s a great part. It’s like the classic part I never get to play.’ And they’re two unknown directors—I’m like, ‘They’re bad asses.

bound-01

These directors are incredible.’ And they’re like, ‘No, no. It will ruin it—we can’t let you do it.’ And I said, ‘Well, I guess then I’m going to have to leave.’ And I left my agents over it. It was weird, but at the time—you know, this was before Boys Don’t Cry came out and stuff—if definitely pigeonholed me for a second. After Showgirls and that, then all of a sudden I was just getting killer lesbian motorcycle crazy people, and which, I thought, ‘Oh my god, this is so silly.’ But I’m so proud that I did that movie and so happy that it helped a lot of people. It’s amazing. It’s a great film. I love that movie.”

You can watch that portion of the interview below (stars 19:23 in).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxVEdwYHfXY

On Screen Chemistry – 5 Lesbian Couples That Sizzled Before ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’

Things are about to get steamy on the big screen this Valentine’s weekend, with Fifty Shades of Grey finally hitting theaters.

Fans of the popular book are going crazy to see the now infamous characters Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele be brought to life by Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson.

However, when it comes to steamy romances, queer female movies has been doing this very well for years.

Here are a few of our favorite lesbian couples the sizzled:

A Perfect Ending – Rebecca and Paris

From renowned woman’s director, Nicole Conn, this is a powerful film of female sexuality and empowerment. A repressed and uptight socialite, Rebecca (Barbara Niven) lives a perfect and pointless life, but Rebecca has a secret, something her friends don’t even know. The last person that she expects to reveal it to is a high priced escort named Paris (Jessica Clark). The build in this movie is amazing. Its raw passion and hot. Watch the film here

Bound  – Corky and Violet

The chemistry between Gina Gershon (Corky) and Jennifer Tilly (Violet) is hot, in this mob thriller, which serves up a heavy cocktail of sapphic sex and mafia intrigue.

Room in Rome – Alba and Natasha

Starring Elena Anaya as Alba and Natasha Yarovenko as Natasha, Room is about two beautiful strangers quickly become lovers, over the course of an intense and adventurous evening of sex in a hotel room.

Concussion – Abby and Sam

Robin Weigert stars as the suburban lesbian, Kate, whose midlife crisis finds her drifting away from her super-tense wife Kate (Julie Fain Lawrence), flirting with a female friend, Sam (Maggie Siff), and turning tricks while redecorating a downtown apartment.

Elena Undone – Elena and Peyton

Another classic Nicole Conn film, Elena Undone is the love story between Elena (Necar Zadegan), a stay at home mother and pastor’s wife, and Peyton (Traci Dinwiddie), a well-known lesbian author. The two share an intense connection immediately upon meeting and sparks fly.

5 Classic Lesbian Screen Gems

The Killing of Sister George (1968)

One of the greatest – but also most shocking – sapphic screen gems. Beryl Reid portrays George, the cigar-sucking dyke who loses everything before entering into an inadvisable femme-dyke-butch love triangle. The film did terrible business when it came out but has become a cult classic, thanks partly to that X-rated scene.

Another Way (1982)

The time: 1956. The place: Hungary. Two journalists who are campaigning against the corrupt communist regime fall deeply and desperately in love. The first Hungarian film to openly deal with LGBT issues, Another Way caused something of a stir.

Paris Was a Woman (1996)

An insightful documentary all about the bohemian Sapphos who lived in Paris’ chic Left Bank during the early 1900s. You’ll learn a lot about lesbian legends from Collette to Djuna Barnes, Gertrude Stein to Alice B. Toklas.

Bound (1996)

The Wachowksi siblings’ high-octane lesbo-crime-noir-caper written by feminist intellectual Susie Bright. All the masculinist conventions are subverted in this intelligent and wickedly funny story.

Dyketactics (1974)

Barbara Hammer’s explosive short film is a product of its times: liberated lesbians dance naked in a field while psychedelic music plays. Hammer went on to be probably the greatest of all LGBT avant-garde directors and is highly acclaimed for Born in Flames (1983), Desert Hearts (1985), and Go Fish (1994).

