925 Midnight Cowboy

[nitin]

I said is on the other forum but I can’t see a blanket filter applied on Midnight Cowboy. Some scenes actually look warmer as Chris also pointed out in his review.

[jsteffe]

Last week by chance I had the pleasure to meet the cinematographer Adam Holender, who approved the color grading on this new restoration. He mentioned how much he enjoyed working with Criterion on this title, and that he was unhappy with the previous master for the film. I didn't discuss any of the questions people here have had about the greenish push of some shots in the new restoration, mostly I just listened to what he had to say.

One thing I did notice looking again at screen caps from both Blu-rays: in the older master, the red push in some of the shots has a negative impact on the overall contrast range, and the images look flatter as a result.

I never did pick up the new Blu-ray, but this conversation reminded me that I need to, and I'm eager to revisit the title this summer.

[TheKieslowskiHaze]

NPR reviewed Glenn Frankel's new book about Midnight Cowboy, and I'll admit to being taken aback by the headline: 'Shooting Midnight Cowboy' Turns An Eye To A Dark, Problematic Masterpiece

Problematic Masterpiece? From the article:

He (Frankel) also points out how remarkable the film's treatment of homosexuality was — although Voight's and Hoffman's characters are straight, Voight's character has sex with men to earn money, a shocking plot point at the time. "[G]ay characters could appear openly on screen but only in situations that made clear their misery and depravity and that resulted in dire consequences for all involved," he writes.

Still, Frankel points out in his excellent analysis of the film, it was hardly unproblematic. "The movie at times emits a noxious homophobia" and "is not kind to women," he argues.

Firstly, the characters are straight? I thought the characters' ambiguous sexuality has long been part of discussions about Midnight Cowboy.

Secondly, I was surprised to hear the charge that it "emits a noxious homophobia." The movie is certainly about homophobia (among other things), but to throw that accusation at the movie itself seems, at first glance, a stretch. The movie's association of homosexuality with "misery and depravity" has always seemed to me a clear social critique about how gay men are forced to exist in a homophobic society.

Maybe the book makes this point with more nuance than the article lets on. I have no issue with Frankel's book, which I have not read (but might). I bring this up wondering if I'm just behind on the Midnight Cowboy discourse. If anyone has good recommendations for some reading about the politics of this movie (other than Frankel's book), I'd appreciate it.

[knives]

I wonder how they add that to Schlesinger’s sexuality.

[Matt]

It does appear that the book is somewhat less ham-handed about these issues.

[senseabove]

I can't speak to particulars as I've not seen this since I was a teenager, but it might be part of the recently more widespread criticism of "bury your gays" tropes, which, yes, could also be a way for queer writers to present queer characters with lighter contemporary mainstream scrutiny. For a more scholarly overview, here's an article I've only skimmed, but it seems, unsurprisingly, to cover the topic and its complications—including queer writers' implementation of the trope—more thoroughly than TVTropes.

[TheKieslowskiHaze]

I wonder how they add that to Schlesinger’s sexuality.

I'm sure the book mentions it, but the NPR article's omission of that fact is very misleading.

It does appear that the book is somewhat less ham-handed about these issues.

Yes, just that short passage is a much more nuanced take from Frankel than the NPR article implies.

I can't speak to particulars as I've not seen this since I was a teenager, but it might be part of the recently more widespread criticism of "bury your gays" tropes, which, yes, could also be a way for queer writers to present queer characters with lighter contemporary mainstream scrutiny. For a more scholarly overview, here's an article I've only skimmed, but it seems, unsurprisingly, to cover the topic and its complications—including queer writers' implementation of the trope—more thoroughly than TVTropes.

I have heard criticism leveled at

Spoiler

the male client whom Joe Buck murders.

The gist being that that particular character's sexuality and role in the film is too one dimensional, a mere device for the protagonist's own gay-panic.

Thanks all; I appreciate the responses.

[copen]

i always think of this as a capture of a perfect moment in time in 1969 nyc. directed by a brit, no less.
but of course, this was filmed in 1968. Release date May 25, 1969.
so, it's a perfect moment in time in 1968 nyc.

[beamish14]

i always think of this as a perfect moment in time in 1969 nyc. directed by a brit, no less.
but of course, this was filmed in 1968. Release date May 25, 1969.
so, it's a perfect moment in time in 1968 nyc.

Yes, I’ve always thought that this and Up the Down Staircase are probably the two best depictions of NYC in the second half of the 60’s to come out of the studio system

[copen]

thanks, i'll check out Up the Down Staircase.
the only other one that i can think of, as far as seemingly perfect late 60's/early 70's capture of nyc, is taxi driver. just the filming alone, even ignoring the entire plot.

the title of this thread should be renamed from
Il sore Ratso
to
Midnight Cowboy

because it was hard to find this thread.

[domino harvey]

thanks, i'll check out Up the Down Staircase.
the only other one that i can think of, as far as seemingly perfect late 60's/early 70's capture of nyc, is taxi driver. just the filming alone, even ignoring the entire plot.

the title of this thread should be renamed from
Il sore Ratso
to
Midnight Cowboy

because it was hard to find this thread.

Some of my fellow moderators are quite fond of the fake title, while Greg Kinnear’s Blackmailer continues to languish in obscurity

Anyways, heartily second a recommendation of Up the Down Staircase, which, as someone who taught in a high need inner city school, is the most realistic and accurate portrayal of that experience I’ve seen on screen