| Before Stonewall: The Making of a Gay and Lesbian Community | 
 enlarge | Director: John Scagliotti;greta Schiller;robert Rosenberg
Actors: Rita Mae Brown, Evelyn Hooker, Ricky Streiker, Henry Otis, Jim Kepner
Studio: FIRST RUN FEATURES
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $16.93
You Save: $13.02 (43%)
Buy New/Used from $15.95
Avg. Customer Rating:   (10 reviews)
Sales Rank: 17769
Format: Black & White, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 87 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: 911030
UPC: 720229911030
EAN: 0720229911030
ASIN: B0001US7TU
Release Date: May 18, 2004
Theatrical Release Date: June 27, 1985
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
On June 27, 1969, police raided The Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City's Greenwich Village. In a spontaneous show of support and frustration, the city's gay community rioted for three nights in the streets, an event that is considered the birth of the modern Gay Rights Movement.
The award winning film Before Stonewall pries open the closet door, setting free the dramatic story of the sometimes horrifying public and private existences experienced by gay and lesbian Americans since the 1920s. Revealing and often humorous, this widely acclaimed film relives the emotionally-charged sparking of today's gay rights movement, from the events that led to the fevered 1969 riots to many other milestones in the brave fight for acceptance.
Experience the fascinating and unforgettable, decade-by-decade history of homosexuality in America through eye-opening historical footage and amazing interviews with those who lived through an often brutal closeted history.
Amazon.com
Before Stonewall is a documentary about evolution, namely the evolution of gay culture in the U.S. from the early 1920s to the Stonewall riot of 1969. Embellished with archival footage and photography from five decades, the film most prominently features the gay underground of the '20s and '30s, the rise of gay service in the military and workforce during WWII, the persecution of gays as "subversives" and "sexual perverts" in the state department by Senator McCarthy, the growth of the first grassroots political organizations for gay men and lesbians in the '50s, and of course, the civil rights movement. Commentary is provided by the gay men and lesbians who came of age in the years leading up to Stonewall. Overall, Before Stonewall does an admirable job of illustrating the rise of American gay culture and pinpointing the various social and political issues that were most instrumental. Perhaps the film's only weakness lies in the vast ground it tries to cover in such a short amount of time, leaving certain themes without much in-depth coverage. However, as a snapshot of the years leading up to Stonewall, it succeeds remarkably well. --Katy Ankenman
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| Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...
 political challenge November 23, 2008
And the world turns and slowly gets fairer and just better. Great political story and why some of us are here and out and about!
M*U*S*T H*A*V*E! June 21, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The BEFORE STONEWALL dvd is one of three must have documentaries for all LGBT people (the others being After Stonewall and Paris Is Burning).
Chronicling the time from the roaring 20s to just before the Stonewall riots in 1969, BEFORE STONEWALL takes the viewer on a journey through the struggle that gay men and lesbians have faced as they go from isolation to finding others "like them." The story is told from the mouths of the people who lived through those times like Harry Hay, Barbara Gittings, Audre Lorde, Allen Ginsberg and others, and provides photos, news-clippings, and personal home movies and talks about the importance of underground 'zines that helped gay and lesbians connect with one another.
The doc also shows the beginnings of LGBT groups like "The Mattachine Society" and "Daughters of Billitis" during the late 50s, and features a reunion of workers and patrons of San Francisco gay bar from the 50s "The Black Cat."
BEFORE... came out on PBS in 1985 and "first-run-features" has done an excellent job cleaning up the footage. Of course it doesn't look as though it were done recently, but it's passable. The film runs at about 87-minutes and the special features include: blurry interview with Allen Ginsberg who reads two of his poems; additional interviews with Audre Lorde and Yvonne Flowers; additional footage of The Black Cat bar reunion and interview with Jose Sarria.
 GLBT life before Stonewall February 7, 2007
This documentary includes interviews with members of the GLBT community and their personal recollections of life from the 1920's to Stonewall. The inclusion of film clips, photos, and news items along with the personal recollections makes the history both interesting and personable. Too often we take our current freedoms for granted without appreciating those who fought to gain those rights. As a member of the GLBT community and a president of a PFLAG chapter I recommend this documentary along with the "After Stonewall" documentary.
Our History Documented December 27, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
"BEFORE STONEWALL: The Making of a Gay and Lesbian Community"
Our Stories, Our Lives
Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride
?Before Stonewall? (First Run Features) is an obligatory film?it is the story of gay and lesbians and how so much of what we have today was gained for us by a courageous few. In 1969, the New York police raided the Stonewall Inn, a famous gay bar in Greenwich Village, New York. This led to three days and three nights of rioting by the gay community of New York. And thus was born the gay liberation movement in America. It was then that the group of New York men and women said that they had had enough and were not going to take anymore. The closet door of America opened and out we poured?determined to fight for our right to meet and to begin the fight for equality.
In this amazing film, we get a look at the events leading up to that night at the Stonewall and we also see what really made it happen. Up until then we were the victims of horrible and terrifying treatment at the hands of the law enforcement agencies across this great country. This is the story, our story which is at times humorous and at other times revealing but most important?it is our story. The beginnings of the gay rights movement were at times glorious, at times depressing. and always emotional. We had finally decided that being third-class citizens was not for us. Sure, we all have heard of Stonewall but how many of us are aware of what happened before Stonewall. In this movie we have a decade by decade history of gay life in America through historical film footage and interviews with those who lived through the period. I tell so many of my younger friends that when they consider where we, the gay community, are today, to look back and see how it came to be and that those who fought for it are the true heroes.
I have seen this movie many times and it never ceases to amaze
me. The material that has been gleaned from the archives?film clips and photographs of gay life in America from 1900 to the 60s is enough alone to make this film a treasure, But add to that the interviews with those who were alive during pre-Stonewall and that makes this movie priceless. It is a must for everyone but especially for those who are interested in the field of gay studies and for anyone who is socially conscious.
It examines how gay people lived and supported each other in the days before the famous raids which were a catalyst for the gay rights movement. It features many brave individuals who risked life and limb back then by even broaching the subject of homosexuality.
If you consider yourself a member of a community, it is only right that you would want to know the history of that community. Here is an easy way to have a look at our history. It is fascinating, lively, funny, sad and above all intelligent. This is a movie that you owe it to yourself to see.
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Amos Lassen
what's new?
a must buy... July 5, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
for anyone who wants to understand better the real history of the GBLT movement. Great presentation, easy to watch and informative. A tool for educating anyone willing to sit and watch it!
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