Spotlight | Jennifer Tilly keeps playing her cards right

Jennifer Tilly is a cult actress known for her several sexually charged characters. Many movie goers also recognize her squeaky voice from animation films. (Her high-pitched voice also helps her get rid of telemarketers – they think she’s a little girl.)

Tilly is another straight girl enjoying huge campy LGBTQ following. Lesbian women tend to randomly propose to her. Gay guys tag along as she goes out to party. Once Tilly made a heartwarming comment on her popularity among sexual minorities:

”A gay fanbase is the best kind to have, because on a whole they are very strong, intelligent and educated. And they are usually loyal and adoring. They are not afraid to run up and throw their arms around me, and tell me how much they love me. After all, everybody needs love.”

Sassy on the screen

In the ’80s and early ’90s Tilly played various small Hollywood and TV roles. Most notable was her performance in Woody Allen’s Bullets Over Broadway (1994) which earned her nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

In 1996 Tilly launched herself to permanent gay fame by playing an on-screen lesbian relationship with her co-actress Gina Gershon in The Wachowskis’ violent heist movie Bound. Afterwards, there was no turning back.

Tilly added another character in her personal parade of sexually charged deviants as she played Jo, a pregnant stripteaser and part-time dominatrix, in the erotic drama Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2001).

Could you love a murderous monster doll?

Jennifer Tilly’s reputation as a veritable camp star was cemented by one of the campiest horror franchises of the past 25 years, Chucky. I’m sure you all know the supernatural animated doll on a murder spree. Since 1999 Tilly has played Chucky’s bride in three separate movies. It might not be the most brilliant concept in the history of cinema, but the films have eager cult following.

Real-life poker queen

Perhaps you didn’t know that these days Tilly is as much a professional poker player as an actress. In 2005 she won World Poker Tour  Ladies Invitation Tournament in Los Angeles. By July 2012 her live tournament winnings were said to exceed $590 000.

Today Tilly focuses more on her poker career than acting and gets smaller roles than what we think she should. But rest assured: we will keep seeing more of her awesomeness on the big screen as well.

Spotlight | Gina Gershon – sex and violence and rock & roll

In the past 30 years Gina Gershon has earned her place as one of the best-loved camp movie stars, although you might know her better from mainstream productions such as P.S. I Love You. She is known as a huge gay icon, having played several feisty queer characters.

We at KitschMix decided to take a look at the movies that made Gershon such an undisputed part of American gay imagery.

Showgirls camp fame

KitschMix crew can always appreciate a true kitsch classic! Showgirls (1995) is Paul Verhoeven’s steamy cult film that dives inside the world of Las Vegas showdancers and prostitutes. Here, Gershon plays a predatory bisexual diva Cristal Connors. This might not be her most affable role, but it is the one that first defined her as a revered camp actress.

Bound

In the year 1996 we got to witness Gershon collaborating with another enticing actress Jennifer Tilly in The Wachowskis’ debut feature film Bound. The two queer icons joined their strength to play a pair of criminally minded women, who become lovers and devise a plot to steal $2 million of mafia money.

Bound could be fairly called Thelma & Louise on speed: The movie was harshly criticized for its gratuitous violence. But later it has been also lauded as the first mainstream feature film to present lesbian relationship without homosexuality actually being the focus of the plot.

Prey for Rock & Roll

Prey for Rock & Roll (2003) was a drama film about the fictional female punk band Clam Dandy who decide to take one last shot at the big time. The band’s charismatic leader is of course played by Gina Gershon. Again, she chose to play a sexually deviant outcast – a role she seems to enjoy.

Well then, is Gina Gershon gay?

No, she is not.

Everyone was wondering if Gershon might be into girls after portraying such an array of lesbian and bisexual characters. However, she came out as straight lately in Austin America-Statesman.

For KitschMix crew Gershon is still a full-on idol. Not only for all the entertaining movies she has made. Not even for the whimsical fact that she likes to play jew’s harp. But because she has been an important part in making gay movie characters an accepted part of the mainstream.

By the way, did you know that lately Gershon played Donatella Versace in the TV biopic House of Versace? She gave a fine performance that definitely didn’t diminish her gay appeal.

 

Read more:
Gina Gershon @ Wikipedia
Gina Gershon @ IMDb