Shampoo Horns

Why are so many of the films made for the gay market so bloody awful? Every once in a while we all trot along dutifully to see a film that will supposedly illuminate another aspect of our culture. Nearly every time we are treated to a parade of cliches, lousy acting and terrible dialogue. Oh yes and a bit of sex and pretty boys to keep us watching. Occasionally a gem like Gregg Araki's "Living End" will catch us off guard, but usually we trundle home feeling cheated and a little sad.

This film will make you feel very sad. A bunch of desperate drug-addicted drag queens and various hangers-on lurch through a night of debauchery in a night-club - while an HIV positive drag queen pontificates from far on the magic of gaydom. If this film is intending to be an anti-gay film it succeeds admirably. It makes our culture look drug-dependent, witless and boring. One or two of the cast members have talent, but mostly they are pretty lousy. Surprisingly it is quite well shot and seems to have had a decent budget - why then was money not spent on assembling a better cast and on writing a better script?